IN CONCERT: The Folk ’n Fiddle Festival
Where: Various venues, Sidney
When: June 10-12
Tickets: $29-$65 at or
The second annual Folk ’n Fiddle Festival features an impressive line-up of acts from across sa国际传媒, led by Juno Award winners the Good Lovelies and Shari Ulrich.
But the genius of the event, set for three days this weekend, may turn out to be its unique venue choices.
Various locations throughout the Sidney core are in play starting Friday, with seated events at the 310-capacity Charlie White Theatre in the Mary Winspear Centre. The Army, Navy & Air Force lounge on 4th Street will be home to dance parties throughout the weekend, while St. Paul’s United Church (2410 Malaview Ave.) features an intimate concert Saturday night exclusively for double-vaccinated guests.
During the planning stages of the event, which is produced by the Saanich Peninsula Folk and Fiddle Festival Society, artistic director Oliver Swain fell in love with what the veterans’ museum and lounge had to offer, from its cabaret seating to the large stage and equally large dancefloor.
“When I walked into that room, I was just blown away,” Swain said. “It was like going back in time.”
That fits perfectly with the type of music Swain wanted to book in his first year with the festival. The event started in 2019, with a different approach. “They had a bit more of a focus on workshops and education in the first year. I’ve tried to create really unique performances and performances experiences.”
Among the 20 acts appearing this weekend are Toronto’s the Good Lovelies, Winnipeg’s the Small Glories, and Bowen Island’s Shari Ulrich. Performers on the roster range in style from Americana and old-timey swing to blues, bluegrass and Cuban music.
The majority hail from the Greater Victoria area, but Swain made a point of booking off-Island artists as well, including Edmonton’s Ann Vriend, and Vancouver acts Twin Bandit, Petunia and The Vipers, and Lache Cercel, among others.
“All of the artists have roots in traditional music styles, which is all I’m looking for here,” Swain said. “I could have booked anything, but I wanted it to have continuity. Each night is curated to try and give people a diverse but connected experience, tying us in with the folk moniker.”
