The Haliburton County Folk Society recently announced its 2024-25 lineup of artists during a concert series reveal party.
The event was held at the Dominion Hotel in Minden for members, musicians and folk enthusiasts. A limited number of passes will be sold for the series, which consists of five live shows.
“This is the first time in five years we have programmed a full series, and we are really excited about our line-up, which includes Juno and Canadian Folk Music Award winners and Polaris Music Prize and Maple Blues Award nominees,” said artistic director Sue Shikaze. “We pride ourselves in bringing top Canadian talent to the Haliburton Highlands. I think people know that Folk Society shows are a great night of live music, representing a broad range of genres.”
The event introduced attendees to the artists that are booked for the concert series through YouTube video performances of their works.
The series opens Sept.14 with Garnetta Cromwell and DaGroovmasters, a blues band that delivers high-energy shows to “bring joy to all,” according to a press release from the Folk Society.
Aleksi Campagne, a bilingual singer, songwriter and fiddle player, will be performing on Oct. 18. Campagne was named Penguin Eggs and Roots Music Canada’s New Discovery of the Year. He combines his voice, violin and loopingeffect pedals to wow audiences. Campagne received a Canadian Folk Music Award this year for French Songwriter of the Year.
On Feb. 1, 2025, Terra Lightfoot will return to the Haliburton Highlands with her trio. “Their energy and charisma on-stage creates musical magic”, the press release said. Lightfoot’s latest album, Healing Power, was recently long-listed for the prestigious 2024 Polaris Music Prize.
From Northern Alberta, Celeigh Cardinal, a soul-folk singer, will be taking the stage with her band on April 19, 2025. Celeigh has a confident voice, owns the stage and captivates audiences. She can also blend humour and vulnerability into her performances and her songwriting has been described as both impactful and sublime.
Barbra Lica is a Juno-nominated vocalist and singer-songwriter whose music blends jazz, country, and folk influences. Lica and her band will be performing on May 31, 2025 to wrap up the series. She is described as sunny, upbeat and refreshing.
