By: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer
From July 18–20, the salt-kissed shores of ʔəy̓alməxʷ / Iy̓ál̓mexw (Jericho Beach Park) will become a living, breathing experiment in togetherness — a place where folk music exists not merely as a genre but as a way of being — in an act of community resilience, with a brilliant blur of genres and geographies.
Forefronting Indigenous voices, the festival’s lineup is as sprawling and interconnected as a forest root system. You might want to listen to the electrifying fusion of Moroccan folk and Gnawa rhythm with psychedelic blues-rock by Bab L’ Bluz, or find yourself moved to tears with Elisapie’s hauntingly intimate Inuktitut-language reinterpretations of classic rock songs. Or, you might be drawn to the local folk sounds of Ocie Elliot or the dreamy acoustic harmonies of The Milk Carton Kids.
And that’s just the start. Saturday night brings Scottish fusion from Shooglenifty and Sunday the retro-rock yet soulful sounds from the UK-based band, The Heavy Heavy. For the true indie lovers, catch Vancouver’s own high-energy Colombian and Mexican folk fusion from Locarno or Montreal’s Bel and Quinn, who blend Haitian traditions with Jazz, in a reminder of the diasporic spirit of Canada.
Yes, it is a celebration of traditional and contemporary folk music, with over 40 artists. But it is also a celebration of community, with dancing, storytelling, and food. During the festival, you can visit the Artisan Market and Community Village and learn about diverse organizations building a better world, from West Coast Environmental Law to SFU’s community radio station, CJSF 90.1 FM. Or, amid corporate monopolies, you can shop from ethical local artisans and artists. There is a whole range of these to choose from, including African Fair Trade that imports soap, shampoo, and skin lotion from Senegal and Ghana and Bird Brothers Philanthropic Trading Company that sells hand-made clothing by hill tribe peoples in Southeast Asia such as the Hmong. Through supporting such initiatives, you can participate in building micro-economies of care and support causes and underrepresented voices from around the world.
In this weekend escape full of life, you might glimpse a way forward — a future made by hands, voices, and shared breath by the southern shores of English Bay.
You’ll also find rich local flavors with vendors like Felt You Up, who use natural dyes and leaves from the Sunshine Coast to print patterns on scarves, or Thundercloud designs, who offer original Anishinaabe art. Each booth tells a story; each purchase allows you to envision a different world.
Beyond music and culture, the festival honours its commitment to inclusivity with the Little Folks Village, where children of all ages can participate in free-spirited music, storytelling, play, and crafts. All day during the festival weekend, various activities invite you to disconnect from our obsession with productivity. Be on the look out for Pete “Redbird” Graham and his stilting family, juggling and starting sing-alongs, or get grooving with marimba ensembles from the Sarah McLachlan School of Music and the Saint James Music Academy. Learn unexpected lessons about interconnectedness from Kung Jaadee, a Haida storyteller who loves sharing many Haida and Squamish stories, or find yourself mesmerized by Angela Brown’s Nylon Zoo puppet shows.
For three days, the lines blur between performer and audience, global and local, art and life. Folk music isn’t something we simply stream but something we actively take part in. In this weekend escape full of life, you might glimpse a way forward — a future made by hands, voices, and shared breath by the southern shores of English Bay.
So come. Stay for a set or a stilt lesson. Stay for the possibility that strangers, songs, and sand might still show us how to be human again.
