The Regina Folk Festival (RFF) is an annual folk music festival held in Victoria Park in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Occurring the second weekend in August, the festival is a three-day annual event that attracts around 20,000 people and over 500 volunteers.[1] It is Western Canada's longest-running music festival.[2] Since 1999, its artistic director has been Sandra Butel. The organization is run by Butel and Manager of Operations, Jeannie Straub. [3][4]
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The festival was first held in 1969[5] on the Regina Campus of the University of Saskatchewan. This led to the creation of the Regina Guild of Folk Arts (RGFA). Since that time, the RGFA has continued to present both an annual festival (the Regina Folk Festival) and year-round music performances (the Regina Folk Festival Concert Series). For sixteen years RGFA produced and staged the Regina Folk Festival at various indoor venues.
In 1985 the festival was moved outdoors to historic Victoria Park in the heart of downtown Regina. The 1994 festival was cancelled due to debt.[6]
In March 2006 the membership of Regina Guild of Folk Arts Inc. voted to change the name of the organization to Regina Folk Festival Inc. (RFF Inc.) In 2009 the festival will celebrate its fortieth anniversary.[7]
Headliners in 2006 included Steve Earle, Ani DiFranco, Feist, Niyaz, and Utah Phillips. Those in 2007 included Blue Rodeo, Bruce Cockburn, Michael Franti, Iris DeMent, Los de Abajo and Buck 65.[3][8]
In addition to the concerts, there are also daytime workshops, and free children's performers.[9]
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