2017 Festival Cancelled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

It is not for lack of effort in part of the Jasper Folk Music Festival organizers that this year’s festival will not become a reality.

Construction of the Festival’s regular venue, Centennial Park, will ensue this spring. This space has been host to many events and festivals over the years and will be resurfaced this summer, displacing not only the Jasper Folk Music Festival but other annual events as well.

After working tirelessly with Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper over the past year to secure a new venue for the 2017 event, all previously viable sites have since become unavailable for festival use.

“It is the nature of hosting an event in a national park, we will run in to obstacles that other festivals simply do not” says Cristin Murphy, executive director for the Jasper Heritage Folk & Blues Society. The society had hoped to use the Snaring overflow property but it has been recently rejected by Parks Canada who cite expected high volumes of visitors for Canada’s 150th and intend to make as much space available for camping as possible.

The much anticipated outdoor festival may be out of the question for 2017, but the society will work on keeping music fans satisfied through their partnerships with local venues and artists.

Murphy is optimistic that 2018 will bring new and exciting options for a festival home and is looking forward to continue working with artists and vendors for future events.

“This is not the day the music died, we are a resilient and hard-working team determined to un-press pause on the festival for 2018”, says Murphy.

Make sure to keep an eye on www.jasperfolkmusicfestival.ca and their social media for updates and information about live music in Jasper.