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Vancouver Folk Music Festival in 2025

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

Taking place at beautiful Jericho Beach in July each year, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is one of the Lower Mainland’s premier music festivals.

In 2025 the Vancouver Folk Music Festival runs from July 18th to 20th.

For the festival’s official website, visit thefestival.bc.ca.

 

In this article you’ll find information about the following:

When & Where | Admission | Concert Lineup Schedule | What to Expect | The Music | Beer Garden | Festival Food | Artisan Market | Festival Advice | Other Information

Click on any of the above links to jump to a specific topic, or continue reading to learn all about the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.

 

Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Jericho Beach

Attracting thousands of folk music enthusiasts over the three days, the festival features dozens of workshops and performances by artists from a variety of countries.

Celebrating its 48th anniversary in 2025, this year’s festival happens on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July 18th to 20th. The full lineup of performers is further below.

 

For full details about the event, visit the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Vancouver Folk Fest Crowds at Dusk
Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Dusk

 

Where & When

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival takes place at the park at Jericho Beach in Vancouver. In 2025 it happens on the weekend of July 18th to 20th. The hours of operation are from 2:00 to 11:00 pm on the Friday and from 9:00 am until 11:00 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday.

Jericho Beach is one of Vancouver’s most beautiful beaches. It’s just east of Locarno Beach. At the western edge of Jericho Beach is the Jericho Sailing Club and on the eastern side is the Vancouver Yacht Club. The addresses of those two places are 1300 Discovery Street and 3811 Point Grey Road respectively.

 

Admission to the Festival

Ticket prices for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival vary depending on how many days you wish to attend, your age, and when you buy your tickets. As of late May in 2025, early bird rates are in effect. Regular prices are to be confirmed.

 

2025 Early Bird Full Weekend Tickets

Below are the admission prices for the full weekend in 2025 when purchased online in advance.

  • Adults: $225
  • Seniors (ages 65+): $195
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $150
  • Youth (ages 13 to 19): $150
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

2025 Early Bird Friday Evening Tickets

Below are the admission prices for the Friday evening in 2025 when purchased online in advance.

  • Adults: $70
  • Seniors (ages 65+): $55
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $35
  • Youth (ages 13-19): $35
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

2025 Early Bird Saturday & Sunday Tickets

Below are the single-day admission prices for the Saturday or Sunday in 2025 when purchased online in advance.

  • Adults: $120
  • Seniors (65+): $100
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $75
  • Youth (ages 13-19): $75
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

For tickets and full details about the concerts, visit the official Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Frazey Ford at Folk Fest
Frazey Ford at the Festival (in 2022)

 

Concert Lineup and Schedule

There are so many concerts and workshops to enjoy throughout the festival each year.

The 2025 lineup of performers is as follows:

  • African Chamber Music Ensemble (British Columbia)
  • Bab L’ Bluz (Europe/Africa)
  • Bamba Wassoulou Groove (Africa)
  • Bel & Quinn (Quebec/Haiti)
  • Blue Moon Marquee (British Columbia)
  • Cris Derksen (Ontario)
  • Derek Gripper & Guy Buttery (South Africa)
  • Eilen Jewell (United States)
  • Elisapie (Quebec)
  • Emily Wurramara (Australia)
  • Haram (British Columbia)
  • Jake Xerxes Fussell (United States)
  • Jane Siberry with Rebecca Jenkins (Ontario/British Columbia)
  • Julian Taylor (Ontario)
  • Kellie Loder (Newfoundland & Labrador)
  • Kris Drever (Scotland)
  • Krystle Dos Santos and Orchard Sky (British Columbia)
  • Lennie Gallant (Prince Edward Island)
  • Les Mamans du Congo x Rrobin (Africa)
  • Locarno (British Columbia)
  • Marcus Mosely and Friends (British Columbia)
  • Margaret Glaspy (United States)
  • Marin Patenaude (British Columbia)
  • Meredith Moon (Ontario)
  • Mimi O’Bonsawin (Ontario)
  • Nico Paulo (Newfoundland & Labrador/Portugal)
  • Ocie Elliott (British Columbia)
  • On the Beach: Neil Young Reimagined (British Columbia)
  • Rich Hope (British Columbia)
  • Rumbaristas (Belgium/France/Spain)
  • Ruthie Foster (United States)
  • Samantha Parton (British Columbia)
  • Shooglenifty (Scotland)
  • Speeding West (British Columbia/United States)
  • Sue Foley (Ontario)
  • TEKE::TEKE (Quebec/Japan)
  • The Heavy Heavy (United Kingdom)
  • The Langan Band (Scotland)
  • The Milk Carton Kids (United States)
  • The Zawose Queens (Tanzania)
  • VÍÍK (Denmark/Norway)
  • Watchhouse (United States)
  • Willi Carlisle (United States)
  • Ye Vagabonds (Ireland)

Performance times for this year are to be confirmed. For an idea of what to expect, the schedule from 2024 is listed below.

Note: Performer details were subject to change. For the latest details, see the official Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Friday July 19th (2024) Concerts 

 

Friday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE (2024)

 

Friday Concerts on the East Stage (2024)

 

Robben Ford at Folk Fest

 

Friday Concerts on the West Stage (2024)

 

Friday Concerts on South Stage (2024)

 

For the most up-to-date information, see the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Vancouver Folk Fest Crowds

 

Saturday July 20th (2024) Concerts and Workshops

 

Note: Performances on the Saturday paused between 10:00 pm and 10:30 pm for Portugal’s Celebration of Light fireworks display at English Bay.

 

Saturday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE (2024)

 

Saturday Concerts & Workshops on the East Stage (2024)

 

Folk Fest Singers

 

Saturday Concerts & Workshops on the West Stage (2024)

  • 10:00 am – Canadabkeh
  • 11:10 am – Meet me at the Crossroads
  • 12:20 pm – Pharis & Jason Romero (British Columbia)
  • 1:30 pm – Guitar Mayhem
  • 2:50 pm – 47Soul (Palestine/Jordan)
  • 4:10 pm – Barney Bentall (British Columbia)

 

Saturday Concerts & Workshops on the South Stage (2024)

 

For the most up-to-date information, see the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Viper Central in Concert

 

Sunday July 21st (2024) Concerts and Workshops

 

Sunday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE (2024)

 

Sunday Concerts & Workshops on the East Stage (2024)

 

For full details about the event, see the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Sunday Concerts & Workshops on the West Stage (2024)

 

Sunday Concerts & Workshops on South Stage (2024)

 

Saxophonist from Robben Ford Band at Folk Fest

 

What to Expect at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival

At the Vancouver Folk Music Festival you can expect three days of amazing folk music performances by dozens of local, Canadian and international singers and bands on multiple stages spread out over the lawns at the park by beautiful Jericho Beach.

You can also expect thousands of people enjoying not only the music, but also the festival food and artisan market. There are also special activities for children, like face painting and crafts. In past years there was a beer garden. In 2024, however, there were several places where you could buy beer and wine and enjoy it anywhere on-site.

 

Mandolin Orange Band at Folk Fest

 

Folk Festival Music

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival attracts some fairly big names in the folk music world. If you’re really into folk music, you will likely have heard of a number of each year’s performers. If you like folk music but aren’t seriously into it, however, then you might have heard of one or two. And even if you’ve never heard of anyone before, we bet you’ll like tons of new music at the event!

For a look at the festival venue, see thefestival.bc.ca website.

 

Vancouver Folk Fest Side Stage
A Stage Near the Festival’s West Gate

 

Festival Beer Garden

In past years there has been a beer garden at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival which served both wine and beer. The beer garden area had tons of tables, many of which had umbrellas for shade. New for 2024, instead of one single beer garden, you could buy beer and wine at a few different stations. As of last year, you could also enjoy the alcoholic beverages you purchased at the festival almost anywhere on-site.

 

For tickets and full details about the festival, visit thefestival.bc.ca.

 

Folk Music Festival Food

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival always has a great selection of food for sale – everything from healthy vegan dishes, to ethnic cuisine to junk food. There’s something for everyone, and it’s all so delicious!

In the past, most of the food vendors were concentrated in a food court-type area in the northeast corner of the festival venue. Last year they were spread out over four or so different places on-site.

 

Food Trucks at Folk Fest
Food Trucks at the Festival

 

The Artisan Market

The Artisan Market at the festival is truly impressive. It usually features over 100 vendors selling all kinds of beautiful and interesting things. It’s a great market!

For the weekend of the festival, the Artisan Market is arguably the best market in the Lower Mainland.

At the market you can find everything from handmade soaps to African drums to colourful Guatemalan clothing. You’ll also find hats, bags, Persian rugs, sunglasses, hemp clothing, all kinds of jewellery and even vendors offering shiatsu massages and palm readings. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, it’s interesting just browsing.

To learn more about the market, click Artisan Market Community Village.

 

Folk Fest Artisan Market
Artisan Market at the Festival

 

Folk Festival Tips & Advice

Below are some tips to help you make the most of your Vancouver Folk Music Festival experience.

TIP #1: If you’ve never been to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival before, unless you really don’t like music, go! The evening headliner concerts alone are worth the price of a full day’s ticket.

TIP #2: If you order your tickets online at least three days in advance you’ll save yourself a few dollars.

TIP #3: The festival is a cashless event. That means you’ll only be able to pay for things (like food, drinks, souvenirs and admission at the gate) with debit, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Cards, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

TIP #4: While at the event, be sure to buy raffle tickets for the draw on the last day of the festival. You can get one ticket for $10 or three tickets for $20. Proceeds support the Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society. As of mid-July, details about the prizes in 2024 were to be confirmed.

TIP #5: The Celebration of Light fireworks competition kicked off on Saturday, July 20th in 2024. From 10:00 pm to 10:30 pm, performances at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival paused so everyone could appreciate the fireworks display put on by Portugal that night.

TIP #6: People say that in past years when it has rained the event was still incredible. Beautiful sunny weather for an outdoor music festival is ideal. If the weather isn’t perfect, though, don’t let that stop you.

 

For full details about the concerts, see the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website.

 

Robben Ford at Vancouver Folk Music Festival
Robben Ford at the Festival (in 2022)

 

Suggestions on What to Take

TIP #1: Take a water bottle. It can be hot at Jericho Beach in July and the festival provides water stations where you can refill your bottle. And if you think you’ll really need cooling off, take your swimsuit too – the ocean can be freezing cold, but Jericho Beach is one of Vancouver’s finest. Also, time your dip in the water when the tide is coming in. If the sand is hot the water warms remarkably.

TIP #2: Take public transit if you can, or ride your bike, because with thousands of festival goers all at the same place, parking can be challenging. Take good walking shoes and don’t be surprised if you have to walk a considerable distance. If driving, go early and try your luck. Or, if you can, put bicycles on your bike rack and plan to park and then cycle.

TIP #3: There are bicycle parking locations near both the West and East Gates by West 4th Avenue. You can leave your bike there for a donation. The parking areas are secure and supervised spots and you’ll get a ticket which you can then use to get your bike back later.

TIP #4: Leave your pets at home. Dogs are not permitted, unless they are service dogs for people with special needs.

 

Vancouver Folk Music Festival Videos

To give you an idea of what to expect, below is a short video clip of people having fun at the festival from a few years ago. Below that, there is another video with scenes of the festival from 2023.

 

 

And here is what the festival looked like in 2023.

 

 

Other Information

See the Vancouver Folk Music Festival website for further information on the festival in general.

Check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ July Calendar for other great events taking place this same month, or the Vancouver Festival Calendar for a list of the Lower Mainland’s other top events and festivals.

Click Free Summer Concerts for a list of other music venues in July and August.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival takes place at Jericho Beach in Vancouver, on the unceded, traditional territories of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Coast Salish Peoples.