music festivals

Laketown Shakedown in Youbou over the 2023 Canada Day long weekend will feature plenty of stars for music fans. (Robert Porter/RMS Media photo)

Third Eye Blind, Portugal. The Man, Shaggy, Aqua headline music festival in Cowichan on Canada Day weekend

Laketown Shakedown takes over Laketown Ranch in Youbou

 

The long-running Vancouver Folk Festival is back for another year, less than two months after funding issues threatened to permanently cancel the event. Festivalgoers are seen on the second weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Vancouver Folk Festival revival is music to the ears of B.C.’s dedicated fans

Since demise was announced in January, substantial funding pledged, many volunteers stepped up

 

People walk past carnival game stands below a ferris wheel during the Pacific National Exhibition Fair, in Vancouver, on Thursday, September 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. introduces $30M fund to support festivals, events over next 2 years

One-time grants come as event organizers cite increased costs, supply chain issues, trouble hiring

 

Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt has been cancelled for 2023, citing economic struggles. (Rockin’ River Music Fest- Facebook)

Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt cancelled due to financial struggles

Announcement follows Vancouver Folk Fest, Squamish Constellation Festival cancellations

Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt has been cancelled for 2023, citing economic struggles. (Rockin’ River Music Fest- Facebook)
Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake

Chorus of support has Vancouver folk fest board reviewing cancellation, letter says

Board has paused a motion to dissolve the society and looking at options to continue

Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake
Vancouver Folk Music Festival organizers say they don’t have the funds to run the annual event in 2023. They’ll ask their membership on Feb. 1 to vote on whether to end the festival forever. (Vancouver Folk Music Festival/Instagram)

Short $500K, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival calls it quits, possibly forever

Organizers say they don’t have the funding or staff to get the annual event off the ground

Vancouver Folk Music Festival organizers say they don’t have the funds to run the annual event in 2023. They’ll ask their membership on Feb. 1 to vote on whether to end the festival forever. (Vancouver Folk Music Festival/Instagram)
Lorde dances on stage Sunday, Sept. 18, during the final day of Rifflandia 2022 at Royal Athletic Park. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Lorde sends off Victoria’s Rifflandia music festival in style

Thousands filled Royal Athletic Park for the final day of the festival

Lorde dances on stage Sunday, Sept. 18, during the final day of Rifflandia 2022 at Royal Athletic Park. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
Festival goers leave Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Monday June 27, 2022, following the Glastonbury Festival. Organizers at Canada’s summer music festivals say even as pandemic restrictions lift and live concerts return to some semblance of normalcy, it’s anything but normal behind the scenes. (Photo from the Canadian Press)

From travel woes to inflation, music festivals face most unpredictable summer yet

Several factors make putting together a festival more tumultuous, costly and unpredictable

Festival goers leave Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Monday June 27, 2022, following the Glastonbury Festival. Organizers at Canada’s summer music festivals say even as pandemic restrictions lift and live concerts return to some semblance of normalcy, it’s anything but normal behind the scenes. (Photo from the Canadian Press)
Laura Jayne’s work, “SHE,” has been unveiled as the Vancouver Island MusicFest’s official poster for the 2022 event.

Island artist Laura Jayne designs 2022 Vancouver Island MusicFest poster

With the return of its live festival this July, Vancouver Island MusicFest…

Laura Jayne’s work, “SHE,” has been unveiled as the Vancouver Island MusicFest’s official poster for the 2022 event.
A colourful float makes its way down Ste. Catherine St. during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Sunday, March 22, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Students, festival organizers make masks a choice as Canada nears St. Patrick’s Day

Return of the Irish holiday doesn’t come without risks, even though provinces have lifted mandates

A colourful float makes its way down Ste. Catherine St. during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Sunday, March 22, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.

Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker headline summer’s Rockin River Fest in flood-hit Merritt

‘Now more than ever, we need things to be excited about,’ city’s mayor says

Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.
Cecile Doo Kingue, from Montreal, will be playing guitar along with singing. Photo supplied

All-star blues women to headline Vancouver Island MusicFest on first night

Shakura S’Aida is bringing many friends to the Comox Valley to sing and play the blues

Cecile Doo Kingue, from Montreal, will be playing guitar along with singing. Photo supplied
Bass Coast raised $21,100 for disaster relief; music festival is back for 2022 (Photo - basscoast.ca)

Merritt’s Bass Coast raises more than $20,000 for flood relief; festival back for 2022

The festival will run from July 8-11

Bass Coast raised $21,100 for disaster relief; music festival is back for 2022 (Photo - basscoast.ca)
Darius Rucker is the headliner for Sunfest 2022. (Photo courtesy of dariusrucker.com)

Darius Rucker to headline Sunfest 2022

Cowichan Valley also welcomes Dallas Smith, Billy Currington Hardy, Kip Moore

Darius Rucker is the headliner for Sunfest 2022. (Photo courtesy of dariusrucker.com)
The youthful exuberance is not limited to the on-stage performers. 16-year-old Devon Cox has been a wizard behind the scenes, doing the majority of the filming and editing for the upcoming festival. Photo supplied

Plenty new at the 2021 Vancouver Island MusicFest

Black Press to stream 25 hours of music July 9-11

The youthful exuberance is not limited to the on-stage performers. 16-year-old Devon Cox has been a wizard behind the scenes, doing the majority of the filming and editing for the upcoming festival. Photo supplied
Rita Coolidge played the main stage at Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2017. (Black Press file photo)

This year’s Vancouver Island MusicFest to virtually showcase beauty of Comox Valley

Returning July 9 through 11 with more than 25 hours of music performances

Rita Coolidge played the main stage at Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2017. (Black Press file photo)
Rita Coolidge played the main stage at Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2017. The three-day music festival has been cancelled for 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Black Press file photo.

Vancouver Island MusicFest cancelled for 2021

Vancouver Island MusicFest has been shelved for 2021, due to the pandemic.…

Rita Coolidge played the main stage at Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2017. The three-day music festival has been cancelled for 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Black Press file photo.
Bruce Cockburn, now 74, has played Victoria many times and returns Nov. 8 to the Royal Theatre with a new album full of material that includes a song inspired by a connection with a former City of Victoria poet laureate. Photo by Zach Bonnell/Flickr

OUT ON A LIMB: The long and winding road to a song

Taking a break from wanna-be dictators, pandemics and social media squabbling, I…

Bruce Cockburn, now 74, has played Victoria many times and returns Nov. 8 to the Royal Theatre with a new album full of material that includes a song inspired by a connection with a former City of Victoria poet laureate. Photo by Zach Bonnell/Flickr

Virtual Shambhala Music Festival postponed due to allegations of sexual violence

Postponement announced following sexual violence allegations made against performer Billy Kenny

Annual music event in Comox Valley celebrates online instead

Vancouver Island MusicFest holds virtual celebration set for July 10