WINTERFOLK VIII --
FEB 12-15, 2010

TORONTO – Mark it in your calendar! The EIGHTH ANNUAL WINTERFOLK FESTIVAL is back for, not three, but FOUR days of your favourite folk, roots and blues musicians.

After an extensive search for new talent through auditions held in several Ontario cities, the Winterfolk festival – which runs from February 12 -15, 2010 – is proud to present the winners as part of a total 100 artists performing this year. Toronto’s free, all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof urban roots and blues festival, now in its eighth year, will take place in six downtown venues, and for the very first time it will be for four days of music instead of three.
Winterfolk Festival is known for showcasing some of the best local talent around, including such artists as Al Lerman, Danny Marks, Ariana Gillis, Bob Snider, David Celia, David Leask and Julian Fauth. Added to this fine list is a band of new faces including the Swamp Ward Orchestra, the Human Statues, Rick Taylor, Amy Campbell, Rosemary Phelan and more!

As always, Winterfolk will be keeping the community connection alive by presenting stages for organizations such as SONGWRITERS UNITE, NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION TORONTO CHAPTER and CITY ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL which helps to increase their public visibility and membership and offer exposure for their events.

New to this year’s content is the inclusion of family programming on the fourth day of the fest (which is actually a designated “family day” holiday). Workshops, storytelling and exciting interactive performances can be enjoyed by the whole family. With thousands of people gathering in the area over the weekend, local retailers do a booming business, and for families it’s an ideal opportunity both to spend some quality time together and to expose the youth to the arts.

MORE ABOUT WINTERFOLK

Winterfolk was formed to entertain, educate, enlighten, engage and encourage the community about various folk music styles including roots, blues, folk and more. Founded by Festival Director Brian Gladstone, it is run as a division of The Association of Artists for a Better World, a registered non-profit organization in the Province of Ontario, Canada. www.abetterworld.ca

“I SUPPORT ROOTS MUSIC IN TORONTO” badges will also be available again by donation and they’ll be large enough for artists to autograph them!