The Peterborough Folk Festival — Canada’s longest-running, free-admission annual folk festival — has released the performance schedule for its 36th edition, which runs from August 14 to 17 and includes a free-admission weekend in Nicholls Oval Park featuring three stages of live music from 30 performers, more than 45 artisan vendors, and a children’s village.
Headliners at this year’s festival include Basia Bulat, Joel Plaskett, Whitehorse, Jeremie Albino, Goldie Boutilier, Shub, Bells Larsen, and Colin Linden. The festival also features 13 local performers, including The Silver Hearts, Benj Rowland, Jeanne Truax, Caitlin Currie, Tapes In Motion, Beau Dixon, and more.
Montreal-based singer-songwriter Basia Bulat kicks off the festival on Thursday, August 14 with a ticketed concert at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough, with Jeanne Truax, the Peterborough Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist of the Year, opening.
Assigned seating tickets for the concert are available for $58 at markethall.org.
On Friday, August 15 at 8:30 p.m., another kick-off concert will take place at Sadleir House in downtown Peterborough featuring Nixon Boyd (of Hollerado), Peterborough Folk Festival’s 2024 Emerging Artist of the Year VanCamp, and Guelph-based quintet. I, The Mountain. General admission tickets are $25 plus fees and are available at ticketscene.ca/events/55033.
Also on Friday, B.A. Johnston and The Stavely Project will be performing at The Pig’s Ear Tavern in downtown Peterborough ($5 cover at the door).
The free-admission weekend festival runs on Saturday and Sunday (August 16 and 17) on the hillside at Nicholls Oval Park on Armour Road south of Parkhill Road East.
Gates open at 11 a.m. for the Children’s Village, the Artisan Village, the Food Village, and the Nicholls Oval Pavilion which is licensed for Cameron’s Brewing and Sandbagger seltzers, with a children’s parade to the main stage starting at 11:15 a.m. followed by opening ceremonies.
The festival’s three stages — the Miskin Law Main Stage, Nicholls Oval Pavilion Stage, and Generation Solar Stage — will see performances on Saturday by Joel Plaskett, Goldie Boutilier, Jeremie Albino, Bells Larson, Shub, My Son the Hurricane, Grievous Angels, Songs of Scratch Garden, and local artists. Sunday includes performances by Whitehorse, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Colin Linden of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, a Sharon, Lois and Bram Singalong featuring Sharon and Randi, and more local artists.
The Generation Solar Stage, located under the trees near the Artisan Village and Children’s Village, features several artist collaborations and workshops, including reuniting Joel Plaskett with local artist Benj Rowland and featuring Whitehorse with the festival’s emerging artist Jeanne Truax.
The performance schedule for each day is listed below (subject to change).
Saturday, August 16
Miskin Law Main Stage
11:15 a.m. – Children’s Parade to the Main Stage & Opening Ceremony
11:45 a.m. – Songs of Scratch Garden
12:35 p.m. – Benj Rowland
1:30 p.m. – Grievous Angels
3:00 p.m. – My Son the Hurricane
4:50 p.m. – Shub presented by Hiawatha First Nation
6:30 p.m. – Joel Plaskett
8:15 p.m. – Goldie Boutilier
9:45 p.m. – Jeremie Albino
Nicholls Oval Pavilion Stage
1:10 p.m. – Caitlin Currie
2:15 p.m. – Jeanne Truax
4:00 p.m. – Doghouse Orchestra
5:45 p.m. – The Silver Hearts
7:45 p.m. – Swindlers
9:20 p.m. – Tapes in Motion
workshops involving two or three different artists. Sometimes these workshops become songwriters’ circles with artists backing each other up, and other times they become multi-artist jam sessions. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
Generation Solar Stage
1:00 p.m. – Lancelot Knight
2:15 p.m. – Joel Plaskett, Benj Rowland
3:15 p.m. – Sister Ray
4:35 p.m. – Grievous Angels, Swindlers
5:45 p.m. – Bells Larsen, Sister Ray, Jeremie Albino
6:50 p.m. – Quinton Barnes
7:45 p.m. – Bells Larsen
Following Saturday’s performances, there will be after-parties in downtown Peterborough featuring The Jet Airliners with Jeanne Truax Jethro’s Bar + Stage (donations appreciated) and The Silver Hearts at the Pig’s Ear Tavern ($5 cover at the door).
Sunday, August 17
Miskin Law Main Stage
11:15 a.m. – Children’s Parade to the Main Stage & Opening Ceremony
11:30 a.m. – Round Dance with Kelli Marshall
11:45 a.m. – Sharon, Lois & Bram Singalong with Sharon & Randi
12:50 p.m. – Colin Linden, Jethro’s Blues Jam All-Stars
1:55 p.m. – Inn Echo, Benj Rowland, Irish Millie
2:50 p.m. – Beau Dixon
4:15 p.m. – Lemon Bucket Orkestra
5:45 p.m. – A Special Thank You
5:50 p.m. – Whitehorse
Nicholls Oval Pavilion Stage
1:35 p.m. – Sue & David Newberry
2:25 p.m. – Kay Silver
3:35 p.m. – Inn Echo
5:15 p.m. – Beau Dixon, Babe Chorus, Michael Cloud Duguay
Generation Solar Stage
11:45 a.m. – The Colton Sisters
12:40 p.m. – VanCamp, Kay Silver, Tapes in Motion
1:45 p.m. – Babe Chorus
2:40 p.m. – Fittonia
3:35 p.m. – Whitehorse, Jeanne Truax
4:45 p.m. – Colin Linden
Although admission to the weekend festival is free, the Peterborough Folk Festival — which is a registered charity that is entirely run by volunteers — encourages donations to help offset a portion of the costs of running the festival.
A suggested donation of $25 (which is eligible for a tax receipt) can be made on-site during the festival or online at the festival’s website.
For more information about the 2025 Peterborough Folk Festival, to make a donation, and for any last-minute schedule updates, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a sustaining partner of the Peterborough Folk Festival.
