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Vancouver Folk Music Festival in 2024

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 2024 the Vancouver Folk Music Festival runs from July 19th to 21st. New for this year, instead of a beer garden, you can now enjoy adult beverages you purchase everywhere on site!

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

 

Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Jericho Beach

Attracting thousands of folk music enthusiasts over the three days, the festival features around 60 workshops and performances by artists from a dozen or so countries.

Celebrating its 47th anniversary in 2024, this year’s festival happens on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July 19th to 21st. Advance tickets are available online between June 15th and July 18th.

Headliners in 2024 include The Milk Carton Kids, Iris Dement and 47Soul. The full lineup of performers is further below.

 

For full details about the festival, click Vancouver Folk Music Festival 2024.

 

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 2024 it happens on the weekend of July 19th to 21st. The festival runs from 2:00 until 11:00 pm on the Friday. Hours on the Saturday and Sunday are from 9:00 am until 11:00 pm.

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

Vancouver Folk Music Festival hours are from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm on the Friday. Hours on the Saturday and Sunday are from 9:00 am until 11:00 pm.

Early bird rates applied for all-weekend or one day access if you purchased tickets by mid-June. Family Pack deals are available at the gate for all-weekend or single day access. Evening tickets are also available if you want to attend after 5:00 pm.

Note: This year advanced online ticket sales end at midnight on July 18th, which is the day before the first day of the festival. On the dates of the festival, so on July 19th, 20th and 21st in 2024, you can only buy tickets on site at the gate. You can no longer purchase them online. Also, the prices listed below exclude taxes and online service charges.

 

2024 Advanced (Online) Full Weekend Tickets

Below are the admission prices for the full weekend in 2024 when purchased online in advance. Tickets purchased on the day at the gate cost between $5 and $20 more depending on your age.

  • Adults: $250
  • Seniors (ages 65+): $200
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $180
  • Youth (ages 13 to 19): $165
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

In addition to the above, you can also buy a Family Pack Weekend Pass for $600 which is valid for two adults and two youth.

 

2024 Advanced (Online) Friday Evening Tickets

Below are the admission prices for the Friday evening in 2024 when purchased online in advance between June 15th and July 18th. Tickets purchased on the day at the gate cost $5 more.

  • Adults: $75
  • Seniors (ages 65+): $65
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $50
  • Youth (ages 13-19): $40
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

In addition to the above, you can also buy a Family Pack Friday Pass for just $165 which is valid for two adults and two youth.

 

2024 Advanced (Online) Saturday & Sunday Tickets

Below are the single-day admission prices for the Saturday or Sunday in 2024 when purchased online in advance between June 15th and July 18th. Tickets purchased on the day at the gate cost between $5 and $20 more depending on your age.

  • Adults: $125
  • Seniors (65+): $105
  • Students (ages 20+ with ID): $90
  • Youth (ages 13-19): $75
  • Children (ages 12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

In addition to the above, you can also buy a Family Pack Pass for just the Saturday or Sunday for $315. This pass is valid for two adults and two youth (which means a savings of $85).

 

2024 Saturday & Sunday Evening Pass

In 2024, if you don’t want to attend a full day on the weekend, you can get an evening ticket for just the Saturday or Sunday. It will allow you to attend the festival from 5:00 pm until closing on either of those two days. These passes cost $60 in advance or $70 at the gate.

 

Early-Bird Tickets

Good to know for next year, if you buy your tickets a month or more before the festival you can save yourself a few extra dollars. In 2024 early-bird tickets bought by June 14th were $30 or $40 less for the full weekend and between $5 and $25 less for a day pass compared to online prices after the June 15th date.

 

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 2024 schedule is listed below.

Note: Performer details are 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 pause between 10:00 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 are several places where you can buy beer and wine and you can 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 can now buy beer and wine at a few different stations. As of this year, you can also enjoy the alcoholic beverages you purchase 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. This year they are 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 July 21st draw. 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 are to be confirmed.

TIP #5: The Celebration of Light fireworks competition kicks off on Saturday, July 20th in 2024. From 10:00 to 10:30 pm, performances at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival pause so everyone can 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 with 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.

To see a layout of the festival from 2024, click Festival Site Map.

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.