Time: 10am to 9pm. Rain date: Sunday August 9th
Location: Bannerman Park, St. John’s, NL (Google map link)
Admission: FREE!
Artist lineup and schedule: Coming Soon
The 2026 Festival will be known as number 49 ½ – a smaller celebration than usual, but a celebration nonetheless! This year is about rebuilding the organization and stabilizing finances, but we couldn’t miss a chance to celebrate our traditions in the park. Next year we expect to be in a position to properly celebrate our 50th anniversary, in the manner that milestone deserves!
This one-day Festival will run from 10:00am-9:00pm. The morning will see sessions focused on traditional tunes, bluegrass, and our incredible Young Folk. At 1:00pm the action moves to the main stage, where the crowd will be wowed by an amazing line-up of performers featuring some of the best-known local names in traditional, folk, and world music. Intrigued?! Keep an eye on our socials for the full line-up announcement over the coming days!
The smaller celebration this year will not include a beer tent, food concessions, or other vendors. So, please feel free to bring along your own picnic (no alcohol please) plus your family and friends for a music-filled day in the park!
Oh, and did we mention? Free admission! That’s right, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, particularly the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador, this year’s Festival is coming to you free of charge. Of course, as we continue to rebuild, we are grateful to accept any donations, and volunteers will be on hand to assist. We will also have some NLFAS merchandise for sale. This will be a cashless event – Debit or Credit Card only.
ADMISSION: Our festival is made up of 5 separate sessions (with 5 separate tickets): Friday Evening, Saturday Daytime, Saturday Evening, Sunday Daytime, and Sunday Evening. Between the Daytime & Evening sessions, we must clear the park of all attendees. If coming back for the evening sessions, attendees will need to use the Main Entrance, proceed through bag search, and get the appropriate wristbands.
PAYMENT METHODS: We prefer Visa/MasterCard/Debit for Festival admission and beverage sales from our QV beverage kiosks (no more drink tickets!) Payment methods within the site vary according to each vendor, though there is no ATM on site. The nearest one is at Needs Convenience, just out on Military Road.
ALL SALES ARE FINAL: No refunds or exchanges on tickets. Sales close one hour before the end of each session and only those with valid tickets will be admitted after that time. No discounted tickets for late arrivals.
Children ages 12 & under get free admission when accompanied by an adult. Free child tickets must be reserved in advance at time of Adult/Senior purchase. Limit of two free child tickets per Adult/Senior ticket holder.
This year, Youth aged 13 – 18 years old will be granted free admission to our daytime events to encourage involvement and entertainment!
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the licensing for the whole main stage area, all youth under 19 must have a parent or guardian to enter the event (just like last year!)
REENTRY: Reentry is permitted with appropriate wristband, though patrons will need to go through the security bag check each time they enter.
WEATHER: The Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival will take place RAIN or SHINE.
TICKETS: Ticket purchases are non refundable. See Admission section above for further details.
DEVICES: Cameras (anything with a detachable lens) and audio recording devices are not permitted.
CANNABIS/SMOKING: Please note it is illegal to consume cannabis products in public spaces, including the Festival. No smoking is permitted within the licensed area (Main stage grounds). Please make your way to the smoking area near the Memory Garden Entrance.
ANIMALS/PETS: Only certified service animals are allowed within the event area.
LAWN CHAIRS: Bring your own lawn chair for seating in the concert area. However, for the safety of all attendees (especially Saturday Night), please pay attention to seated areas versus standing ones. See other chairs or blankets? Great spot to settle in for the evening! Our audience did a stellar job respecting each other last year – let’s repeat it this year!
FOOD & BEVERAGES: Starting at 10AM, there will be a variety of food and beverage vendors onsite. Beer & wine will be available in the licensed area after 1:15PM.
You may bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages into the festival however beverages MUST be in SEALED, plastic containers only. No glass please.
We have a public water filling station in the mainstage grounds – We encourage you to bring your water bottles and stay hydrated with some of the best quality water in North America!
LICENSING: We have been approved for full site licensing this year! Which comes will the same expectations last year, including these need to knows:
For everyone’s safety, please do not drink & drive. If you need help getting home, volunteers can assist you in finding a taxi or uber.
VENDING AT THE FESTIVAL: Only vendors that have been approved by the Festival and regulatory agencies are permitted at the event. Audience solicitation and marketing is not permitted.
LOST & FOUND: Lost & Found is located at the FAS General Store. If the item doesn’t turn up, please contact us after the event as we usually end up with something!
EMERGENCY EXITS: Upon arrival at the festival site, we encourage you to take a moment and note the applicable exits and First Aid locations. In the case of site evacuation, patrons are asked to leave the park via the nearest exit and await updates at the Muster Point (Gaze Seed/ Former Moo Moos parking lot).
