'It evolves and changes every year': Regina Folk Fest celebrates 50 years

Regina Folk Fest kicks off The 50th annual Regina Folk Fest comes to the Queen City this weekend. Marc Smith explains.

The Regina Folk Fest is celebrating a milestone this weekend as the event marks its 50th year.

The lineup this year includes some big names including headliners Blue Rodeo, a Tribe Called Red and Jason Isbell.

The festival has been rocking the Queen City for half a decade, but things have changed quite a bit since the first event.

“When it started it was in March, it was indoors, it was individual tickets, they were a dollar, but there were still individual tickets for the indoor stuff. And since 1985 we've been downtown with having a big free element to the festival as well and now we're not in a building, we're in a big sky,” said Sandra Butel, the artistic director and CEO of the Regina Folk Festival.

Some local artists will also be gracing the stage including sisters Megan and Jenna Nash from Moose Jaw. They will be performing throughout the weekend including a special performance with the 50th anniversary choir on Sunlit Stage for free on Saturday.

“We do talk a bit about the history of the folk festival and so people can expect to hear some traditional union labour movement songs that they'll recognize,” said Megan Nash. “They'll hear a new original written by a group of people and they'll hear some stories and different things throughout the program as well, so I’m really excited to see how it resonates with people.”

The 50 years of the festival has also been supported by countless volunteers throughout the years who come out every year to help put the show on.

“I don't know if they would have thought 50 years ago that they would have made it to this point or made it in the format that it has, but that's the good thing about the folk festival, it's an organic thing, it evolves and changes every year,” said Greg Urbanoski, a volunteer at the festival.

Folk fest runs through the weekend and wraps up on Sunday night with a performance from Blue Rodeo.