The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in St. John's: singers, dancers, musicians and storytellers; there is something for everyone. This great weekend of entertainment is presented annually by the St. John's Folk Arts Council. From its humble beginnings in 1977, the festival has become nationally and internationally popular on the tourist market.

What started out as a venue for local musicians and singers, has ended up producing some of the most popular groups in the country: Figgy Duff, Great Big Sea, and The Irish Descendants, to name a few. Over the years, music fans from around the world have come to Newfoundland to see and hear music legends such as Emile Benoit, Rufus Guinchard, Minnie White and John White.

We've seen the addition of a children's stage, concession stands for food and merchandise and most recently, a lively Workshop Tent. To see tens-of-thousands of people come to Bannerman Park over the three-day period really shows the high level of interest in our music. As a retail store for Newfoundland music, we see a marked increase in sales of Newfoundland product over the couple of weeks following the festival. This alone speaks volumes for the quality of our singers and musicians.

The success of any festival depends on its organizers and volunteers. From Andy Samuelson to Bridget Noonan, the organizers, along with numerous volunteers, spend the better part of each year preparing for that one weekend. Congratulations to the St. John's Folks Art Council on providing the world with 25 years of Newfoundland music! Keep up the good work.


Gord & Roy O'Brien
O' Brien's Music Store