'It's like family': South Country Fair kicks off 37th year
The musicians are back and campers are ready for the 37th South Country Fair.
The event started back in 1987 and, since then, has only had two years without a festival due to the pandemic but still held online events those years.
It features live music, an artisan market, food trucks and fun for the whole family.
"So you will see acts from as far away as Spain, Mexico City, Mongolia and as close as Lethbridge and kind of everywhere in between," said Gillian Moranz, South Country Fair's artistic director, who's been attending the festival since before she was one.
The popular, long-running folk music festival is entirely volunteer-run with more than 300 people working hard to make the weekend possible.
"All the volunteers are super keen and, even in this heat, they were coming into the hospitality tent at eight in the morning to get their jobs, asking, 'What can we do to help, what can we do to help?'" said April Hutchinson, South Country Fair's volunteer co-ordinator.
Some festival-goers showed up two days ago to set up camp, while most arrived Friday.
Some festival-goers showed up two days ago to set up camp, while most arrived Friday.
Many have been coming for decades.
"Just the feeling when you come here, the friendship, the love, the music, the energy -- you just can't really explain it," said Norman Blais, who's back for the 11th time.
"South Country Fair has been a really important part of my life and I did not expect that when I first started but I'm very happy that I've been able to come along for the ride," said 30-year attendee Laurie Blakeman.
"It's like family, it really is," said Mark Sadlier-Brown, who's been coming to South Country Fair for more than 25 years.
"It's not like a big, impersonal fair, it's home."
Mark Sadlier-Brown has been coming to South Country Fair for more than 25 years.
However, organizers say next year's festival will have a new home.
Exactly where that will be is yet to be announced.
"We have been here for 25 years and we've been operating for 37, so change is really healthy, it's really important." Moranz told CTV News.
"This is something that's been talked about for over 10 years, maybe 15, and it just felt like it was time."
Attendees say they've enjoyed the spot they're at, but look forward to what the future holds.
"It's part of our summer, so it will be sad to miss this location but I'm really excited for what's coming next because I think what's coming next will be bigger and better," said Maxine Henry, the fair’s medical director and an attendee for the past 19 years.
Opening ceremonies start at 6 p.m. Friday and the fair runs through the weekend until 6 p.m. Sunday.
Day and weekend passes are still available and you can purchase them at the gate.
Some festival-goers showed up two days ago to set up camp, while most arrived Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Students at Curé-Antoine-Labelle High School near Montreal are protesting after they say their school's administration started pushing what they call a 'sexist' dress code.
Officer who arrested Scottie Scheffler is being disciplined for not having bodycam activated
The Kentucky police officer who arrested top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler outside the PGA Championship is receiving 'corrective action' for failing to have his body-worn camera activated.
'I won't stop,' Celine Dion says in trailer for upcoming doc about her health woes
Celine Dion's fans are getting a first glimpse of the superstar's struggle with a rare neurological disorder in an emotional trailer for an upcoming documentary about her career and life.
Air travel is expensive. WestJet wants the government to do more to change that
WestJet is asking the federal government to put measures in place to lower ticket costs for travellers, but questions remain on who would foot the bill.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
Ottawa police investigating death of a gosling in Kanata
Ottawa police are investigating after someone allegedly stomped on a gosling in Kanata. Police say it appears that Canada geese laid eggs in the area, 'and on May 21, a suspect stomped on one of the hatched babies.'
Treasury Board president urges managers to be flexible on exemptions for new 3-day office mandate
The president of the Treasury Board is standing by the federal government's new hybrid office mandate for federal public servants, but is urging managers to be flexible for staff requiring exemptions.