Vancouver Folk Festival – The Strongest lineup in years
preview by Doug Heselgrave
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival held every third weekend over July for more than thirty years at Vancouver’s Jericho Beach Park has never lost its countercultural edge.
Performers like Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked played the festival at the beginning of their careers and have made a point of coming back whenever their schedules allow. In recent years, world music acts like Michael Franti, Adrian Sherwood, Ari Up, Kirin Ahluwalia and Mutabaruka have gotten people out of their lawn chairs to dance. Folk and country icons such as Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Hazel Dickens, Kate Wolf, Ian Tyson, Bruce Cockburn, Ferron and Ricky Skaggs have each given memorable performances at the folk festival.
This year’s lineup is one of the most exciting in recent years. Performers include:
Gillian Welch
Tinariwen
James Cotton
Mary Gauthier
Roseanne Cash
Justin Townes Earle
Dan Hicks and his hot licks
The Jayhawks
Josh Ritter
Tim Robbins
Dick Gaughan
Kelly Joe Phelps
…..and over 150 more acts
Look for coverage here, but if you’re anywhere in the Pacific Northwest or West Coast of Canada, and you’re free this weekend, there’s no better place to be.
Check out the full lineup, schedules and prices at : www.thefestival.bc.ca