July 11, 2019

As you dance in the sand to Wintersleep or Lido Pimienta at this weekend’s Folk on the Rocks Festival, you may notice that the mainstage is sporting a new look.

Leading up to Folk on the Rocks 2019, a complete overhaul of the main stage, including both aesthetic and structural upgrades, has been completed. The original stage, built in the 90’s, was showing its age and needed improvements to be a world-class performance venue for years to come.

In addition to obvious, structural changes, the new stage features more room behind the curtains for artists and stagehands to move about before, during and after the performances – a  must have for attracting big names to the North.

The new stage design also considers acoustics to provide improved sound.

FOTR’s new mainstage represents a significant capital investment made by the Folk on the Rocks Society with many organizations pitching in – include the GNWT’s Department of Industry Tourism and Investment.

Recognizing that the festival is a significant tourism driver for Yellowknife and with out-of-towners increasingly centering their trips North on festivals and other celebrations of arts and culture, improvements to the FOTR site fit the criteria for the Community Tourism Infrastructure Contribution Program (CTIC) which provides funding to community governments and non-government organizations to support new and innovative tourism infrastructure projects in and around their communities.

Carly McFadden, Executive Producer of Folk on the Rocks said, "This funding went a long way in helping us bring a better experience for locals and visitors alike this year. Come on out this weekend to see the results – an amazing new stage for unforgettable performances from super talented bands across Canada."