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Folkfest presents wide range of talent
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By FRANK PEEBLES, Citizen Staff
The Prince George Citizen
One good lineup deserves another. At least that’s what the organizers of the Prince George Folkfest are hoping.
The all-volunteer group behind Folkfest has worked all year to secure a list of performers including the darling of the Juno Awards, Sarah Harmer, East Coast golden boy
Gordie Sampson, African guitar slinger Alpha Yaya Diallo (whose group African Guitar Summit played at Line 8 in Ontario), Stephen Fearing of Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, soul diva Sista Monica, and many others from Canada and around the world.
Organizers hope the diverse roster will bring out the crowds.
It worked last year, with sizable audiences all weekend, especially for headliners like Bruce Cockburn and Sonny Rhodes. Festival artistic director Jo Beattie hopes the momentum will bring forth the sponsors and ticket-buyers they need to have if the city hopes for a third year.
"There is no outside promoter coming into Prince George with a ready-made event, this is just you and me and our friends putting everything together," said Beattie. "We are all volunteers, there is no paid staff, no one gets a cut of any profits, we don’t get seed money from any government or agency. We rely on the contributions of sponsors and the people who come out to buy a ticket and watch the show."
Brink Forest Products is a prime example of a business that sees the festival as a showcase. It put $5,000 in the folkfest piggy bank, on top of the contributions it made last year.
"There is no question it will succeed in the long run, the question is will it survive the first three or four year? said John Brink.
"Having seen that in other communities, we wanted to be on board right away and help them through that." Last year they proved they can be one of the better folk festivals in Western Canada.
"The group of performers they have brought together is absolutely amazing, so we have to step up to the plate and do our part. Brink Forest Products as a company has taken the attitude ‘it must succeed’ and I know it will."
They are still looking for major sponsors, like an on-site car dealership, a food/catering supplier - anything to offset the need for cash, especially since the demise of Jetsgo, which drove up this year’s travel costs for the incoming artists.
Tickets are on sale now at the CN Centre box office and Studio 2880.
Volunteer opportunities abound, which can be explored at www.pgfolkfest.com . The event opens Friday, July 22 and all performances are at Fort George Park. Times are approximate.
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