The Edmonton Folk Music Festival (EFMF) is an annual four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, established in 1980 by Don Whalen.[1] and a core group of volunteers. The festival continues to draw many people from around the world as both spectators and performers. The current producer of the festival is Terry Wickham.
During the daytime hours of the festival, there are six active stages hosting workshops and concerts.[2] Food vendors number in the dozens, ranging from carnival fare to vegetarian and world cuisine. A tent village houses craftspeople and there is a CD tent where the performers' albums can be purchased. There is also a large and busy beer garden, which serves more beer than any other single event in western Canada.
The EFMF is a volunteer based event which keeps ticket prices down. Volunteers help conduct the festival each year, filling roles including food and drink service, venue security, and construction of the event stages.[3] There are over 2700 people on the volunteer list each year.[4]
The EFMF is held at Gallagher Park, on the southern slope of the North Saskatchewan River valley. During the winter the area is a ski club. The mainstage audience seating is a natural amphitheatre with great sightlines. The skyline of downtown Edmonton acts as a backdrop for the stage.
For two years, a fifth evening of music was added, with revenue from that concert being dedicated to the festival's endowment fund. Since 2011, the festival has been four days.
Each year, the festival showcases local Edmonton performers, from youth to young adults to seasoned performers.
History
The first edition of the festival was organized as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of Alberta, and was held in Gold Bar Park, moving to its current venue in 1981.[1][5] 2020 was the first year in the history of the festival where the event was cancelled, due to COVID-19.
