Fiddle Fun         Thurs. – Sun.

Windy Acres. (Near Pike Lake)

When it comes to Old Time music you don’t have to look very far to find a master right here in Saskatoon. John Arcand is a legend when it comes to the world of Métis fiddle music and he’s spent the last two decades securing his legacy with the John Arcand Fiddle Festival. This is a music festival full of free workshops for fiddle, jigging, guitar, square dancing and Métis art forms. Arcand has dedicated his life to the music, hosting the festival at his home. Along with workshops, there’s activities for the kids, and storytelling by Maria Campbell there’s a huge lineup on the main stage acts including Gordon Stobbe, Ed Peekeekoot and April Verch. Day passes are $25 kids 12 and under are free. The festival is at Windy Acres on the way to Pike Lake. You can camp on site or take the shuttle from Saskatoon.

Click here for full details.

 

Midway Magic         Now – Sunday

Prairieland Park

You still have a few days to get in on the fireworks and fun of the Saskatoon Ex. There’s still plenty of shows to take in at the grandstand including The Strumbellas tonight, Blue Rodeo Friday and Big Sugar on Saturday. Sunday, take out that aggression watching  the Crash & Bash Demo Derby where they’re sure to trash more than a few vehicles. Hold onto your cookies as you ride fan favourites the Zipper and the Orbitor. There’s also a midway for the little guys, a giant slide and several street performers that have hourly shows. Admission into the grounds is $16 and that will get you into the grandstand shows as well. If you’re looking to ride all night, $49 will get you a wristband and there are other deals available to.

Click here for full details on pricing and performers.

 

Sugar Man        Friday

TCU Place

It’s an amazing story of second chances for a man who’s music will have you feeling easy with the world. Rodriguez first recorded albums in the early 1970s. Rodriguez was a big hit over in Australia and New Zealand but went largely unnoticed in North America. He eventually gave up trying to be a musician and eventually ended up working at various construction and factory jobs. In the late 1990s, fans went in search of him and it was the subject of the 2012 Oscar winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man. The film sparked a new interest in Rodriguez and his music and he’s been touring ever since. Tickets for the Saskatoon show are $55-$100.

Click here for more details.

 

 

Worldwide Weekend         Aug. 17 – 19

Prairieland Park & Var. Venues

It just got a little easier to take a trip around the world in your own backyard. Saskatoon’s Folk Festival is back for another year and to celebrate Canada 150, organizers are making most of the pavilions centrally located. 17 of the 21 pavilions will be located right on the grounds at Prairieland Park. The move was made to attract more people to each venue. Germany, India, Norway and Ireland are still off the Prairieland grounds but free buses will still be running in between. Each pavilion will celebrate the best food, drink and cultural entertainment that nation has to offer. That means you can grab a perogy, wash it down with some Guinness and dance the night away to Latin rhythms. Passports are $16 and you’ll want to have cash on hand to buy food, drinks and do a little shopping.

Click here for a full list of pavilions and more information.