Spirits not dampened as Calgary Folk Music Fest plays on under heavy rain
Posted Jul 27, 2025 3:52 pm.
Last Updated Jul 28, 2025 3:11 pm.
Thousands came out over the weekend for the Calgary Folk Music Festival (CFMF), and rain showers didn’t dampen the vibes.
Penguin walks were the name of the game as people in rain ponchos moved through the muddied park following showers that hit the city and Prince’s Island Park relentlessly between 6 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and rain continued incrementally on Sunday.
The moody, dramatic weather, however, is not dampening the spirits of music lovers.
“I’ve got my tarp, my rain pants, my raincoat, my umbrella. I’m ready, ya,” Madalyn Hart told CityNews Sunday.
Jessica Myatt, an early-bird festival goer, says, “I made sure I got here as early as I could get myself out of bed this morning, so I got here about 8:15 a.m., sat in line under my umbrella in the rain and waited for the tarp rush.”
Even with an hour-long delay, organizers say there was minimal disruption to the programming.
The festival’s operations, which included a meteorologist, watched Saturday’s storm encroach from 10 kilometres away, which led to a decision to delay the shows for safety reasons.
“With the support of our volunteer crews, we were able to move water as best we could and return to the music, marking an overall successful Saturday night at the Calgary Folk Music Festival,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Along with Calgarians, artists at the festival didn’t miss a beat.
Daby Touré, who’s originally from West Africa, now lives in Montreal, and he is playing at the festival for a third time. He is one of about 70 performers this year, and he’s looking forward to the musical collaborations.
“I can meet musicians from Congo, musicians from other countries, that I never met when I’m in Africa. But I can meet them here,” Touré said.
“Sometimes you can learn many, many things from other artists just by sharing a stage or song. And most of the time, we have deep, deep emotions between us.”
Sara Leishman, the festival’s executive director, tells CityNews they don’t let a little rain get in the way of a good time.
“The safety of our patrons, artists and volunteers is our first priority, and we don’t let a little weather ruin the vibe,” she said,
“The Calgary Folk Music Festival community comes prepared to be united by the universal language of music, with tarps to share with friends and family.”
Artistic director Kerry Clarke says ticket sales leading up to this year’s event were stronger than last year, and the attendance numbers are on par with previous years, albeit with a few more umbrellas.
The festival continued Sunday with CAKE capping it off on the ATB Main Stage at 8:55 p.m., but not before Begonia at 5:30 p.m., LA LOM at 6:30 p.m., and Ocie Elliot at 7:35 p.m.
Information about the artists, the different stages, and the schedule can be found online.
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