Sales limits: (Updated as of May 15th 2013)

In person at Telus Field – Sales limits per order: Maximum of 6 Adult festival passes (Personal passes and/or Transferable) and 4 Single day tickets of each day (Adult and/or Senior). Youth tickets are unlimited.

Online via the Folk Festival – Sales limits per order: Maximum of 4 Adult festival passes (Personal passes and/or Transferable) and 4 Single day tickets of each day (Adult and/or Senior). Youth tickets are unlimited.

Through Ticketmaster (phone/kiosk/online) – Sales limits per order:  Maximum 4 Adult festival passes (Personal passes and/or Transferable) and 4 Single day tickets of each (Adult and/or Senior).  Youth tickets are unlimited.  (1-855-985-5000/www.ticketmaster.ca)

To stay up to date on all Edmonton Folk Music Festival info and updates please subscribe to our newsletter by clicking the link below:

EFMF eNews

Accounts are only retained for 60 days, so if you created an account in a previous year you will need to create a new one this year.  As always, this information is only used by our box office to process your order, and your personal information will not be used for any other purpose.

For general information on ticket prices and ways to purchase click this link

**New this year: Seniors tickets will no longer be free. Day tickets will be $20 for seniors 65 to 79, with our “Super Seniors” 80 yrs and over still free.

In person June 1st sales will be at Telus Field (10233 96 Avenue NW)

(Click to find directions)

2013 TICKET PRICES

ADULT (18-64 years)

Personal Pass             $159 (1 ticket for all 4 days)

4-Day Transferable   $189 (4 separate tickets that can be shared)

*Note: Saturday and Sunday single tickets are good for the full day; admission beginning at 9:30 am

YOUTH (12-17 years)

4-Day Transferable   $80 (4 separate tickets that can be shared)

*Note: Saturday and Sunday single tickets are good for the full day; admission beginning at 9:30 am

SENIORS (65-79)

*Note: Saturday and Sunday single tickets are good for the full day; admission beginning at 9:30 am

Children (11 and under)       FREE

• Children must be accompanied by an adult.

“Super-Seniors” (80 and over)          FREE

• Seniors may be asked for proof of age, and will join the regular admission line.
• Children (under 12 ) and Super-Seniors (80+) are admitted at the gate regardless of sell out.

For more info click HERE

Loreena will be making a long-awaited swing through Canada’s Western Provinces in a just-announced, mini tour for the Summer of 2013.

“I’m truly excited to be heading back to places that hold such fond memories”, says Loreena. “The musicians and I have had great audiences in the West, and as someone born and raised under a prairie sky there’s always something extra special about being there.”

Joining Loreena on tour is a stellar cast of musicians including Brian Hughes on guitars, bouzouki and oud, Hugh Marsh on violin, Caroline Lavelle on cello and vocals, Andrew Downing on Double Bass, Ben Grossman on hurdy gurdy and percussion and Rick Lazar on percussion.

Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn has always been a restless spirit. Over the course of four decades, the celebrated Canadian artist has traveled to the corners of the earth out of humanitarian concerns—often to trouble spots experiencing events that have led to some of his most memorable songs. Going up against chaos, even if it involves grave risks, can be necessary to get closer to the truth.

“My mother once said that I must have a death wish, always going to what she called ‘those awful places,’” laughs Cockburn. “I don’t think of it that way. I make these trips partly because I want to see things for myself and partly out of my own sense of adventure.”

Small Source of Comfort, Cockburn’s 31st album, is his latest adventurous collection of songs of romance, protest and spiritual discovery. The album, primarily acoustic yet rhythmically savvy, is rich in Cockburn’s characteristic blend of folk, blues, jazz and rock. As usual, many of the new compositions come from his travels and spending time in places like San Francisco and Brooklyn to the Canadian Forces base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, jotting down his typically detailed observations about the human experience.

Fatoumata Diawara
Introducing a fresh new talent with a unique sound, a bagful of beautiful self-penned songs and a tumultuous life story behind her, Fatoumata Diawara’s debut album, ‘Fatou’, was released on World Circuit on September 19, 2011.
Tall, superbly poised and elegant, with an iridescent smile, this sometime star of African film draws elements of jazz and funk into an exquisitely sparse contemporary folk sound – refracting the rocking rhythms and plaintive melodies of her ancestral Wassoulou tradition through an instinctive pop sensibility. At the centre of the music is Fatou’s warm, affecting voice, spare, rhythmical guitar playing and gorgeously melodic songs that draw powerfully on her own often troubled experience.

Karan Casey
A legend in her own right, Karan Casey has long been one of the most innovative provocative and imitated voices in Irish traditional and folk music. Her career has spanned twenty years from the early days as a jazz performer in Georges bistro in Dublin to her heady days in New York with the band Solas to her now blossoming solo career she has sold over half a million albums.

“Exile’s Return” a duet album with former Solas band-mate John Doyle was released to widespread critical acclaim in early 2010. Karan has continued to tour with her own band and as a duo with John Doyle, and has started to record a new album with Crooked Still singer Aoife O’Donovan.

Good For Grapes
Good For Grapes formed in September of 2010, after a group of friends took a trip to Victoria, BC for some modest busking. Since the moment they stepped onto the ferry, they were an attraction. Drawing unexpected crowds, naturally this young and aspiring band took form; an original and talented five piece group, with an array of harmonizing voices and instruments. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, this folk / alternative act has been gaining momentum ever since they stepped into the music scene. Their live stage performance in this time has evolved into an incredibly active, folk stomping, and inviting energy; always resulting in an extremely enthusiastic and involved audience. Beginning by supporting charities and foundations, their unique folk sound has been accepted into a large variety of venues. Through this, they have gained a loyal fan base which grows at every turn.

Upcoming shows around town:

STARS on March 31, 2013
Presented by UnionEvents.com and Live at the Winspear

Having just wrapped a Canadian arena tour supporting Metric this November, Stars continue the musical journey of their latest and greatest album, The North. Released on September 4, 2012, The North debuted #5 on the Soundscan Album Chart and #3 on the Digital Albums Chart in Canada – marking the highest debuts for the band in their career. They also earned a Top 50 Album Chart debut in the U.S.

Brandi Carlile (May 10), at the WInspear

Carlile, who last played Edmonton at the 2011 Folk Music Festival, brings her eclectic blend of country, rock and folk back to River City, promoting her newest album, the personal and intimate Bear Creek, released in the Summer of 2012. Additional tickets for this show have just been released.

Mary Chapin Carpenter & Shawn Colvin (April 23) at the Winspear

Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin, long time friends, are touring as a duo sharing the stage. Look for a mix of songs from their careers, cover songs and a wealth of stories from the road.

Also at the Winspear:
South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela on April 25, 2013

A night of American blues featuring Taj Mahal and Shemekia Copeland on April 28, 2013.

Single tickets for all Winspear shows are available now for $47.00 plus applicable service charges. Additional information is available from the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, toll free 1-800- 563-5081 or online at WinspearCentre.com .

Saturday April 13th, 7:30pm, St Paul’s United Church Edmonton 11526 76 Ave NW

Acclaimed Cellist Christine Hanson, renowned Celtic Harpist/Singer Keri Lynn Zwicker, and special guest from Inverness Scotland-  “Blazin Fiddles” Master Highland Fiddler Bruce MacGregor, will take you on musical adventure of Scotland as they explore repertoire from the Scottish Baroque, to driving Highland jigs and reels, to contemporary Scottish folk compositions.
Join these wonderful performers for an intriguing and animated evening of Scottish traditional music, stories, and good Craic!

For Tickets and more info: http://www.tixonthesquare.ca/event/detail/6167/

Cold Specks
Describing her sound as “Doom Soul”, Cold Specks’ music is steeped in the musical traditions of the Deep South. No wonder then that Al cites the Lomax Field Recordings and James Carr as influences along with Bill Callahan and Tom Waits. With a voice that evokes the ‘spirit feel’ of Mahalia Jackson and the visceral tones of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Cold Specks’ sparse arrangements and chain gang rhythms stop you dead in your tracks.

The Head and the Heart Their music pulses effervescently—both explosively danceable and intuitively intelligent. With Americana roots and strong vocal harmonics that swell like a river, this band finds its anchor in solid songwriting that has even the jaded humming along by the second listen. Their shows are, simply, one hell of a lot of breathless fun. Each song explodes into a potent supernova on stage, where half the audience is zealously singing along with every lyric, and the other half is wishing they knew the words…. This is an album for people who unabashedly sing and drum along on the steering wheel, and also for those who appreciate a well-crafted collection of songs that build into something wholly beautiful. There is in this music a counter-cultural optimism, with roots that grow deep and melodies that lodge themselves far into that place inside you where the head meets the heart.

Neko Case has The Voice, rough around the edges but possessing a formidable strength and range, that causes critics and fans to swoon. To go with that Voice, is an artistry with a trajectory that is fascinating to watch unfold and grow. Where it will take her, and us, is the thrilling part.

“So what does her country stuff sound like? Goddamned exceptional is what it sounds like. Dramatic, gutsy, mysterious, powerful; you name it. It’s forthright and passionate, and it sincerely knocks my socks off.” —Bust Magazine
“She treats Americana like a wellspring of weirdness, not a retro refuge, keening over ghostly pedal steel like a twangier (and more lucid) version of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval.” —Spin

Rayland Baxter is a gentleman, a singer of song, a teller of tale, a picker of strings, a thinker of things. Born in the untamed hills of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, he tells a story unlike any other, a story that is true and full of unraveling emotion. No lines drawn, no box to be found in the world of Rayland Baxter. He is who he is and he tells the unmatched story. Whether it be the story of love, the story of struggle, or the story of joy, the road that he travels is full of dust and flowers, fire and ice, comets and dreams, and he walks with stars in his eyes, leaving the scent of wild magnolias for those on his trail…for us, we are fortunate to find him at the end, smilin’. Tradition is a staple in Rayland’s music. In any given song, one can hear the nuances of his favorites…from Dylan to Van Zandt, Johnson to Hopkins, or anyone else on the musical map that has tickled his fancy at one time or another. His reconstruction of song is mesmerizing in its own right…a true artist…a humble man…a dreamer.

Martin Sexton – one of the most talked-about arrivals on the “new folk” acoustic music scene. The guitarist, singer, and songwriter has an amazing vocal range and makes effective use of it on his recordings and in his live shows. Unlike so many other contemporary singer/songwriters, his vocal style can be described as truly soulful, combining the best qualities of singers like Van Morrison, Al Green, Aaron Neville, and Otis Redding. Now, for nearly 20 years, Martin Sexton has channeled his love of soulful folk, blues, rock and pop music into accessible, emotional songs.

Ruthie Foster - Those who have followed Ruthie Foster’s eclectic musical history know that she can burn down any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues, rock, folk and gospel. Let It Burn is a recording that smolders, sizzles and ignites with an intensity born from her vibrant voice and indelible presence. On her latest recording, Let It Burn, Ruthie Foster takes the listener on her most personal journey yet, sounding like she is pouring her heart out late at night, and her deeply soulful vocals create a spiritual soundscape to support her testimony. This is the album her fans have been waiting for – and that the rest of the world will listen to in wonder.

Laura Smith – In Laura Smith’s music, real emotions ebb and flow. Your heart is in her capable hands, and likewise, she has entrusted you with hers. As she sings, her strong, melodious voice waves and catches, snagging on a scar here and there, surfing on a wonder, staring down a riddle… Smith’s music is direct and honest. Sometimes, fiddles and guitars gently lift and carry her spirited vocals, while her melodies and careful poetry dig deep. Laura Smith had to take some shore-leave but she’s back into the stream of her songwriting life; ebbing and flowing; brave and surfacing.

Stay tuned for more artist releases as the months go by.

The family of Don Snider would like to thank everyone who has sent expressions of sympathy over our overwhelming loss. Many thanks to those who phoned, visited, sent emails, food, flowers, and helped throughout Don’s journey. We are forever grateful to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, the wonderful staff, and volunteers who demonstrated with loving care what family and community is all about.

We keep in mind the sentiment, “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Don Snider (August 11, 1953 – November 12, 2012)

Don Snider

The family of Don Snider is profoundly saddened to announce the passing of our wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend.  His battle with cancer was fought with courage, dignity and grace, and he was an inspiration to all of us who watched him take on this challenge.

Don was born in Calgary, Alberta to Philip and Louisa Snider. He has traveled all over the world but has always remained an Albertan.

Don will be lovingly remembered and cherished by his wife Linda, his daughters and their spouses Laurel  & Matt Allison, and Jacqueline & Barry Watkins, his stepsons and their partners Nathan & Tindy Nauss, and Greg & Mel Nauss. His only grandson, Keenan James Snider Allison was born June 19, 2012 to Laurel & Matt. To miss him and fondly remember him are his other grandchildren, Katey, Lasha, Elaine, Emily, and Gabe. He will also be greatly missed by his brother Gordon Snider and his wife Myrna Doell, his mother, Louisa Petty and sister Audie-Louisa.

No words adequately describe Don Snider, his love of life, his love of people, his love of family and many friends, his joy of working with the numerous festivals and events in and around Edmonton, especially his beloved Edmonton Folk Music Festival and the Site Crew he led as the Production Manager of the Festival for 21 years. He was unique, kind, generous, caring, and told great stories. His knowledge and opinions were respected and valued by all who asked for advice but, above all, he was genuine.

At the request of Don, there will be no service.

A viewing and informal reception will be held on Thursday evening, November 15^th from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. & Friday afternoon, November 16^th from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Memories Funeral Home, 13403 St. Albert Trail.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held Saturday, November 17^th starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Polish Hall, 10960 – 104 St., Edmonton, AB. There will be time to exchange stories, sing a song, and read a poem.

Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family via sniderman@shaw.ca

In Lieu of flowers, the family has requested that you make a donation to the charity of your choice in Don’s name.

Early Bird Draw

Outdoor Adventure Package     Ticket #04555
Silver Tarp Prize Pack         Ticket #07232

Main Draw

4th Prize HMV Music Package Ticket #10875
3rd Prize Party Prize Package    Ticket #06529
2nd Prize Sky Suite Package    Ticket #09333
1st Prize Guild Guitar            Ticket #07939
Golden Tarp Prize Package    Ticket #03358

Enviropower, Family, Festival Support, Green Team, Music and Merch Festival Product,Plate, Traffic, Shuttle, Site Environment, Special Projects.

Festival Kitchen – Dessert, Enviro/KP, Main Course, Platters, Salad, Serving Line

Security – Beer Garden, Liaison, Main Stage, Perimeter, Session Stage, Music and Merch

If you are not on this list, please contact your coordinator to find out where you can pick up your badge.

Once again, we would like to remind everyone that t-shirts will be distributed upon arrival for your first shift, unless other arrangements have been made with your coordinator.

For those not able to pick up their badge prior to the Festival, badges will be available at Volunteer Services starting at 1pm on Thursday, August 9th. You will need to enter through the Volunteer Gate and explain that you need to pick up your badge. If you have a shift starting prior to 1pm on the Thursday of the Festival, please contact us to make alternate arrangements for badge pick up at volunteers@efmf.ab.ca.

There will be no vehicle access in to Cloverdale starting Thursday, August 9th, so please plan transportation to the Festival site accordingly.

*Please note that Site, Site Kitchen and Site Kitchen KP, Nighthawks, Electronic Nighthawks and Site Schlepper badges and t-shirts are handed out by coordinators upon the completion of pre-Festival hours. Please contact your crew coordinator for specific pick up times and locations.

Volunteer Services, SASS, Access, Bike Lock Up, Admin and those on the Stage and Video crews can pick up badges at their August 7th and 8th meetings.