The Stan Rogers Folk Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with one of its most exciting line ups to date. Taking place from Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2 in Canso, Nova Scotia, the weekend will feature a diverse collection of talented performers from all over the world.
Stan Fest is a three-day musical extravaganza which pays tribute to one of Canada’s most prolific songwriters, Stan Rogers. A three time winner of the East Coast Music Awards’ Event of the Year (2003-2005), the festival showcases a vast array of music styles, including folk, country, jazz, aboriginal, swing, blues, gospel, pop, rock, bluegrass and world music. It features more than 100 shows on seven outdoor festival stages.
“The stars will shine bright each night on this year’s main stage as the headliner heavy schedule celebrates the festival’s amazing first decade,” says artistic director Troy Greencorn. Friday night will feature a much awaited one-time-only reunion concert by East Coast Music favourites Modabo, along with a 90-minute closing set by multi-award winning Canadian country music hero George Canyon in an exciting coupling with renowned singer-songwriter and longtime friend Dave Gunning. A blistering day of music on Saturday will be capped off with a performance from Woodstock ‘69 veteran, and author of such generational favourites as Here Comes the Sun, Richie Havens. Sunday’s mainstage will finish up with a trademark, sentimental Anniversary Finale preceded by a Danish super-set consisting of artists Karen and Helene, Haugard and Hoirup and traditional act ZAR.
Other international artists performing this year include beat poet and songwriter Annie Gallup; North Carolina based performer Chuck Brodsky; New York bluesman Guy Davis; flamenco guitar virtuoso Juan Martin; noted U.S. vocalist Karen Savoca; U.S. critic’s favourite Kelly Joe Phelps; and Australian alt-country buzz band The Audreys.
Performers from across Canada include the multi-talented Alfie Zappacosta; mutant bluegrass act D. Rangers; acclaimed troubadour Ember Swift; Ontario songsmith and interpreter Garnet Rogers; British Columbia songstress Hayley Sales; JUNO nominated performer James Keelaghan; celebrated songwriter Kim Barlow; Winnipeg native and former front person of the Wyrd Sisters Lindsay Jane; Ontario songwriter Luke Doucet; stilt walking theatrical group Mortal Coil; folk festival favourite Nathan Rogers; Canadian folk mainstay Paul Mills; Ontario Celtic jammers Poor Angus; roots music revivalists The Doug and Jess Band; and revered singer/songwriter Valdy.
Atlantic Canada performers include Cape Breton's Beolach; East Coast favorite Bruce Guthro; ECMA winning rhythm & blues artist Charlie A’Court; Pictou County’s well travelled folk gentleman Dave Gunning; Canso’s own Grant Family; renowned recording artist J.P. Cormier; engaging bluesman Matt Andersen; multiple Music Nova Scotia award winner Meaghan Smith; Newfoundland based folk legend Ron Hynes; Nova Scotia’s Rose Cousins; Halifax native RyLee Madison; East Coast fiddling sensation Samantha Robichaud; Stan Rogers Folk Festival regular Steve Wright; and Prince Edward Island based pop-rockers The Chucky Danger Band. Family entertainment at this year’s festival will include Nova Scotia artists Razzmatazz; Quebec’s Sean Rooney; and The Kidd Brothers, along with others to be announced soon.
With a population of just 950 people, Canso has quickly built Stan Fest up to international stature. Each year, thousands of devoted fans descend on the beautiful seaside community to camp and stay with community hosts. “We are proud to offer a safe and tight-knit community environment for concert goers,” says Greencorn. “Canso’s residents have been great hosts over the past ten years. Over half of the population of the area puts on a festival t-shirt and volunteers for weeks leading up to the event. The festival is a major success story for Canso and Guysborough County. We’re looking forward to many more successful years hosting the world’s great songwriters.”
In celebration of the 10 year milestone, and preparing for the soaring attendance expected, festival organizers will be doing major enhancements to the site over the coming weeks, including planned construction of a permanent mainstage. “This stage will be a welcome addition to our site and a physical symbol that the festival is here to stay as a permanent cornerstone of Nova Scotia’s cultural sector,” claims Greencorn.
Tickets are on sale now across Atlantic Canada. For full event details, camping info and a list of ticket outlets, visit www.stanfest.com or call the festival office at 1-888-554-7826.