Category: Blog

Tom Cochrane with Red Rider and Stars join the lineup

Tom Cochrane with Red Rider and Stars join the lineup

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Mariposa Folk Festival announced two big additions to the lineup today, bolstering a weighty and innovative artistic offering that is shaping up for the iconic festival taking place July 5-7, 2019, in Orillia, Ontario, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

Tom Cochrane with Red Rider, together, and on their separate musical paths, have made an indelible impression on the Canadian music scene, with anthemic songs, impressive musicianship and crowd-pleasing performances. Front man, Tom Cochrane, is also celebrated for his many civic and social contributions.

The six-person indie-rock, folk-pop group Stars is highly acclaimed for their exquisite live performances, legion of very loyal fans, and for earning a place as one of Canada’s most successful and beloved bands.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “Our stages have something for everyone. The Saturday night main stage closes out with Montreal indie sweethearts Stars, followed by award winning, singer-songwriter and humanitarian, Tom Cochrane with his band Red Rider for an inspired, high energy performance”. Scott added, “The Pub Tent stage also continues each night with an exciting mix of new discoveries and familiar names, concerts and collaborations.

Many more exciting lineup announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Previously announced are Jason Isbell, First Aid Kit, Amélie et Les Singes Bleus, Birds of Chicago, Carole Pope, Christine Lavin, Còig, Courtney Marie Andrews, Dave Gunning, Digging Roots, É.T.É, Fred Penner, Freddy & Francine, Hawksley Workman, House of David Gang, Jennifer Castle, Jeremy Fisher, Jim Bryson, Julian Taylor Band, Kalyna Rakel, Los Pachamama & Flor Amargo, Martin Sexton, Martyn Joseph, Melanie, My Son The Hurricane, Pondercast with Laurie Brown, Ralph, Scott Cook, Shakura S’Aida, Sharon and Bram, Steve Poltz, Terra Lightfoot, The Burning Hell, The Ennis Sisters, The Free Label, The Layrite Boys, The Lifers, The LYNNeS, The Sorority, The Suitcase Junket, Tony McManus and Julia Toaspern, Union Duke, and Ziggy Alberts.

The three-day Mariposa Folk Festival features more than ten stages of the best folk-roots music on the North American scene, along with story, dance and craft. All categories of ticket are now on sale. Kids 12 & under admitted free. Special hot ticket pricing for youth and young adults. Tent and RV camping available.

Jason Isbell is Mariposa Bound

Jason Isbell is Mariposa Bound

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Mariposa Folk Festival announced today that renowned Americana artist, Jason Isbell, will perform at this summer’s festival taking place July 5-7, 2019, in Orillia, Ontario, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

Isbell is a master singer/songwriter whose thoughtful, finely crafted compositions deal with hopes and fears of everyday people – blue-collar folk striving to escape the constraints of limited lives or accepting destiny.

In the past few years, Isbell has risen to the top of the Americana music scene, garnering four Grammy Awards, nine Americana Music Awards, and glowing critical acclaim.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “Jason Isbell is really hitting his stride. On top of numerous Grammy and Americana awards he had a song featured in A Star is Born, but the real proof he’s at the top of his game is in the listening of his honest, contemplative songs”

The three-day Mariposa Folk Festival features more than ten stages of the best folk-roots music on the North American scene, along with story, dance and craft. All categories of ticket are now on sale. Kids 12 & under admitted free. Special hot ticket pricing for youth and young adults. Tent and RV camping available.

Many more artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

Alan Doyle – Mariposa Talks Interview

Alan Doyle – Mariposa Talks Interview

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In this interview, Alan Doyle discusses how the dynamics as a solo artist are so different from being the front man for the super group, Great Big Sea. He also talks about his influences and numerous other projects including his collaborations with Russell Crowe and other forays into the world of film and television.

Lance Anderson – Mariposa Talks Interview

Lance Anderson – Mariposa Talks Interview

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In this interview, musical arranger/director and legendary bluesman, Lance Anderson, discusses The Matchedash Parish, a dream team of 12 diverse musicians and singers he assembled with singer-songwriter phenomenon Matt Weidinger for a  special Mariposa Folk Festival appearance. This New Orleans-influenced gospel and soul group will perform their own unique arrangements, creating a great big show with a tent revival feel. It’s a festival finale not to be missed.

Free Festival App

Free Festival App

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Get the most out of your Mariposa experience. Download the festival app to your mobile device:

    • Create your own personal schedule
    • Get all of the artist details
    • Peruse the workshops and interactive and learning opportunities
    • Find your way around the festival site
    • Listen to the playlist to discover artists you will see at Mariposa
    • Connect to Mariposa’s social media platforms
    • Put the festival in your hand and carry it with you!

Available for free in the App Store (Apple) and the Google Play store (android). Search Mariposa Folk.

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We Are Recruiting for Candidates for the Mariposa Folk Foundation Board of Directors

We Are Recruiting for Candidates for the Mariposa Folk Foundation Board of Directors

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For nearly 60 years, the Mariposa Folk Festival has been an icon of Canada’s cultural scene. This all-inclusive showcase of Canada’s heritage, cultures and talents is owned and governed by the Mariposa Folk Foundation. The Foundation is led by 12 directors elected to three-year terms by the Foundation membership.

We are currently developing a roster of potential Board Directors for election at the next Annual General Meeting, which will take place in February.

The Foundation strives to maintain representation from the  Simcoe County area and from other parts of the Province of Ontario. Board members are expected to attend six board meetings per year. These meetings alternate between Orillia and Vaughan, Ontario.

Previous experience as a  Board Director would be a benefit. We are seeking qualified candidates who have a collaborative working style, and are specifically recruiting candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas: finance, management, law, technology, marketing, merchandising, human resources, and event planning. Experience with the music industry is not required. The role of Board Director of the Mariposa Folk Foundation is an unpaid, volunteer position.

Should you wish to be considered, please send your current CV to officemanager@mariposafolk.com along with a covering message explaining why you would like to join the Mariposa Board.

Bonnie Dobson’s Song, “Morning Dew”, to be Inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at Mariposa Folk Festival

Bonnie Dobson’s Song, “Morning Dew”, to be Inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at Mariposa Folk Festival

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Bonnie Dobson’s anti-nuke protest ballad, Morning Dew, was inspired by the award-winning 1959 film “On the Beach,” based on Nevil Shute’s novel about the extinction of humankind in the aftermath of nuclear war.

At the height of Cold War tensions in 1961 Dobson, a folk singer, was performing in Los Angeles at the Ash Grove club. She had been deeply moved by “On the Beach,” and after discussing the film with friends, composed Morning Dew. “I had never written anything in my life…. this song just came out and really it was a kind of re-enactment of that film in a way where at the end there is nobody left…. apocalypse, that was what it was about.”

Morning Dew is a dialogue song between the sole surviving woman and man; she is naïvely in denial; he is the hopeless voice of doom. Radiation has turned the morning dew – yesterday’s life-giving water – into an annihilator. In the film, the Australian government issues suicide pills so people can hasten death; Dobson’s line “I thought I heard my baby cryin’ ‘mama’ / You’ll never hear your baby cry again” recalls the scene where the horrified young mother realizes she must give her infant a suicide pill. Dobson’s mournful descending melody effectively portrays the nuclear rainfall and humanity’s downward spiral.

1961bDobson performed Morning Dew, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, at the first Mariposa Festival in Orillia in 1961 then in New York City in 1962. A 1969 orchestral version was produced by Jack Richardson (The Guess Who’s producer).

From these folk roots Morning Dew metamorphosed into a powerful blues-rock protest anthem, with subsequent singers adding lyric variations. On his 1964 recording with Vince Martin, Fred Neil (composer of Everybody’s Talkin’) revised the opening line from “Take me for a walk in the morning dew” to “Walk me out in the morning dew.” Next Tim Rose on his 1967 Columbia single copied this and added a line. The Grateful Dead heard Rose’s version and in 1967 premiered their own elongated poignant cover, using electric instruments, at San Francisco’s “Human Be-In.” The song is now strongly identified with the Dead, appearing on several albums including “Cornell 5/8/77” (one of Billboard’s top 15 albums).

Numerous covers followed, notably Lulu’s gritty soul single paired with To Sir, With Love (No. 52 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in September 1968 and RPM’s No. 55). Jeff Beck recorded Morning Dew with Rod Stewart on “Truth” (No. 15 on Billboard’s album chart). The Allman Brothers and Nazareth followed in 1972, the latter also recording it in German as Morgentau in 1981. Blackfoot’s hit on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart in 1984 added the line “Thought I saw a flash in the sky this morning.” Some covers add “What they’ve been sayin’ all these years has come true.”

Canadian blues artists Long John Baldry and Serena Ryder have covered Morning Dew, as have acts from Spain, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland. It has been sung in Danish, and in French as “Maman, dis moi pourquoi.”

Dobson performed her song with Robert Plant at the Royal Festival Hall in 2013. On screen, Morning Dew features in “Long Strange Trip” about the Grateful Dead, and Robert Plant sings it in “The Banger Sisters.” The National performed it on Stephen Colbert’s television show in 2016.

In 2018 the “Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists” advanced its Doomsday Clock to two minutes to midnight. Says Dobson about Morning Dew’s relevance today: “Actually I think that the song, if anything, is more of this time, of the present than it ever was then.”

Folk singer Bonnie Dobson was born in Toronto in 1940. Influenced by The Weavers, The Travellers, Pete Seeger and Paul Robeson, she was part of the 1960s’ urban folk movement, appearing often at US colleges and clubs, Toronto folk clubs and festivals, and on the CBC and BBC. She was rated by “Time Magazine” as second in popularity only to Joan Baez, and had hits with I Got Stung (1969) and Good Morning Rain (1970). She moved to London in 1969 and toured extensively in the UK and Europe until 1989 when she decided to return to university.  She studied Politics, Philosophy and history at Birkbeck College and ended up running the Faculty of Arts until 2007. In 2013 she returned to the music business, releasing the album Morning Dew.

About the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) honours and celebrates Canadian songwriters and those who have dedicated their lives to the legacy of music, and works to educate the public about these achievements. National and non-profit, the CSHF is guided by its own board of directors who comprise both Anglophone and Francophone music creators and publishers, as well as representation from the record industry. In December 2011, SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) acquired the CSHF. The Hall of Fame’s mandate aligns with SOCAN’s objectives as a songwriter and publisher membership-based organization. The CSHF continues to be run as a separate organization.

Best Lineup in Years

Best Lineup in Years

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Mariposa Folk Festival has announced the full 2018 lineup, and it’s a winner! On top of well-known artists like Walk Off The Earth, Alan Doyle, Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Larkin Poe, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Bahamas, the festival will feature 50 plus of the best folk-roots artists on the North American and international music scenes. The finale will be a fabulous, great big show called The Matchedash Parish, a dream team of celebrated musicians and singers.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “We’ve got an exciting mix of music, from worldwide sensations like Walk Off the Earth to Canadian treasures like Valdy to international stars like Nick Lowe and right back to the family area with puppet shows and hula hoop workshops and karaoke.” Scott added, “We’re staying true to our roots while providing a balanced and fun-filled folk festival with a strong focus on community. Lots of stages and interactive activities in a beautiful park. It’s a great way to spend a summer weekend!”.

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival will have song, story, dance and craft on more than ten stages. Tent and RV camping is available on the festival site. Special pricing for youth and young adults. Kids 12 & under admitted free.

According to Festival Chair, Pam Carter, “It’s shaping up to be one of the best editions of Mariposa Folk Festival in decades. Ticket sales are very robust, and we haven’t even announced all of our programming yet.” Carter hinted at an upcoming announcement about an important figure in Canadian folk music history, stating “Soon we will share some exciting news about a prestigious event planned for the Main Stage”.

Here is the full lineup for Mariposa Folk Festival 2018 in alphabetical order:

A.J. Croce, Abigail Lapell, Alan Doyle, Alfie Smith & Nicole Christian, Angelique Francis, Angie Nussey, Anh Phung, Ariko, Bahamas, Bill & Joel Plaskett, Birds of Bellwoods, Blind Boy Paxton, Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Cécile,
Doo-Kingué, Danny Michel, Dave Penny, Defying Gravity: A Tribute to Jesse Winchester, Earle and Coffin, Élage Diouf, Fast Romantics, Fitzgerald Sisters, Fred Eaglesmith, Fränder, Gareth Pearson, Good Enough Live Karaoke, Good Lovelies, Hat Fitz & Cara, Ilaria Graziano & Francesco Forni, Iskwé, Jenie Thai, Kevin Breit, Land Of Talk, Larkin Poe, Leif Vollebekk, Lisa LeBlanc, Madison Galloway, Mark Reeves, Molly Tuttle, Mélisande [électrotrad], Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Port Cities, Shreem, Skye Wallace, Slocan Ramblers, Tami Neilson, The Free Label, The Heavyweights Brass Band, The Kubasonics, The Matchedash Parish, The Wanted, The Western Swing Authority, Treasa Levasseur, Valdy, Walk Off The Earth, Wendell Ferguson, Zachary Lucky.

Union Duke: A Mariposa Showcase Story

Union Duke: A Mariposa Showcase Story

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On April 15th, 2018, 1:00-4:00 p.m., at the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre, 400 Memorial Ave in Orillia., the Mariposa Folk Festival is hosting its annual Mariposa Showcase, this year with eight emerging bands and performers auditioning for three performance spots at the summer Festival.

Mariposa Showcase has been a launching pad for some great talent. This includes Union Duke, a Toronto based folk quintet that melds indie rock vibes with the absolute best parts of bluegrass and country. In 2014, they ‘showcased’ and ended up on a Mariposa stage. It was a great opportunity for exposure and a chance to perform for one of the best and biggest crowds you can find!

Union Duke recently wrote to Mariposa Folk Festival to say that Mariposa Showcase changed their careers, calling it a “huge milestone”. Mariposa was the biggest venue they had ever played. Their booking agent, Jim McDonald, who was in the audience says, “In a way we owe it to Mariposa for setting up years of work for us.”

According to McDonald, following their first moment in the Mariposa spotlight Union Duke has maintained a positive and ongoing relationship with the Festival. This allowed them to return to the Mariposa stage, bigger and more popular than ever! McDonald went on to explain that auditioning live at Mariposa Showcase was a blessing because the band’s energy and charm shines through in their live performances.

Union Duke has a jam-packed touring schedule across Canada this summer. Check out their show listings at unionduke.com.

Here’s to hoping that more artists like Union Duke get their careers launched at Mariposa Showcase 2018!

Byline: Jaina Kelley, guest blogger and Lakehead University student

The Good Lovelies – Mariposa Talks Interview

The Good Lovelies – Mariposa Talks Interview

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Each of the Good Lovelies is a highly talented singer and songwriter (country, folk, pop and jazz) in her own right. But it’s when these three ladies join together that the magic happens. Harmonies that will make your heart sing and an infectious sense of fun that will lift your spirits skyward.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is Mariposa Bound

Buffy Sainte-Marie is Mariposa Bound

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada – Mariposa Folk Festival organizers announced today that cultural icon Buffy Sainte-Marie has been added to a festival lineup that’s turning out to be one of the best in years. Sainte-Marie has had a storied career, earning numerous recognitions including an Academy Award, Golden Globe, multiple Junos, the Polaris Prize and many more.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

Her most recent album, Medicine Songs (2017), about the environment, alternative conflict resolution, Indigenous realities, greed, and racketeering, is nominated for two Juno Awards, Indigenous Music Album of the Year and Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Her 2015  album, Power in the Blood, won the prestigious Polaris Prize.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “Buffy Sainte-Marie is an extraordinary artist and human being. Well into her sixth decade on the international music scene, she is at the peak of her craft, releasing back-to-back highly acclaimed albums and blazing new trails “.

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival features the best folk-roots music on the North American scene as well as story, dance and craft on more than ten stages.  All categories of ticket are now on sale. Hot ticket pricing is offered to youth and young adults. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site. Many more artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks.

Alan Doyle Joins Our Stellar Lineup

Alan Doyle Joins Our Stellar Lineup

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada – Mariposa Folk Festival organizers announced today that Alan Doyle, former lead singer for the legendary Canadian band Great Big Sea, has been added to the stellar festival lineup. Known for exciting shows backed by a band of top-notch musicians, Doyle says, “I always want people to have the greatest night of their life when the house lights go down”.
Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

A musician extraordinaire, actor in film, television and stage, and author of books, Alan Doyle is an entertainment business triple threat. He is also a Member of the Order of Canada “for his contributions to the musical traditions of his home province and for his commitment to numerous local charitable initiatives.”

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “Alan Doyle is bringing us his rousing, toe-tapping traditional kitchen party experience fused with pop, rock and country. It’s going to be a powerful, entertaining show for the whole family”.

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival features the best folk-roots music on the North American scene as well as story, dance and craft on more than ten stages. All categories of ticket are now on sale. Hot ticket pricing is offered to youth and young adults. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site. Many more artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets Join the Mariposa Lineup

Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets Join the Mariposa Lineup

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada – Mariposa Folk Festival organizers announced today that Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets have joined the Main Stage lineup for this summer’s festival. Nick Lowe is a revered figure in rock and pop music. Los Straitjackets are an astonishingly talented instrumental rock surf band. This combination may strike the uninitiated as odd, but those who have experienced the live show rave about it.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

Nick Lowe has made his mark as a producer (Elvis Costello-Graham Parker-Pretenders-The Damned), songwriter of at least three songs you probably know by heart, pop star, and a musicians’ musician. But in his current ‘second act’ as a silver-haired, tender-hearted but sharp-tongued singer-songwriter, he has no equal.

Los Straitjackets are the leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental. Using the music of The Ventures, The Shadows, and with Link Wray and Dick Dale as a jumping off point, the band has taken their unique, high energy brand of original rock & roll around the world. Clad in their trademark Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling masks, the “Jackets” have delivered their trademark guitar licks to 16 albums, thousands of concerts and dozens of films and TV shows.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “With Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, we’ll get a mix of UK alternative pop roots nostalgia and high-powered rock wrapped up in an engaging, entertaining live show. It’s pretty exciting to have these amazing musicians play Mariposa.”

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival features the best folk-roots music on the North American scene as well as story, dance and craft on more than ten stages.  All categories of ticket are now on sale. Hot ticket pricing for youth and young adults. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site. Many more artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

Bahamas Coming to #Mariposa2018

Bahamas Coming to #Mariposa2018

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada –Mariposa Folk Festival organizers announced today that Bahamas, coming off a string of sold out concerts across the United States, Europe and Western Canada, is bringing his dynamic show to the Mariposa Main Stage at this summer’s festival.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

Bahamas’ Mariposa appearance comes on the heels of the release of his forth album, Earthtones (2018), which he says is his “…newest and totally most best album yet”. It features D’angelo’s rhythm section, and songs he describes as “…about having success, having kids, and having depression…about going on tour, going back in time and going in circles…about [his] other worldly wife, [his] jerk dad and [his] garbage relationship with [his] brother.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “I love Bahamas’ smoky, folky, acoustic roots vibe and that gentle accessibility to songs. Bahamas has been my personal go-to for years, and it’s exciting to have him back to Mariposa after watching his star get brighter everywhere he plays.”

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival features the best folk-roots music on the North American scene as well as story, dance and craft on more than ten stages. All categories of ticket are now on sale. Hot ticket pricing for youth and young adults. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site. Many more artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

Recruiting for Team Lead Positions for Mariposa 2018

Recruiting for Team Lead Positions for Mariposa 2018

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The Mariposa Folk Festival is recruiting a Lead for the 50-50 Team and two Co-Leads for Greening. Both are volunteer positions. If you are interested, please send an email to mff@mariposafolk.com with your contact information.

50 -50 Draw Lead
After five years doing a great job as the 50/50 Draw Crew Lead, Joanna Vaughan has decided it’s time to volunteer elsewhere at the Festival. The good news is that she’s staying on the 50/50 Draw Crew for one final year to transition the new Lead into the position.
Here are the responsibilities of the 50/50 Draw Crew Lead:

Pre-Festival (approximately 5 hours)

  • Receive the list of people who volunteered for the 50/50 Draw Crew from the Volunteer Coordinator
  • Select and confirm all 50/50 Draw volunteers (by email and/or phone) by June 1st
  • Identify an Assistant Crew Lead from among the list of people who volunteered
  • Develop a volunteer schedule to cover all of the 50/50 Draw shifts over the Festival weekend (June)


Festival Weekend (approximately 17.5 hours)

  • Set up the 50/50 trailer space at Festival (all equipment provided and placed)
  • Confirm volunteer shifts
  • Train volunteers as the come on shift
  • Sign-out blocks of tickets, receive cash from sales, record on an electronic spread sheet (laptop and template provided)
  • Prepare a daily cash deposit and provide it to the Festival Cash Control Crew
  • Separate ticket stubs in preparation for Sunday evening draw
  • Coordinate delivery of ticket stub tub to the Mainstage (with the Festival Treasurer)
  • Pack-up all 50/50 equipment and materials, including ticket stubs, for safe storage in the Mariposa office, along with a list and count for each item


Post-Festival (approximately 1 hour)

  • Prepare input for Festival Organizing Group on observations, pros/cons, and suggestions for improvement next year


As a result of input from previous years, we have made enhancements to the ticket tracking and cashing-out aspects of the 50/50 sales role to make the process faster for volunteers and easier for the 50/50 Draw Lead. This includes testing a staggered schedule to eliminate crowding on sign- and cash-out. It is our hope that these changes will free-up the Team Lead’s time, especially with the addition of an Assistant Crew Lead.

Greening Co-Leads
After six years of significant contribution, Erin Dixon and Adrian Bhatti have stepped-down as Co-Leads of the Festival Green Team. They will work with the new Co-Leads to transition them into the position. The Greening Team manages waste diversion and water distribution at the Festival.

Here are the responsibilities of the Greening Co-Leads:

Pre-Festival (approximately 6 hours

  • Receive the list of people who volunteered for the Greening Team from the Volunteer Coordinator
  • Select and confirm all Greening Team volunteers (by email and/or phone) by June 1st
  • Complete volunteer schedule for the Festival weekend, including pre-festival set up and post-festival take down
  • Order waste diversion bins from supplier
  • Order waste diversion bags through the Festival Chair
  • Liaise with water supplier to ensure adequate supply of water jugs, stands and hand pumps for stages
  • Ensure appropriate signage
  • Liaise with Ryerson University team in regard to their management of the Greening booth in the Community Village


Festival Weekend (approximately 17-30 hours, depending on coordination between the Co-Leads) (Thursday – Monday)

  • Set-up the Greening Team operations centre and waste diversion stations (all equipment provided and placed) (camping area set-up by Thursday)
  • Coordinate volunteers and volunteer hours, including support for Ryerson University team
  • Monitor waste diversion stations and bulk bins to ensure appropriate supply, collection and diversion of waste
  • Monitor water distribution to ensure that all stages are appropriately supplied
  • Pack-up all Greening equipment and materials for return to storage, with a list of items and quantities per package


Post-Festival (approximately 1 hour)

  • Prepare input for Festival Organizing Group on observations, pros/cons, and suggestions for improvement next year

 

Walk Off The Earth Joins the Mariposa Lineup

Walk Off The Earth Joins the Mariposa Lineup

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada – Mariposa Folk Festival organizers announced today that Walk Off The Earth, the multi-talented five-piece musical phenomena presently taking the world by storm, will perform at this summer’s festival.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

If you follow a musical path you haven’t explored before, flip a coin at the crossroads, and cross against the light, you’ll find yourself in the creative territory inhabited by Walk Off The Earth. Their unique blend of alternative rock and performance art, including original tunes and artistic covers, doesn’t fit into any pigeon hole you’ve ever known.

According to Artistic Director, Liz Scott, “Walk Off The Earth is brilliantly entertaining, artistically exciting, and hugely popular…their five-people-playing-one-guitar take on Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know garnered more than 175 million views in just four months. The Mariposa audience is in for quite a treat.”

The 3-day Mariposa Folk Festival features the best folk-roots music on the North American scene as well as story, dance and craft on more than ten stages. All categories of ticket are now on sale. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site.

Many more artistic announcements including additional headliners will be made in the coming weeks and months.

Mariposa Folk Foundation Appoints a New Artistic Director

Mariposa Folk Foundation Appoints a New Artistic Director

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The Board of Directors of Mariposa Folk Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Liz Scott of Meaford, Ontario, as Artistic Director of the storied Mariposa Folk Festival.

Scott is assuming the artistic mantle from long time Artistic Director, Mike Hill, who will continue contributing to the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as a resource to Scott.

Commenting on Mike Hill’s rich legacy as Artistic Director, Mariposa Folk Foundation President, Pam Carter, expressed warm regards, “I know that I speak for the entire Mariposa family in expressing deep gratitude to Mike for his wonderful work over the past many years. He is stepping down as Artistic Director at a time when the festival has reached new popular, and artistic, heights”.

Welcoming Liz Scott to the Mariposa fold, Carter focused on the incumbent’s substantial experience in artistic direction and programming, “Liz comes to us with a strong artistic background. She also worked closely with Mike Hill in assembling the impressive artistic lineup of Mariposa Folk Festival 2017. We are very pleased to have Liz on board, and look forward to her artistic choices for the 2018 Mariposa Folk Festival and beyond.”

Liz Scott’s live music background includes serving as a presenter, promoter, artistic director, and agent, from house concerts to soft seat theatre shows to festivals. She has been bringing great folk and roots music to appreciative audiences for many years, including renowned artists such as Ron Sexsmith, Danny Michel, Hawksley Workman, Steve Poltz, Lynn Miles, Dala, Donovan Woods, Fred Eaglesmith, Séan McCann of Great Big Sea, Whitehorse, Liam Titcomb and more. Scott is a former Artistic Director at Eaglewood Folk Festival and Village Vibes at Blue Mountain Resort, and has served as a Juno Awards Judge, Folk Alliance International mentor, and is a current member of the Folk Music Ontario Board of Directors.

Mike Hill, Author of The Mariposa Folk Festival: A History – Mariposa Talks Interview

Mike Hill, Author of The Mariposa Folk Festival: A History – Mariposa Talks Interview

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In this Mariposa Talks Interview, Mike Hill, author of The Mariposa Folk Festival: A History, published by Dundurn Press, regales viewers with interesting anecdotes from what is the definitive book about Mariposa’s storied past. The ‘tell all’ relies on a rich treasure trove of incidents, surprises, ups and downs, and personal recollections of Mariposa Folk Festival. Some interesting nuggets are served-up in this edition of Mariposa Talks.

Steve Poltz – Mariposa Talks Interview

Steve Poltz – Mariposa Talks Interview

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Steve Poltz is Canadian by birth and Californian by osmosis. In this interview with Mariposa Talks, the singer-songwriter and raconteur talks about his love of music, his love of telling stories and his much-YouTubed tale of how he met Jewel. He also offers a valuable piece of life advice: Never go skiing with the bartender.

 

The New Pornographers Join The Mariposa Lineup

The New Pornographers Join The Mariposa Lineup

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Orillia, Ontario, Canada – Mariposa Folk Festival (#Mariposa2017) has announced that Canadian indie music super-collective The New Pornographers will perform at this summer’s festival.

Mariposa Folk Festival takes place July 7th, 8th and 9th, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, on the shores of scenic Lake Couchiching.

The group comes to Mariposa fresh off of the release of their seventh album on April 7th, Whiteout Conditions, which has received stellar reviews for its style and originality. In March, they released a teaser video for one of the tracks called High Ticket Attractions, which has been described by Stereogum as “…a winningly melodic pop gem, a slice of driving electric guitars and burbling synths…”

According to Artistic Director, Mike Hill, “The New Pornographers are an innovative, intelligent music collective with tunes that are full of hooks, and underscored by great melodies.” Hill predicted that, “There will be lots of dancing and general merriment when these stellar musicians get on the stage.”

Previously announced artists on the festival roster, which will grow to approximately sixty on twelve stages, include Barenaked Ladies, Bruce Cockburn, and Matt Andersen. The 3-day event features the best folk-roots, and other music genres, on the North American music scene, as well as story, dance and craft. Kids 12 & under are admitted free. Tent and RV camping is available on site.

More artistic announcements will be made in the coming weeks.