Home Vancouver Monthly Calendar Festivals and Events in Vancouver in 2023 Vancouver Folk Music Festival

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

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

In 2022 the festival took place on the weekend of July 15th to 17th. It was an awesome event (as always)!

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is scheduled to return from July 14th to 16th in 2023. It may happen in a slightly scaled down format, but exact details are to be confirmed.

 

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

Admission | Concerts 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.

 

Fort Langley Jazz Festival

 

MUSIC FESTIVALS IN FORT LANGLEY & MISSION

There are a couple of other festivals that you might be interested in. The Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival takes place around the same time as the folk music festival. In 2023 it runs from July 20th to 23rd. The Mission Folk Music Festival is another great event. It happens in 2023 on July 21st to 23rd.

 

Folk Festival at Jericho Beach

Attracting tens of thousands of folk music enthusiasts over the three days, the festival used to feature over 60 performances from artists from over a dozen different countries.

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival returned with in-person entertainment on July 15th to 17th in 2022.

In 2023 the festival runs on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July 14th to 16th. Additional details are to be confirmed.

 

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

 

Vancouver Folk Fest Crowds at Dusk
Folk Fest at Dusk

 

Admission to Folk Fest

Performances at the 2022 festival ran on the Friday from about 4:00 until 11:00 pm, and on the Saturday and Sunday from around noon until 11:00 pm.

You could buy tickets for the whole weekend or for just one or two out of the three days.

 

Full Weekend Tickets

Below were the ticket prices for the full weekend in 2022. Early-bird prices were about $30 or so less. 2023 details are to be confirmed.

  • Adults: $254.03 in advance and $275.66 at the gate
  • Students and Seniors (65+): $221.58 in advance and $243.21 at the gate
  • Youth (ages 13-18): $221.58 in advance and $243.21 at the gate
  • Children (12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

Below were ticket prices for each of the three days for people not wanting to attend the entire weekend. As of July 2022, the price was the same when purchased online or at the gate. 2023 prices may be comparable.

 

Friday Evening Tickets

  • Adults: $79.41
  • Students and Seniors (65+): $57.78
  • Youth (ages 13-18): $57.78
  • Children (12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

Saturday & Sunday Tickets

  • Adults: $140.47
  • Students and Seniors (65+): $118.84
  • Youth (ages 13-18): $118.84
  • Children (12 and under): free when accompanied by a paying adult

 

Frazey Ford at Folk Fest
Frazey Ford at Folk Fest in 2022

 

2022 Concerts Schedule

There were nearly 40 musical acts announced for the festival as of mid-May, 2022. Here were some of the headliners for 2022:

  • Alejandro Escovedo – he has been touring for over 40 years and continues to release music in a range of genres.
  • Allison Russell – a Canadian artist who just released her first solo (and Grammy-nominated) album last year.
  • Asleep at the Wheel – a Texan band that has toured with a rotating cast of members for 50 years.
  • The Bros Landreth – a Juno award-winning alternative music duo from Winnipeg.
  • Frazey Ford – a Vancouver-based folk artist who released her third album in 2020.
  • Haley Heynderickx – this Filipino-American artist draws on influences from the 1960s and 70s in her music. 
  • Molly Tuttle – an American artist who is a two-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year award.
  • The New Pornographers – a local indie rock band that was originally formed by half a dozen musicians from various groups.
  • Robben Ford – a five-time Grammy nominated blues musicians most known for his electric guitar skills.
  • Shovels & Rope – this duo combines folk, country and rock in their music and tour across North America.
  • Taj Mahal – this blues artist is a multi-time Grammy winner and recipient of an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other artists scheduled to perform in 2022 were Beledrone, Five Alarm Funk, RevoluSon, Witch Project and many more. For the full list of artists visit the Vancouver Folk Fest website.

Below is the schedule of performances from the 2022 Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 2023 details are to be confirmed.

Note: Schedule location and performer details were subject to change.

 

Robben Ford at Folk Fest
Robben Ford

 

Friday July 15th (2022) Concerts 

 

Friday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE

 

Friday Evening Concerts on the East Stage

 

Friday Evening Concerts on the West Stage

 

Friday Evening Concerts on South Stage

 

For the most up-to-date information about the festival see the Vancouver Folk Fest website.

 

Vancouver Folk Fest Crowds

 

Saturday July 16th (2022) Concerts and Workshops

 

Saturday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE

 

Saturday Concerts and Workshops on the East Stage

 

Folk Fest Singers

 

Saturday Concerts and Workshops on the West Stage

 

Saturday Concerts and Workshops on the South Stage

 

For the most up-to-date information about the festival see the Vancouver Folk Fest website.

 

Viper Central in Concert

 

Sunday July 17th (2022) Concerts and Workshops

 

Sunday Evening Concerts on the MAIN STAGE

 

Sunday Concerts and Workshops on the East Stage

 

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

 

Saxophonist from Robben Ford Band at Folk Fest

 

Sunday Concerts and Workshops on the West Stage

 

Sunday Concerts and Workshops on South Stage

 

What to Expect at Folk Fest

At the Vancouver Folk Music Festival you can expect three days of amazing folk music performances by dozens of 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 beer garden, festival food and artisan market. There are also special activities for children, like face painting and crafts.

 

Mandolin Orange Band at Folk Fest

 

Folk Fest 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.

In 2016, the headliner for the final night was Bruce Cockburn. In 2017 one of the main bands was The Bare Naked Ladies. 2018 bands included Alex Cuba and Les Poules à Colin.

Music is played from multiple stages in different areas of the park at the same time, so if you find you don’t like what you’re listening to, chances are pretty good you’ll find something you love pretty close by.

For a look at the festival venue, click Folk Fest Site Map.

 

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

 

Festival Beer Garden

At the Vancouver Folk Music Festival there is of course a beer garden which serves both wine and beer. The beer garden area has tons of tables, many of which have umbrellas for shade. The host brewing in 2022 was Whistler Brewing.

A gazillion people attend the festival of course, so be prepared to wait in line to get your drinks at popular times, or simply keep your eye on the line as it has both busy times and slow times. One of the best places to be at the festival though, without a doubt, is at the beer garden!

 

For full details about the festival visit thefestival.bc.ca.

 

Folk 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 most of it is really delicious!

Most of the food vendors are concentrated in sort of a food court area in the northeast corner of the festival venue, which is convenient as it means everyone in your group can find something they like all in the same general place.

 

Food Trucks at Folk Fest
Food Trucks at the Festival

 

The Artisan Market

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

For the weekend of the festival, the Folk Fest Artisan Market was arguably the best market in the Lower Mainland.

At the market you’d 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 taking a look.

 

Folk Fest Artisan Market
Artisan Market at Vancouver Folk Fest

 

Folk Festival Advice

Below are some tips to help you make the most out 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, for example, alone are worth the price of a full day’s ticket.

TIP #2: If you’re not sure if you’ll like the festival, or if you’re not even sure if you like folk music, just go to Jericho Beach for part of the day and check it out from a distance. If it turns out you like what you see and hear, then either buy a ticket and go inside or plan to do so in the following year.

TIP #3: If you order your tickets online at least three days in advance you’ll save yourself a few dollars.

TIP #4: 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 #3: 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 freezingly 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 #6: Take public transit if you can, or ride your bike, because with thousands of festival goers all at the same place, parking can be a nightmare. Take good walking shoes and don’t be surprised if you have to walk a considerable distance, like from as far as the western end of Spanish Banks some four or so kilometres away. 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. (Note: there is a large secure bicycle parking area at the main (East) entrance just off 4th Avenue. Bicycle parking there usually costs about $2.)

 

Folk Fest Video

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.

 

 

Other Information

See the Folk Fest Website for further information on the Festival in general.

To see a layout of the festival from 2022, 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.

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