Featuring Love Language, Bilal Nasser, Bloodshot Bill, Suuns, Westelaken, Strange Attractor, Just Prince, and Zones.
By Will McGuirk
River and Sky Festival takes place in Field, ON, north of Sturgeon Falls July 1821 2024. I’ve been lucky enough to go for quite a few years and its always the most interesting and eclectic line-up. Folks involved do a fab job of marrying up a diverse array of local and global voices. This year is no different with one third of the line-up being artists of colour, one fifth being Franco and one fifth local as well as one third being emerging artists. Headliners for the four days include Sunns, Le Ren, Ruby Waters, and Pahua.
Kate Watters, Marketing & Communications Coordinator for R&S says by email “we believe it’s important to consider gender balance, inclusion of Indigenous artist (19% of our region identifies), inclusion of Francophone artists (23% of our region identifies), inclusion of Black and other underrepresented BIPOC communities, as well as making sure to support regional and emerging artists, and fostering a new generation/ youth.” when booking the festival.
The diversity it should be noted is not just among the acts themselves but the sounds too. We hand over this Open Mic to some of the folks playing the festival this year, and the broad range of music you will her should you go which by the way you should.