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The 37th Annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival gets underway mid-July, starting off on Friday evening with musicians performing from all over the world thru Sunday night. This is one of my favourite music festivals, I have attended 31 festivals over the years! Each year, as much as I look forward to the music I also look forward to the food.

Over 60 artists and groups from 12 different countries, 7 provinces and 12 states, with roots in many more, will gather in beautiful Pacific beach-front Jericho Beach Park for three evenings and two full days of concerts and workshops. The festival runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday, with multiple daytime stages, early evening and Main concert stages. There’s a world of music coming to our own backyard. See the full 2014 roster of artists below.

Performing for the first time at the VFMF is legendary folksinger, Joan Baez, who will take the Main Stage on Saturday night. She’s joined on the roster by the indie-folk voices of Andrew Bird and the Hands of GloryAmos LeeGreat Lake SwimmersWintersleepBorn Ruffians and others.

For fans of the music of our world, there’s Seun Kuti playing with his father Fela’s band, Egypt 80, Mauritania’s Noura Mint SeymaliLa Manta from Mexico, Mozambique’s Banda Kakana,  Dulsori from Korea, Italy’s Beppe Gambetta andRiccardo Tesi & Banditaliana, Australia’s wild Wagons, and Scotland’s Karine Polwart.

Toronto’s party-punks, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra will be performing, along with a number of Americana-roots firebrands like The Howlin’ Brothers, and Ashleigh Flynn & the Back Porch Majority. The festival welcomes renowned singer-songwriters like Eliza Gilkyson, Rose Cousins and sizzling new voice Mary Lambert.

Indigenous voices are featured, including Australia’s Frank Yamma, and Canadians the Iskwew Singers and Leonard Sumner. There are young BC bands, like Fish & Bird, veterans like Oliver Swain’s BIG MACHINE, all alongside recently-“discovered” 82 year-old Mississippi gospel-bluesman, Leo “Bud” Welch.

Since the initial release of names, we are also happy to announce two recent additions to the lineup: the powerhouse a cappella gospel voices of Como, Mississippi’s The Como Mamas, and from Australia, the King of Koori Country, Roger Knox with Jon Langford and Jean Cook.

2014 FESTIVAL ARTISTS (alpha order)

Joan Baez (CA)

Banda Kakana (Mozambique)

Andrew Bird and the Hands of Glory (IL)

Born Ruffians (ON)

Brasstronaut (BC)

David Bridie (Australia)

The Carper Family (TX)

The Como Mamas (MS)

Rose Cousins (NS)

The Casey Driessen Singularity (TN)

Dulsori (Korea)

Quique Escamilla (ON)

Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys (TX)

Fish and Bird (BC)

Flying Mountain (BC/NL)

Ashleigh Flynn & the Back Porch Majority (OR)

Beppe Gambetta (Italy)

Geomungo Factory (Korea)

Eliza Gilkyson (TX)

Great Lake Swimmers (ON)

Grievous Angels (ON)

James Hill (NS)

The Honeycutters (NC)

The Howlin’ Brothers (TN)

Iskwew Singers (BC/SK)

Stephen Kellogg (CT)

Roger Knox (Australia) with Jon Langford and Jean Cook

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 (Nigeria)

Mary Lambert (WA)

Amos Lee (PA)

Lemon Bucket Orkestra (ON)

Lost Bayou Ramblers (LA)

Jay Malinowski & The Deadcoast (BC)

La Manta (Mexico)

Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar (ON)

Tift Merritt (NY)

Mokoomba (Zimbabwe)

Leo Moran and Anthony Thistlethwaite (Ireland)

The Nautical Miles (BC)

Oh My Darling (MB)

Ozomatli (CA)

Pacifika (BC)

Karine Polwart (Scotland)

Alejandra Ribera (ON)

Jenny Ritter (BC)

David Rovics (OR)

Noura Mint Seymali (Mauritania)

Langhorne Slim & the Law (TN)

Leonard Sumner (MB)

Oliver Swain’s BIG MACHINE (BC)

Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana (Italy)

Les Tireux d’Roches (QC)

Typhoon (OR)

Foy Vance (Ireland)

Tamar Ilana & Ventanas (ON)

Suzie Vinnick (ON)

Wagons (Australia)

Leo “Bud” Welch (MS)

Josh White Jr. (MI)

Wintersleep (NS)

Frank Yamma (Australia)

The names above represent just the incredible list of talent that will grace the stages over festival weekend.

Festival Hours

Friday, July 18: 5-11pm

Saturday, July 19: 10am-11pm

Sunday, July 20: 10am-11pm

Summary Ticket Information

Adult weekend pass: from $140 (to June 14) to $170 (at gate), with one day tickets available, & discounts for Students, Youth & Elders. Children 12 and under are free w/ adult.

Early Bird discounts are available to June 14.

Full information & to purchase tickets: www.thefestival.bc.ca