Winnipeg Folk Festival ends 50th anniversary on a high note

There were no serious medical emergencies or major incidents at this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival, which ran from July 10 to 13 at Birds Hill Provincial Park.

“Overall, folk fest was a huge success this year,” RCMP Cpl. Melanie Roussel said Tuesday via email.

Officers patrolling the festival site on foot and by vehicle made one arrest over the weekend involving an individual who was on drugs, Roussel said. That person was later released with no charges.

On Saturday, the festival put out an alert regarding a substance that was circulating in gel-cap mushrooms causing adverse reactions, such as fainting.

The issue was noted by the festival’s on-site safety and first aid crews, which treated 12 people with symptoms on Thursday and Friday.

“No one was hospitalized, and after the alert was issued, we received no further reports of similar incidents,” said festival marketing and communications manager Lee-Anne Van Buekenhout via email.

The organization doesn’t offer drug-checking services at the festival and its website advises patrons to test substances before arriving at the event. Security and first aid volunteers carry naloxone kits.

The air-quality health index was above or near 10 for most of the weekend, owing to smoke from local wildfires — a level at which the federal government recommends strenuous outdoor activities be reduced or rescheduled for the general public, and that people at risk, such as seniors, children and those with respiratory issues, avoid being outdoors at all.

The festival sent out an advisory via its app on Saturday morning advising attendees travelling from the city to come prepared with masks.

Festival staff are reviewing the weekend’s incidents and, on Tuesday, had no formal reports listing smoke as a factor.

“We follow government regulations and will continue to communicate with our audience to ensure they come prepared and make their own decisions on what is best for them,” Van Buekenhout said. “Climate change is affecting all outdoor events, and we continue to assess and adjust our processes in response.”

The festival reported a record-breaking attendance of 79,000 ticketholders, including volunteers, artists, donors, vendors and sponsors, over the 50th anniversary weekend.

The 50th anniversary had an average front-of-house capacity of 15,171 paid visitors per day, not including volunteers and artists. Single-day tickets sold out on Friday and Saturday. Four-day passes, with and without camping, sold out prior to the festival.

Headliners included Americana artist Jason Isbell, Canadian roots artist Allison Russell, singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, R&B legend Mavis Staples, Vancouver indie-pop band Peach Pit and Winnipeg vocal powerhouse Begonia.

The 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival will take place July 9-12, 2026.

— staff