Bear Creek Folk Festival
THE WEEKEND
The seventh annual Bear Creek Folk Music Festival takes place August 16-18, 2024 on Borstad Hill in Muskoseepi Park, in the heart of Grande Prairie. The fest features 4 stages with over 30 provincial, national, and international touring artists performing from a wide range of genres, including country, Celtic, blues, gospel, Americana, bluegrass, world music, contemporary and traditional folk, rock, and many things in between.
Our festival has featured amazing artists, including Sarah McLachlan, Feist, Blue Rodeo, Alan Doyle, Crash Test Dummies, case/lang/veirs (Neko Case, kd lang, and Laura Veirs), City and Colour, Michael Franti, Corb Lund, Bruce Cockburn, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Matt Andersen, Ashley MacIsaac, Bahamas, and many more.
Our nightly mainstage performances feature concerts by numerous great headliners. During the day on Saturday and Sunday, three simultaneously running stages will feature concerts and workshops (or “sessions”). Sessions are music-in-the round performances where artists from different groups, including most of the headlining artists, come together and jam on stage. Some sessions are programmed to blend artists of similar backgrounds and genres, and some are designed to throw together artists from wildly different styles. Either way, audiences get to hear performances that will never be heard again in an intimate, up-close and personal setting.
This is a family-friendly event, with children under 12 entering free, and youth and senior discounts available. The vibe is relaxed and all about enjoying world-class music. Sit and listen for a bit then move to the next stage, or find some shade and spend the day in one place soaking up the tunes. Our kids area offers free face-painting and arts & crafts. Enjoy craft beer, ciders, and wines in our beer gardens. Artisan vendors, diverse food options, and a stocked merch tent round out the fest’s offerings.
THE NON-PROFIT SOCIETY
The festival is organized by a non-profit society under Alberta’s Societies Act. The Bear Creek Folk Music Festival Society is governed by a volunteer board that helps coordinate a small staff and team of 500 volunteers that make this event possible. Funding sources include grant funding, revenue generation, donations, gift-in-kind support, and community sponsorship.
The founding board includes Jason Owen, Michael Serediak, Caitlin Card, Laura Beauchamp, and Gordie Haakstad.
2023-2024 board members are Gordie Haakstad, Ken Schoepp, Yvette Doucette, Aimee Savoury, Kristen Kendrew, Alden Dixon, Logan Smith, Elsie Schmierer, and Anjie McKay