Festival Details
The Canmore Folk Music Festival takes place in Centennial Park and at the Miners’ Union Hall in the heart of downtown Canmore
The site is located at Centennial Park behind Lawerence Grassi Middle School. (Directions Here)
A large flat field, the site includes a large number of tall, lodgepole pines around the main stage area that provide shade during the day and protection from rain should the weather gods decide to give us that at some point during the weekend. The majority of the site, however, is an open field, so please bring what you need for rain or shine.
Remember, all of these details are available in the program guide.
Gate Opening & Closing Times
Saturday
- 3:30 p.m. Main Gate opens
- 9:30 p.m. Main Gate closes
Sunday
- 9:30 a.m. Main Gate opens
- 9:30 p.m. Main Gate closes
Monday
- 9:30 a.m. Main Gate opens
- 9:00 p.m. Main Gate closes
Information
If you need assistance, ask a festival volunteer. Security personnel can be identified by their red T-shirts. All other volunteers will be wearing folk festival shirts labeled “FESTIVAL CREW”.
Tarps/Blankets/Chairs
Your tarp/blanket site is limited to 6X8 feet. Festival-style chairs are allowed throughout the main stage seating area but are restricted to 24 inches high, to the top of the chair back, including a maximum leg length of eight inches. Special areas are designated to the rear of the crowd for taller lawn chairs. Any complaints about chair height should be directed to our Security volunteers, who can be identified by their red T-shirts.
There is no reserved seating at the side stages. Please do not leave your tarps or chairs unattended in these areas.
Please bring individual rain apparel, as large “group tarps” are not allowed.
The Canmore Folk Music Festival occupies a very limited site. We do NOT allow small tents to be set up on site.
Dancing Policy
Saturday and Sunday evening the last act is meant to get you up and shaking your tail feathers or “Bear Butt”. Here are the “Bear Necessities” so you know what’s up!
If you place your tarp in front of the yellow rope (within 30 feet from the stage) your tarp space is yours until the last act Saturday or Sunday. At around 9:45 pm. Sat/Sun. (only) you will want to gather up your stuff and be ready to welcome your fellow folkie into the “D-zone”. Stay if you like or move off to the sides. People behind the “D-zone” will be able to leave their tarps down, but we hope you’ll be up shakin’ too. Dancing any other time is in the designated dancing areas. Watch out for each other and be nice. Bear hugs are optional.
Kids
Kids rock at the Canmore Folk Music Festival! We welcome the wee ones – and not so wee ones – with open arms. In our Family Area, you’ll find clowns and jugglers, crafts, storytellers and much, much more. The on-site Family Area is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
Our family area surrounds the existing permanent playground in the northeast corner of the park, which has equipment for kids of all ages, as well as “adult” playground equipment along the fence. Please be aware that the festival does NOT supervise these playgrounds – parents are responsible for their own children while on the festival site.
Missing Kids
Wayward children will be taken to the info booth, and an announcement will be made from the stage. Parents, take a minute at the gate to write your cell phone number inside your child’s wristband so we can speed the reunion.
Emergencies and First Aid
Contact the information booth or a security volunteer. St. John’s Ambulance personnel are on duty for the duration of the festival, located in the field near the front gate.
Lost and Found
Inquire at the information booth. All found items should be turned in there. Announcements can be arranged if necessary. If you discover your loss after the festival, or if you haven’t regained your lost item by the end of the weekend, email admin@canmorefolkfestival.com or call the festival office at (403) 678-2524.
Parking
New in 2022, the Town of Canmore has implemented paid parking. This is in place for the entirety of the downtown core. You can learn more about it here.
Roam offers free rides on Canmore Local (Routes 5T & 5C)! For information on Roam and the route time/map click here.
Parking is available on appropriately marked streets surrounding the Canmore Folk Fest site. Please do NOT block residential driveways if you choose street parking. There is also limited parking in the Lawrence Grassi Middle School parking lot on Seventh Ave., adjacent to our site. Please be aware that this is one of the busiest weekends of the year for Canmore, so be prepared to walk.
Accessible Drop Off
A drop-off zone is located adjacent to the Main Gate for persons with accessibility issues. On request, security volunteers will assist persons with limited mobility to get settled in the designated seating area. Wheelchairs and tall lawn chairs are grouped together in the main stage seating area to allow clear sight lines for both those patrons and those who choose to sit lower to the ground.
Bicycles
The Canmore Folk Festival is pleased to partner with the Canmore Community Cruisers again to offer onsite secure bike parking.
Enjoy the fabulous mountain scenery and local vibe as you pedal from your home or accommodations, without the need to search for parking. After entry at the Main Gate, just walk your bike along the paved path to the fenced bike corral at the rear of Lawrence Grassi Middle School. Cruiser volunteers will put a numbered tag on your bike and give you a matching claim check. You then park your bike in the corral. For extra security, just throw on your own bike lock!
The bike corral will be supervised as follows:
Saturday: 3:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Sunday 9:30 am – 11:30 pm
Monday 9:30 am – 10:30 pm
Should the bike corral reach capacity, there are additional bike racks outside the fenced corral where you can lock up your bike.
Fifth Street Closure
Please note that Fifth Street will be closed between Fifth and Sixth Avenues for the duration of the festival. Access to this portion of Fifth Street is limited to vendors, coordinators, performers and local residents in possession of the appropriate parking passes. There are no exceptions.
Toilets
Portable washrooms are located on the west side of the permanent washrooms, close to the Artisan Vendor Booth area. Please leave them as clean as possible. If supplies need to be replenished, please inform a volunteer.
Potable Water
There are four “hydration stations” located throughout the park – one in center field, one near the front gate and one either end of the Food Vendor row. Please refill your bottles there, and please be respectful of the equipment. Water in single-use plastic bottles will not be offered for sale anywhere on the site.
Food
You are welcome to bring your own picnic lunch to the festival, but security staff may inspect your cooler at the gate for alcoholic beverages. Please adhere to our Zero Waste policies and pack your food in reusable or recyclable containers, or take your garbage home with you.
Garbage and recycling
There are several Resource Recovery stations set up on the festival grounds, at which all waste will be separated and sorted into the appropriate waste recovery bins. Volunteers will be on hand at each of these stations to assist. Please recycle empty drink containers in the appropriate blue bins. Please dispose of all smoking materials in the sand buckets provided in the designated smoking areas. If you can, reduce garbage by providing your own reusable mugs, water bottles, and plates, please do so.
Merchandise
CDs by festival performers, as well as a selection of clothing, sunscreen, lip balm, hats, water bottles and other festival items, are available at the Roosters Merch Booth. Cash, Visa, and MasterCard are accepted.
Volunteers
Do you want to help us next year? Join more than 500 friendly, helpful volunteers that help make this festival as fabulous as it is. Jobs are varied and require a minimum 10-hour commitment over the course of the weekend. We also have numerous jobs that must be done before and after the festival. Email tony.stonehouse@canmorefolkfestival.com or call (403) 678-2524. Check out our volunteer section each spring for instructions on how to sign up.
Pets
Pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, as per municipal bylaws. Please arrange to leave your pet at home or with friends. You may NOT tie your pet to the fence, and we hope you will not leave it unattended in your vehicle.
“ALL” SMOKE FREE
In accordance with the Town of Canmore Bylaw 2018 -24, public consumption of Cannabis is prohibited on site and in public spaces. Cigarette smoking and vaping is only permitted in designated smoking areas.
Naughty bits
No alcohol or other drugs will be permitted on the site. Beer & Wine are available at our Stage 4 Festival Pub.
No unauthorized video or audio recording is allowed.