Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival facts for kids
Summerfolk is a super fun yearly music and craft festival! It happens in Owen Sound, Ontario, every August. People and musicians come from all over North America and even other parts of the world to enjoy it. The festival takes place at Kelso Beach Park, which is right on the water of Owen Sound on Georgian Bay. Two brothers, Tim and John Harrison, started Summerfolk way back in 1976. It's famous for its amazing music and cool handcrafted items.
Summerfolk welcomes everyone who loves music! Over the years, people have seen musicians from every continent. You might hear traditional songs from faraway places like Mongolia or Mozambique. Or you could hear new songs from right around the corner! Sometimes, different styles of music are even played together in the same workshop. The festival started small, with people sitting on garbage bags in a muddy field. Now, it's a four-day event with seven music stages and a special Artisan's Village. Dozens of artists sell their handmade crafts there. Thousands of people visit, and hundreds of volunteers help out every year.
Kelso Beach Park has grown a lot, just like Summerfolk. Thanks to teamwork between the City of Owen Sound and the Georgian Bay Folk Society, the park is now awesome. It has a limestone amphitheater with seats for 3000 people! There's also a covered stage named after Stan Rogers. He was one of the first performers and a big supporter of Summerfolk. Even after 40 years, the park looks different, but the festival's spirit is still the same. In 2010, about 12,000 people came to the festival.
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Summerfolk's Rainy History
Summerfolk has often had rainy weather. For 20 out of its first 30 years, it rained a lot! Because of this, long-time fans sometimes jokingly call it "Summersoak." In August 2011, there were really bad storms with heavy rain and thunder. Not as many people came, and the festival ended up owing $25,000. But the community and supporters helped out, and by October, everything was okay. Summerfolk 2012 happened just like normal!
When lightning makes the sound systems shut down, performers get creative. They often move into the middle of tents or stages. They invite the audience to come in out of the rain for cozy, unplugged shows. Everyone sings along! At one memorable show in 2011, some musicians invited the crowd under the Gazebo Stage. Rain was pouring down, hitting their backs and umbrellas. The show ended with everyone singing "This Little Light of Mine" together. It was perfect for a festival that just keeps shining!
Young Discoveries Showcase
Since 2007, Summerfolk has a special program for young musicians. It's called the Young Discoveries Showcase. Winners get a chance to perform at the festival! This contest is for performers who are under 21 years old. It has two rounds where judges listen to the performances. In 2015, the first rounds happened in Paisley and Owen Sound. The finalists performed at the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound.
Famous Performers at Summerfolk
Many musicians who played at Summerfolk later became very famous. Some of these include Leahy, Valdy, The Rankins, The Arrogant Worms, and Natalie MacMaster. Other well-known Canadian artists have also performed there. These include Gowan, Rik Emmett, Blue Rodeo, Moxy Früvous, and Bruce Cockburn. One of Summerfolk's most loved performers was Stan Rogers.
Celebrating 40 Years
The year 2015 was Summerfolk's 40th birthday! To celebrate, the Georgian Bay Folk Society made the festival a bit longer. They added a special Thursday night "Birthday Bash." This extra show featured the amazing blues musician Matt Andersen. He was even nominated for a JUNO award!
