Recent provincial funding resurrects Vancouver Folk Music Fest

Two months after organizers announced the cancellation of the 2023 Vancouver Folk Music Festival (VFMF), the event has been resurrected.

The music festival will return July 14 to 16, thanks to a recent funding boost from the provincial government.

In mid-February, the province implemented the $30 million BC Fairs, Festivals and Events (BCFFE) fund which was created in response to calls from the sector for more help.

Early this year, VFMF and Merritt’s Rockin River Fest both announced cancellations with other festivals struggling to make their 2023 events a reality due to financial struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The past three years have been incredibly difficult for people in the tourism industry, including live events, and we know not every business has fully recovered,” said Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport., when the BCFFE fund was announced.

“Our government is proud to provide funding to support fairs, festivals, and events throughout BC as they re-establish themselves.”

The funding will provide as much as 20% of the total event budget, to a maximum of $250,000. Depending on the number of applications, the province said it may be able to provide grant amounts higher than that.

Sporting events, arts and culture events, community celebrations, agricultural fairs and rodeos happening between April 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2024 are eligible for funding.

The deadline was March 3, 2023.

The Squamish Constellation Festival, which features live music, art installations, local craft and artisan vendors, food, wine and more, continues to face an uncertain future and is still raising funds for this year’s event.

Unfortunately, the Rockin River Music Festival in Merritt, which featured Grammy Award-winning stars Tim McGraw and Darius Rucker last year, remains cancelled for 2023.