Miskin Law Donates $10,000 Towards Peterborough Folk Festival; Also Named Main Stage Sponsor

Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) has received a $10,000 cheque from Miskin Law who has been named the 2025 main stage sponsor, announced on Tuesday.

(From left to right) Murray Miskin and Chris Goddard present Rob Davis and Calvin Bakelaar with a cheque of $10,000 to confirm their place as the 2025 Peterborough Folk Festival Main Stage Sponsor. Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival.

The money was donated during a cheque presentation held at Miskin Law Offices on Wednesday.

“Miskin Law is proud to be a supporter of Peterborough Folk Festival, showcase well-known artists, promote local and emerging artists and help bring them to the forefront," said Murray Miskin.

“The values of Peterborough Folk Festival and Miskin Law align. We are here to help and build community,” said Chris Goddard, Miskin Law partner. Peterborough Folk Festival brings people together in a way that we value and support.”

As a volunteer-run registered charity, Peterborough Folk Festival relies on community leadership and support from sponsors like Miskin Law. Their generous sponsorship is vital to the success of promoting and preserving this cultural gem that is inclusive, welcoming, and accessible to everyone.

“The festival deeply appreciates Miskin Law for their unwavering support and commitment to fostering a vibrant cultural scene in Peterborough. Their partnership ensures that Peterborough Folk Festival continues to thrive and bring joy to our community year after year.” said Rob Davis, PFF Chair.

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Peterborough Folk Festival Celebrates Two Grants Totalling $35,400 From Ontario Government

The Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) is celebrating two Capital grants from 2023 and 2024 totalling $35,400 from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), announced at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Friday afternoon.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“The support from the province of Ontario via the Ontario Trillium Foundation has enabled the Peterborough Folk Festival to acquire essential items needed for the festival's operation, ensuring they can keep delivering this vital event for our community,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP.

Funds from the most recent grant, $19,500, awarded this past summer, allowed the purchase of new portable stage platforms and signage.

Last year, PFF received a $15,900 Capital grant from OTF to purchase more equipment, such as electrical cords and cable mats, needed to run the stage performances and to purchase more canopy tents and folding tables.

“This helps us make our festival more sustainable for us,” said Rob Davis PFF Chair. “All of this helps set us up to be more successful in the future.”

The free-admission music and arts festival has been active in the City of Peterborough since 1989. They are a registered charity organization led by a volunteer board of directors.

“Buying this equipment means a lot less borrowing and renting,” said Davis. “It ensures that we always have high-quality equipment.”

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Hometown PTBO: Calvin Bakelaar Named As Peterborough Folk Festival's Emerging Artist of the Year

This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Peterborough Folk Festival Emerging Artist of the Year Calvin Bakelaar about holding the distinction, performing at the event with VANCAMP and transitioning from drummer to singer/songwriter.

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July Talk Announced As Saturday Headliner For Peterborough Folk Festival

July Talk has been announced as the main stage headliner for Saturday night at the 35th annual Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) on August 17.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Fest.

The four-time JUNO Award-winning group is known as one of Canada’s premier touring acts. Their energizing live performances and familiar radio hits have led to Gold Records and number-one songs in Canada.

“We are thrilled to share the full lineup for this year's festival after announcing the first wave in early June," says Peterborough Folk Festival artistic director, Ryan Kemp. “July Talk are not only an amazing live band, they share Peterborough Folk Festival’s values of inclusion and creating a safe and welcoming performance environment.”

“It's so exciting to bring them back to Peterborough and have Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis, surrounded by whiplashing guitarists Ian Docherty and Josh Warburton and double drummers Danny Miles and Dani Nash, perform their award-winning music,” said Kemp. I hope people who have yet to attend Canada's longest-running free folk festival will come out and see/hear all the amazing artists and experience this incredible community gathering.”

Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, The Spades (opening for July Talk), Katie Tupper, Mariel Buckley, Pretty Archie, SHEBAD and Odario, Irish Millie, Nicholas Campbell, Darren Roy Clarke (The Stables), Hunt the Hare, SJ Riley Chet Singh and B.A Johnston are also part of the lineup announced for PFF.

The lineups are as follows in no particular order:

Saturday (Aug. 17) lineup:

• July Talk

• The Spades

• Mariel Buckley

• Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

• Odario

• Kalàscima featuring Andrea Ramolo

• Sharon, Lois and Bram sing-along with Sharon and Randi

• B.A Johnston

• Polky

• Pretty Archie

• Quote The Raven

• SHEBAD

• Evan Redsky

• Nicholas Campbell

• Irish Millie

• VanCamp

• Chet Singh

• Mr. Sauga

Sunday (Aug. 18) lineup:

• Greg Keelor

• Boy Golden

• Katie Tupper

• Brooks and Bowskill

• Meredith Moon

• Jadea Kelly

• Darren Roy Clarke

• Hunt The Hare

• The Spades

• Irish Millie

• Pretty Archie

• Andrea Ramolo

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35th Peterborough Folk Festival Releases First Wave of Acts; Calvin Bakelaar Announced as Emerging Artist of the Year

Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) has stated its first wave of artists, declaring Calvin Bakelaar Emerging Artist of the Year for the 35th annual event which will run from Aug. 15 to 18, announced on Wednesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

New acts announced for the event include Greg Keelor, co-lead singer of Blue Rodeo, Brooks & Bowskill, Melissa Payne, Boy Golden Kalàscima featuring Andrea Ramolo, Jadea Kelly, Meredith Moon and Sonshine and Broccoli.

Other confirmed artists include Odario Williams, Polky, Quote The Raven, Mr. Sauga, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Evan Redsky and a Sharon Lois and Bram singalong with Sharon and Randi.

“We've got some big stars coming to play here at Nicholls Oval Park for free over the weekend,” said Rob Davis, PFF chair. “(There are) lots of regional-scale and national-scale artists. We really like to mix it up in terms of not only diversity and inclusion but also in terms of the genres of the music and appeal to a wide audience.”

Other festival highlights include the Children’s Village, Artisan Village, and Food Village. Activities at the Children’s Village include face-painting, family yoga, storytime and musical performances from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily.

The Artisan Village and Food Village includes items from over 50 local artisans, food vendors and community groups.

A second wave of artists will be announced on July 22, including the headliner for Aug. 17 and performers at downtown venues on Aug.15.

Bakelaar is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter based in Peterborough. Originally from Listowel, he moved to town while he was still in high school. Since coming to the city, he has been a consistent attendee of the Festival and is honoured to be on the other side this year.

“It's the culmination of a lot of work learning and constantly trying to improve myself so it's a really incredibly opportunity and I'm really grateful for it,” explained Bakelaar.

He is the voice behind indie folk act VANCAMP. Originally a drummer, he learned to play guitar and write songs in 2020.

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Peterborough Folk Festival Celebrates Milestone, Marking 35th Year of the Free Event

The Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) hits a big milestone as they have launched the 35th edition of its free event, announced at Market Hall on Thursday afternoon.

Artist Missy Knott (left) and illustrator Brooklin Stormie Holbrough (right) help launch the Peterborough Folk Festival on its 35th anniversary. The latter created the design for this year’s Folk Festival. Photo by dAVID tUAN bUI.

The festival is set for Aug. 15-18 at the Nicholls Oval hillside.

“The dedication and commitment to this community that really keeps the festival going,” said Rob Davis, PFF Chair. “It's been through a lot of different people. It started in 1989 as just a half-day in Del Crary Park, moved up to Nicholls Oval in 1993 and started making use of that concrete bunker. It’s just grown and evolved every year.”

To celebrate the 35th year, illustrator Brooklie Stormie Holborough created a new design that launched the event. It was followed by a singing performance from the PFF’s Emerging Artist of the Year in 2009, Missy Knott.

PFF was able to obtain a major sponsor in Miskin Law for this year, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2017 according to Davis. This allows the Festival to attract more acts for the event.

The event is funded through grants, sponsorships and donations to keep it free. While the event has received enough money to cover all expenses, more sponsorships and donations are welcome to seek out more acts.

“Additional funds we raise, we try and give to our artistic director to hire a stronger performer lineup,” explained Davis. The more money we have, the stronger artists we can book.”

One aspect Davis touched on to help celebrate the 35th year is growing the Children’s Village to make kids a bigger focus for this year’s event.

“We've had an idea to introduce an instrument petting zoo for the kids so they can play some instruments and use them during the children's parade down the hill,” explained Davis. “Children and families have always been a big focus for the festival and we've always had children's performers on the Sunday. This year, we're doing it on the Saturday as well.”

PFF typically attracts more than 15,000 people each year, making it the second-largest cultural event in Peterborough.

Potential sponsors can email sponsor@peterboroughfolkfest.com and donations can be made online or at the event in person.

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Peterborough Folk Festival Announces Irish Millie and Nicholas Campbell as 2023 Emerging Artist Award Winners

The Peterborough Folk Festival has announced that local talents Irish Millie and Nicholas Campbell are the winners of the 2023 Emerging Artist Award.

Peterborough Folk Festival believes in investing in young local performers to encourage and support their careers. To that end, PFF created an annual award in 2001 to recognize emerging local talent that we think deserves the attention and support of the community. For the list of previous winners, visit the website.

Applicants may be solo artists, groups or bands and must live in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, including Hiawatha, Curve Lake and Alderville First Nations, and be under the age of 30. A committee assesses applicants on skill, dedication and artistic merit.

Irish Millie is a 16-year-old fiddle player who loves to play East Coast, Bluegrass and Contemporary Trad styles – especially driving, up-beat tunes that get the crowd up on their feet. As a youngster, Millie (whose real name is Amelia “Millie” Shadgett) busked every Saturday along with her Dad at the local farmers’ market to gain experience and help pay for music camp.

Millie has already received nominations for two Canadian Folk Music Awards as Young Performer of the Year – in 2022 for her first album, ‘Thirteen’, and in 2023 for her work with The Receivers, a collaboration between Millie and sisters Willow and Fern Marwood. In addition to regularly playing in the Peterborough area, Millie has toured in Denmark and is touring Canada’s east coast of Canada this summer, and toured in Vermont with The Receivers this past spring.

“It is truly an incredible feeling to be recognized for my art in this beautiful city that I call home. I am grateful and honoured to be receiving Peterborough Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist Award alongside the very talented Nicholas Campbell,” said Millie. “I have been very lucky to have the full force of the Peterborough community behind me from a very young age. I can not wait to get up on that stage and make you proud – see you there!”

From slick hot-rod rockabilly to smooth crooning honky tonk, Nicholas Campbell is the real deal. Inspired by some of the last century’s most iconic country sounds, Campbell first picked up the guitar at age 10 and was gigging by 11. Campbell began playing consistently with his band, The Two-Metre Cheaters, during the early months of the pandemic, and the band quickly found their groove as live shows became an option once again. Campbell’s 2021 debut album, ‘Livin’ and Other Western Ideas’, combines elements of rockabilly, western swing, and old-fashioned honky tonk. The band has enjoyed worldwide coverage and airplay since, spanning from western Canada to Spain, Italy and beyond. Nicholas has also played lead guitar for Melissa Payne, Pat Temple, Jane Archer and other artists.

With Campbell’s new singles and the album to come, ‘Gonna Have A Ball Tonight’, the group has embraced a more rock n’ roll-centric sound, adding renewed energy to Campbell’s signature country sensibilities.

“I’m very grateful to be part of such a supportive music scene and I feel very fortunate to be recognized as Emerging Artist,” said Nicholas Campbell. “It’s very humbling to be recognized on a list with so many other great artists.”

Recipients of the Emerging Artist Award are provided showcase performance spots during the festival weekend and a trip to the Folk Music Ontario Conference where they have the opportunity to meet artistic directors, festival organizers, other musicians, agents and publicists. Peterborough Folk Festival would like to thank our Emerging Artist Sponsors: Cambium Consulting and Engineering; Engage Engineering Ltd. & Part Time CFO Services.

Peterborough Folk Festival 2023 kicks off with ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 17th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Friday, August 18 at the Gordon Best Theatre, followed by a free-admission weekend of music, food and culture on August 19 and 20 at Nicholls Oval Park. Recent announcement of headliners Broken Social Scene and Loreena McKennitt will be followed soon with the complete line-up of performers.

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Broken Social Scene Announced As Headliners of the Peterborough Folk Festival 2023

The Peterborough Folk Festival have announced the band Broken Social Scene as the headliners of this year’s festival August 19.

photo courtesy of the peterborough folk festival, facebook.

Throughout their two-decade run, Broken Social Scene have achieved all the markers of modern indie success—rave reviews from Pitchfork, invites to play Coachella and Lollapalooza, multiple Juno Awards and Letterman appearances, and name-drops in Lorde songs. And their victories have ultimately been Toronto’s as well – through the establishment of a record label (Arts & Crafts) and a music festival (Field Trip) that became rallying points for the local scene and nurtured the next generation of indie upstarts.

Broken Social Scene is described as living proof that underdogs are most effective when travelling in a pack, that mass audiences can be led into uncharted waters through collective enthusiasm, and that the better world we all dream of begins with community.

“Inclusivity, belonging and community are at the heart of Peterborough Folk Festival,” says artistic director Ryan Kemp. “I can barely express how thrilled we are to have this iconic Canadian band take the main stage as the PFF 2023 headliner on August 19th.”

This will be Broken Social Scene’s first-ever performance in Peterborough. Earlier this month, Kemp shared that internationally-acclaimed Celtic singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt will headline the main stage of the 34th annual Peterborough Folk Festival on Sunday, August 20.

"We’ve been building momentum with our festival partners, sponsors and volunteer-run board to create a memorable event for everyone in Peterborough and across the region to enjoy. It’s incredible to have this come together with the announcement of these fantastic performers,” he continued.

The 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival kicks off with ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 17 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Friday, August 18 at the Gordon Best Theatre, followed by a free weekend of music, food and performance on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20 at Nicholls Oval Park. Organizers will be making additional announcements during June, including the complete line-up of performers and PFF’s Emerging Artist of the Year.

For more information about PFF 2023, including how to get involved as a sponsor, volunteer, or vendor, visit the website.

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Children's Performers Splash 'N Boots To Perform At 34th Annual Peterborough Folk Festival

Juno Award-winning children’s performers Splash’N Boots are making their way to the 34th annual Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park for Aug. 20, announced on Tuesday.

Each year, Peterborough Folk Festival welcomes more than 12,000 people to Peterborough and the surrounding region. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Folk Festival.

“The much-loved Children's Village is one of the most popular aspects of Peterborough Folk Festival, with family-friendly activities like crafts, face-painting and children's performers all weekend long on the dedicated Children’s Stage,” sayid Rob Davis, Folk Festival chair. “We can't wait to see the Yellow and Blue Crew kids parade from the Children's Village to enjoy Splash'N Boots on the Main Stage.”

The Festival is a four-day celebration of music, culture and community. It kicks off at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on August 17th and various downtown venues on August 18. Nicholls Oval Park weekend events have free admission.

“It’s a collective experience for us and the audience. Our goal is always connection – bringing kids closer to their families and also to each other,” explains Boots.

“Our hope is that our music will connect and also inspire kids to stand up tall in who they are and know that they are always loved,” said Splash. “Unique and inventive, they constantly strive to create opportunities for parents and children to share moments.”

For more information, how to get involved as an artist, volunteer or vendor or to donate, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.

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Peterborough Folk Festival Announces Headlining Act Loreena McKennitt To Take the Stage August 20

Award-winning composer and singer Loreena McKennitt is set to headline the Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park on Sunday, August 20.

photo courtesy of the peterborough folk festival.

McKennitt says that in one way or another, we are all an extension of each other’s history. “Wanting to learn about our neighbours is also a desire to learn about ourselves,” says the singer from Morden, Manitoba.

To date, she has sold over 14 million albums with a catalogue that includes seven studio recordings, three seasonal recordings, a live in-concert DVD and two DVD documentaries.  She’s won two Juno Awards, Canada’s premier music award, and garnered two Grammy Award nominations.

“We are so honoured to have Loreena McKennitt perform at PFF 2023,” says Ryan Kemp, artistic director of the festival. During her recording career spanning more than two decades, McKennitt’s ‘eclectic Celtic’ music has received critical acclaim world-wide, with gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in 15 countries across four continents.

Now in its 34th year, Peterborough Folk Festival strives for gender parity, diversity and inclusivity in the performance line-up and throughout all aspects of the festival. Of the 28 artists who performed at the Festival in 2022, 11 were local.

“Not only is Ms. McKennitt a critically acclaimed singer and composer, she is revered for her passion for human rights and the protection of the environment,” says Kemp. “As the second-largest cultural event in the region promoting inclusivity and diversity, we are so grateful to have Ms. McKennitt share her incredible talent and generosity of spirit with all of those who attend the Festival.”

McKennitt is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba. In 2002 and 2012 she was the recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and in 2013 she was appointed to the rank of Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters by the Republic of France. Recently, she was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Each year, Peterborough Folk Festival welcomes more than 12,000 people to Peterborough and the surrounding region, making it the second-largest cultural event of the Summer season.

The Festival will feature three days of music, culture and community starting August 17th at Market Hall and continuing August 19th-20th at Nicholls Oval Park next to the Otonabee River.

For more information on how to get involved as an artist, volunteer or vendor, head over to the website.

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