REGINA, Saskatchewan (CelebrityAccess) — Organizers of Canada’s long-running Regina Folk Festival have announced the cancellation of the 2025 edition of the event.
“It is with heavy hearts that the Regina Folk Festival Board of Directors announces the cancellation of the 53rd edition of the Regina Folk Festival,” organizers stated on Tuesday. “Despite the dedicated efforts of staff and board, it is no longer possible to continue producing the festival due to financial constraints and reduced operational capacity. The time has come to say goodbye to the Regina Folk Festival.”
The festival took a pause in 2024 with plans to reintroduce the event this year in a new format but cited stagnant or reduced funding, rising costs, and declining ticket sales as obstacles that organizers were unable to overcome.
In their statement announcing the end of the festival, organizers said:
“For many years, RFF enjoyed growth and abundance, but recently, economic challenges have become insurmountable. Ongoing financial pressures from the pandemic, including stagnant or reduced funding, rising costs, and declining ticket sales, have created obstacles we can no longer overcome.
In 2024, we took a fallow year to rebuild and re-envision the festival. This allowed us to examine our operational plans across all festival areas while focusing on capacity-building. Throughout this transitional period, we delivered a concert series in lieu of a festival and strengthened our foundation through policy development, research, and strategic planning.
When we announced the return of the festival this past November, we were optimistic and worked to meet our ambitious targets. However, by the end of January, it became clear that financial challenges and capacity limitations could not be overcome.”
Established in 1969, the Regina Folk Festival was one of Canada’s oldest music festivals, taking place annually in Regina, Saskatchewan. Featuring a mix of folk, roots, blues, world, and indie music, the festival earned a reputation for its diverse lineups, family-friendly programming, and community engagement.
Past editions of the festival hosted performances from artists such as Feist, k.d. lang, Blue Rodeo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Strumbellas, A Tribe Called Red, and Mavis Staples, among others.
According to event organizers, the festival’s board is currently working to dissolve the organization pursuant to its bylaws. The Board of Directors will invite members to a Special General Meeting later this spring to determine the next steps for the organization.
