The lineup for the 2016 Edmonton Folk Music Festival was released Wednesday morning.
Among this year’s performers are Kaleo, Jason Isbell, The Tallest Man on Earth and Passenger.
“Passenger is somebody we’ve wanted for a long time,” festival producer Terry Wickham said. “It’s been a long wait but well worth the wait.”
Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Cat Empire, Fatoumata Diawara, Lisa Hannigan and The Staves are also set to hit the stage this summer.
Wickham said Carpenter had nothing be good things to say about the Folk Fest.
“She said, ‘It wasn’t only the best festival I’ve ever played, it was one of the best weekends of my life period.’
“So it just shows that flattery may not get you everywhere but it can get you to the Edmonton Folk Festival.”
Mike Farris, Songhoy Blues, The Head & The Heart, Nathaniel Rateliff, LP and The Barr Brothers will also perform.
Canadian artists include Rose Cousins, Sarah Harmer, Bobby Bazini and Digging Roots.
“One of the strengths of this year’s lineup is the voices that are all over the place,” Wickham said. “We have some outstanding voices.”
This year’s Folk Fest will be held at Gallagher Park from Aug. 4 – 7.
“The festival itself is in a golden period,” Wickham said, adding the festival has sold out in advance for the past 21 years.
“Our success over the years has been built on a sellout. We don’t take that for granted.”
Performances on Friday and Saturday night will end at midnight this year, instead of 12:30 a.m.
“I’ve always felt that 12:30 was too late, especially if it goes late,” Wickham said.
Last year, Angus and Julia Stone, Brandi Carlile and Of Monsters and Men were among the performers at the sold out show.
Tickets for this year’s Folk Fest go on sale on Saturday.
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