Jason Stockfish | [email protected]
Casting a cautiously optimistic eye toward the future, the Jasper Heritage Folk & Blues Society announced the Jasper Folk Music Festival will return in 2022.
With the worst of the pandemic seemingly in the rear view, the festival will bring music, art and entertainment back to Jasper after a two-year COVID interruption.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so thrilled to be back,鈥� Cristin Murphy, the festival鈥檚 executive director, told a group of volunteers gathered at Habitat for the Arts for the society鈥檚 April meeting.
鈥淲e feel like everybody is ready for a celebration and for live music.鈥�
The Jasper Folk Music Festival began in 1985 as a bi-annual festival.
In 2013, after a six-year hiatus, the cultural event was reinvented as an annual party when Murphy and others breathed new life into the society.
For the first few years after its return, the festival was held at Centennial Park.
This year, as in 2019, the festival will be held at its new location in Commemoration Park.
For the first time ever, the bands performing at the festival will be doing so on the Jim Vena stage donated by CN Rail.
In a typical year, the Jasper Heritage Folk & Blues Society would have accepted 鈥渟onic bids鈥� from artists looking to be added to the festival鈥檚 line-up.
However, for the 2022 festival, most of the acts were booked two years prior and have been promised a spot in this summer鈥檚 line-up.
鈥淲e have some of our music already sorted, because we actually were very organized in 2020 for maybe the first time ever,鈥� Murphy said.
鈥�(2020) was going to be our seventh festival, and we had booked and paid the deposits on our headliners in February of 2020, only to find out that the whole world was cancelled.鈥�
Murphy explained that after firming up some details, the festival鈥檚 social media accounts will soon be abuzz with activity.
鈥淲e are getting close to being at the point that we鈥檙e able to announce our line-up.鈥�
Pulling off a successful weekend of festivities is a tall order鈥攅ven with six successful festivals under your belt鈥攚hich is why a small but determined group of talented volunteers (newcomers and old guard) had gathered to brainstorm and head off any anticipated pit falls.
Despite the strength of the festival鈥檚 existing unpaid workforce, volunteers are still needed, noted Jamie Robson, secretary of the Jasper Heritage Folk & Blues Society.
In addition to the numerous hands required to set up and tear down the event, the society is also looking for a children鈥檚 programming director, a treasurer and a volunteer co-ordinator.
On top of requiring a crew of volunteers, the society needs donations and sponsorship dollars in order to pull off an event of this magnitude.
Some funding is provided by the provincial Community Initiatives Program grant, but support from local businesses is necessary and warmly welcomed, explained Peggy McCormick, the society鈥檚 assistant director.
Murphy told those gathered for the meeting that after what is certain to be an incredibly busy summer in Jasper, it will be amazing to once again have live music and celebration on the weekend after Labour Day.
鈥淲e really hope we can bring that for our community and for all of you around the table.鈥�
The festival begins with the Kids鈥� Parade at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 and ends with an afterparty on Sept. 10, time and location yet to be determined.
In addition to live music, there will be artisan vendors and food trucks onsite, along with a children鈥檚 play area and a beer garden.
Keep an eye on the Jasper Folk Music Festival鈥檚 social media accounts for updates and opportunities to assist the society in making their triumphant return.
Individual and corporate early bird passes will soon be available for purchase.
