From the Director. The 27th annual Mission Folk Music Festival is set for July 25 to 27 at the beautiful Fraser River Heritage Park in Mission, British Columbia and it is looking good.
In its 27 year history it has presented over 2500 musicians, singers and dancers from nearly 100 countries on the festival stage in the Fraser River Heritage Park, creating a small village of world cultures, languages and peoples under the banner of music.
This year’s Mission Folk Festivalcontinues in its quest to present the best, the rarest, the unheard of that should be heard and to nurture local artists while reaching around the globe to bring in the world’s great music.
The roster invites us to discover new musical forms and ideas, to become aware of the richness and diversity of the music of the world. It will seek to balance the new and even daring with brilliant reflections of familiar sounds and traditions and bring it all together on a festival weekend in the scenic Fraser River Heritage Park.
The festival roster for 2014 includes one of Ireland’s all time favourite musical groups, Dervish, who will be heading to Mission after performing at the Glastonbury Festival in England. The world traveling performing arts spectacle Dulsori from Korea makes its first appearance at Mission this year. From other parts of the world, the festival features A Celebration of Music and Dance of West Africa with Alpha YaYa Diallo and a troupe of 10 musicians, dancers and singers from Guinea, Senegal and other West African countries; the South Pacific group VOU offering music and dance of Fiji, music of the Balkans with the Lemon Bucket Orkestra and Orkestar Slivovica and sounds, songs and dance of Cuba with Wil Campa Y Su Orchestra.
As something of a festival within a festival, there is a featured blues element with True Blues artists Guy Davis and Corey Harris along with Zakiya Hooker, daughter of John Lee Hooker, and one of Canada’s best bluesmen, Tim Williams.
Other artists performing at the festival include music from north of the 49th parallel with Good For Grapes, the Sweet Lowdown, the re-imagined folk music of Fish & Bird, Ruth Moody of Wailin Jennies fame. and the winners of the annual Music BC Festival Showcase Awards. Finally, special guests Quartetto Gelato will dazzle with virtuosic showpieces, romantic tenor arias, pyrotechnical solos, blazing gypsy show pieces, multi-instrument mastery and a World Accordion Champion.
The festival features four stages offering concerts, workshops, collaborations and sessions. There is also a Folk Art and Import Market, a diverse and tasty array of food concessions, licensed bistro, camping, and the best toilet amenities offered by any outdoor festival.
Check out the artists, get your ticket, and come join us July 25 to 27 at the Fraser River Heritage Park. And remember, you are welcome to join us for the Gala Concert on July 24 at the Clarke Foundation Theatre in Mission. It’s a great way to launch a great weekend.