Mariposa Folk Festival brings 100+ performers to Orillia's Tudhope Park
The 65th annual Mariposa Folk Festival has begun in Orillia. The popular three-day festival, held at Tudhope Park, features over 100 performances on 11 stages, showcasing a diverse range of folk music.
The festival kicked off Friday morning on Mississaga Street with local live entertainment.
Harry Lee Follen, a musician from Guelph, was the first to perform and said it was a dream come true. 'The fact that my name is first on the entire list is, it's freaking me out a little bit, but it's great and I'm really proud to be here.'
His preferred genre is Canadian folk with a splash of country. Follen added that festivals like Mariposa are important for musicians looking to gain more exposure.
'So many music venues and artists were suffering over the last few years, so it's so great to see it come back alive in such a vibrant way,' said Follen.
Tudhope Park in downtown Orillia is the main location for the festival.
Pam Carter, president of Mariposa Folk Festival said there are activities for all ages. 'We've got a kids program, we've got a couple of licensed areas, we've got a main stage so lots of music artisans, food vendors,' she said. 'Truly, it's a festival.
The impressive weekend lineup includes children's favourites Splash 'N Boots, Canadian singer/songwriter Serena Ryder, American singer/songwriter Waxahatchee, and acclaimed American indie folk and alternative country band Iron and Wine.
Kicking off the festival on Friday are The Sheepdogs, Langhorne Slim, The Paper Kites, Irish Mythen, and Les Hay Babies.
Local talent will be able to showcase their music to the crowds.
'When we do our workshop stages, we bring three or four artists together, and there could be an established artist and an emerging artist that come through showcase, and for that young artist to work on a stage with somebody is priceless,' said Carter.
The festival is more than just a good time, it's also an economic boost for the city. 'It brings approximately 48 per cent from out of town, so certainly for hotels and gas stations and service industries and all that collateral spending, it's a huge boom to Orillia,' said Carter.
YJ Seoul Food is a local food vendor specializing in Korean cuisine. YJ Hong-McParland and her husband Jamie McParland run the business and live in Orillia and are excited to see familiar faces on the festival grounds.
'We love it the here, the energy's positive vibe,' said YJ. 'Everybody keeps a smile, and we enjoy the little kids, so walking around and, yeah, just lovely.'
The couple added the atmosphere surrounding the festival is a feeling you can't find anywhere else. 'I mean, she's from Seoul, Korea, across the ocean, and just she knows more people in Orillia than I do, and I grew up here, so she has a lot of repeat customers that she is proud of,' said Jamie McParland.
Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult with a purchased ticket are free. There is also onsite camping available to weekend pass holders.
The Mariposa Folk Festival is the longest-running folk festival in North American and has been held annually in the Sunshine City for the past 25 years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
29 minutes ago
- CTV News
Hudson, Que., holds its first ever suburban Pride event
Hudson, Que., held its first ever Pride this year, and organizers say it's important to make everyone feel included. (Christine Long/CTV) Rainbows took over Hudson, Que., has the community held its first ever Pride event on Saturday. The Hudson and Vaudreuil-Soulanges Pride was put together by local volunteers to celebrate diversity within their suburban communities. Evie Haugland, one of the event's organizers, says the goal is to educate. 'That's our whole vibe. Our whole mission is to bring people together, to show up, to have that visibility in order for young people to know that we exist, that we're here and we're here to support them and help them through their journey,' she said. Organizations like The West Island LGBTQ2+ Centre were on site, letting people like Elora Gorman know they are welcome as they explore their identity. 'One thing I really love about the LGBTQ2+ community, it's very pretty. And I love the music,' Gorman said. Local artists with messages of inclusion were on-site selling their work. Martha Randy uses her photography to recreate the Pride emblems with colours found in nature. 'Diversity is a natural part of our world, right? From the forests to our families to everything. And if we start homogenizing the world that we live in, it's not going to be good for anybody and we're all going to suffer,' she told CTV News. In a bit of synchronicity, The Hudson Village Theatre next door is in rehearsals to stage a comedy that revolves around a gay couple moving into a small community. Don Anderson of the theatre said Bed & Breakfast is a play in which 'some people are very accepting and ready to welcome them into their community, others maybe not so much.' He added that whatever the current production may be onstage, the theatre has always been a safe space for everyone. 'It's really apropos that I'm so glad that we were able to participate in today's event, the inaugural Hudson Pride Event. It's so it's so important!' he said. Many at the Pride event said it's especially important now as some humans rights have come under threat. 'In the States right now, there's so much homophobia and transphobia. So we wanted to make sure as Canadians that we were saying, 'No, this is not what we want. That does not represent us,'' said organizer Haugland.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
49th annual Scottish dance competition taking place in Ottawa
Highland dancers perform at the Scotdance Canada Championship Series in Ottawa on Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Camille Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) The nation's top highland dancers will take over the streets of Ottawa this weekend. More that 1,000 dancers from around the world will gather at the Rogers Centre in Ottawa for the Scotdance Canada Championship Series on Sunday. Performers first compete in a provincial selection meet, vying to be one of the top three in their respective age group to represent their province and win a Canadian title. The Canadian championships started in Ottawa back in 1974 as a one-day event and has since become a five-day event of opportunities to dancers of all levels from age ages four to 44 plus. The competition will mark its 50th anniversary next year. The event will runs until July 9th.
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
Sackville artist communicates thoughts through bird portraits, sculptures
Rhythm Rathi 16-piece exhibition in Saint John wraps up in late August Mixed-media artist Indu Varma of Sackville, N.B., looks at birds from a different perspective. Varma, who grew up in India, has created a 16-piece exhibit called Birds & their Symbolism. It is inspired by stories from Hindu mythology, symbolic meanings of birds across different cultures, and her childhood experiences. The exhibit of paintings and sculptures will be displayed at the Saint John Arts Centre until Aug. 29. Image | birds exhibit 4 Caption: Varma's series is inspired by stories from Hindu mythology, symbolic meanings of birds across different cultures and her childhood experiences. (Indu Varma) Open Image in New Tab "The birds to me symbolize freedom, open spaces, flying high, not having any boundaries, living in the moment.... I think those are some lessons we can learn from these feathered friends," she said. Varma calls birds messengers, teachers, storytellers and a bridge between earth and sky. She describes her style as abstract realism. She said her focus is always to engage her viewers and make them think beyond the subject of the exhibit. She credits her Indian background for the vibrant colours in her work. "All these things are in my psyche and they automatically show up." Growing up, Varma often saw her father feed stray birds and animals, she said. She watched parrots visit her mother's garden and watched peacocks dance in the rain. She said those were some sights that inspired her. "Peacock also is known to eat snakes, so it's kind of like … they swallow the poison of life and yet they emit their beauty and grace." She said the series began about five years ago when she was researching crows for another project. Varma said it gradually evolved to other birds. According to her observation and research, the birds she chose have symbolic meanings in both Indian and Canadian cultures, said Varma. Varma is a former president of the New Brunswick Teachers' Association. As a leader in education, she always looked at the Canada goose as an example of leadership. "When they fly in the V formation, the one that is ahead has to work the hardest, but when it gets tired, someone else replaces it, so it's a model of shared leadership." Image | birds exhibit 1 Caption: Varma has 16 works on display. (Indu Varma) Open Image in New Tab She said those attending the exhibition will learn how she has metaphorically used birds to convey messages and tell stories about freedom, exploration, the possibilities that lie ahead and the fearlessness of exploring outside of one's comfort zone. Andrew Kierstead, executive director of the Saint John Arts Centre, calls it a "very strong exhibition." "As an artist, she wants to communicate a particular thought or meaning to the work that she's created and that certainly comes across very clearly," he said. Kierstead cited several pieces from Varma's display as his favourites. He said the fact that every exhibit is deeply personal to the artist and how she tries to represent two cultures is impressive. "It is finding that common thread between two cultures that are half a world away."
