Toronto’s Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival Marks 21st Year Featuring Sultans of String, Gary Kendall Band, Anne Lindsay & MORE

Fri Jan 27 2023
Winterfolk

Friday February 24th will stream 8:00 - 10:30 PM ONLINE
Sunday February 25th – LIVE 1 PM – 10 PM
Sunday February 26th – LIVE 1 PM – 10 PM

After two years of an online-only hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, Toronto’s annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival is back IRL, baby, for its 21st Anniversary! The festival, which features a change of neighborhood this year to Kensington Market, will showcase some of the most talented blues and roots acts performing over the course of two nights of live performances, and one night of strictly online streaming.

Toronto’s Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival Confirms 20th Annual Lineup

Fri Jan 28 2022
Winterfolk

It’s official: Celebrating its landmark 20th year presenting the finest sounds around, Toronto’s Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival adds award-winning guitarist and singer/songwriter Sue Foley to this year’s event lineup online February 18th - 20th, Featuring Sue Foley, Shari Ulrich, Lucy Kaplansky, Mean Mary, Jack de Keyzer Band, Robert Priest, Jerome Tucker Band, Suzie Vinnick, Ori Dagan, Taylor Abrahamse, Ken Whiteley and the Belua Band, Josh Ritchie, David Storey Band, Donne Roberts Band, Julian Taylor & More!

Fresh off the release of her latest album, 2021’s Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley will close-out the three-day event, rounding out the highly acclaimed roster that includes the best and award-winning musicians across blues, rock, jazz, folk, roots, and more.

Registration to watch the expansive list of 18+ concerts is free, and optional donations collected to assist with festival expenses, the main one being remuneration for artists.

Winterfolk XIX is Set for February 19th & 20th With FREE Virtually Streamed Performances

Fri Jan 29, 2021

When a Canadian music festival has been running for 19 consecutive years — in the middle of winter, no less — rest assured, they’ve seen it all.

And this year, Toronto’s annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival can add ‘pivoting to online due to a pandemic’ to that list.

Winterfolk logoUndeterred, Winterfolk XIX is set to stream Friday, February 19th and Saturday, February 20th online. Registration to watch is free, and optional donations will be collected in support of the Daily Bread Foodbank.

Toronto’s 19th Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival Back With FREE Virtually Streamed Performances on:
Friday, February 19th - 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday, February 20th -7:00pm - 10:00pm

Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival Celebrates 18 Years – February 21-23 2020

Fri Jan 24, 2020

Toronto is a music mecca for festivals and events in the spring and summer months, but the event that takes the same concept indoors is the Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival, giving music lovers a break from our sometimes harsh winter weather to congregate and enjoy live music at its best.

Winterfolk 2020 Volunteer PosterThis year the festival marks its 18th year of celebration along with an area change for the whole event.

BTW-Winterfolk XVI, Moon Taxi, Kim Churchill, I Hate You Just Kidding, Terra Lightfoot, Ellevator

Fri Feb 09 2018
Anne Lederman

The 16th Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival, taking place in Toronto February 16-18, 2018, is set to present the best of urban, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk and roots music, and will feature returning favourite artists as well as fresh new talent. It’s an all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof event that emulates a multi-stage rural summer festival. More than 100 artists will be performing at four venues and five stages over three days of the long Family Day weekend. For more information on the festival, schedule and for updates, please visit www.winterfolk.com.

Winterfolk XVI featured performers include Borealis Records artists MOSE SCARLETT, who’s been on the Canadian music scene for more than 40 years, fiddler ANNE LEDERMAN, highly acclaimed Canadian folk, blues and gospel singer and multi-instrumentalist KEN WHITELEY, and award-winning singer-songwriter JON BROOKS.

Winterfolk Blues & Roots Festival

Fri Nov 24, 2017

THE 16TH ANNUAL WINTERFOLK BLUES AND ROOTS FESTIVALis when some of the finest folk, roots and blues artists will take the stage at Toronto’s Black Swan Tavern on Saturday, December 9th. Doors open at 7:30 pm and music starts at 8:00 pm for this event to benefit Winterfolk. Artists will include The Achromatics, David Storey, Tony Quarrington, Brian Gladstone, Piper Hayes w/ Carson Ritcey-Thorpe, The Mini-Clan Hannigan and more. There will also be an open mic for anyone who would like to add a tune or two.

WHO: The Achromatics, David Storey, Tony Quarrington, Brian Gladstone, Piper Hayes w/ Carson Ritcey-Thorpe, The Mini-Clan Hannigan and more
WHAT: Winterfolk XVI Preview & Benefit + Birthday Bash WHERE: The Black Swan Tavern, 154 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON 416-469-0537
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 9th – Doors 7:30 pm / Music 8:00
TICKETS: $10 minimum donation @door

BTW This Week- Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival, Danny Marks, Royal Tusk, Andrea Ramolo, Alejandra Ribera, Kobo Town, The TUNS

Fri Feb 10 2017
Kim Doolittle

The 15th Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival, taking place in Toronto February 17-19, 2017, is set to present the best of urban, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk and roots music, and will feature returning favourite artists as well as fresh new talent. It’s an all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof event that emulates a multi-stage rural summer festival. More than 100 artists will be performing at five venues and six stages over three days of the long Family Day weekend. For more information on the festival, schedule and for updates, please visit www.winterfolk.com .

 

BTW-starring The High Dials, Closer To The Heart, Winterfolk Festival Highlights, Lesley Curtis, Dee Bronte, Timber Timbre, Dan Mangan & Blacksmith

Fri Jan 30 2015
The High Dials

In 2015, The High Dials are so on the radar of folks who think they define the nu-pop sensibility. In which case, dudes can claim O.G. stake, as ‘In The AM Wilds’, dropping Feb.3, is the duo’s fifth full-length cookie. This thing they’ve been doing is an amalgam of psychedelic, electronic, and folk rock influences, meshing with the compositions of singer-songwriter Trevor Anderson.

Centered around the band’s founders, Anderson and guitarist Robbie MacArthur, and operating with a rotating line-up, The High Dials have spent the last while working on soundtracks for two Montreal indie films, which led to a lot of experimentation. Any long-term band can slip into a comfort zone of lazy habits. That’s where producer Marc Bell (We Are Wolves, The Fugees) came into things. “Meeting Marc was huge because he really helped us stay fearless in moving forward. He knew nothing about our history. We were able to incorporate more of the influences that had always been there lurking but never really come through.”