'It's like family': South Country Fair kicks off 37th year

LETHBRIDGE — The musicians are back and campers are ready for the 37th South Country Fair.

The event started back in 1987 and, since then, has only had two years without a festival due to the pandemic but still held online events those years.

It features live music, an artisan market, food trucks and fun for the whole family.

"So you will see acts from as far away as Spain, Mexico City, Mongolia and as close as Lethbridge and kind of everywhere in between," said Gillian Moranz, South Country Fair's artistic director, who's been attending the festival since before she was one.

The popular, long-running folk music festival is entirely volunteer-run with more than 300 people working hard to make the weekend possible.

"All the volunteers are super keen and, even in this heat, they were coming into the hospitality tent at eight in the morning to get their jobs, asking, 'What can we do to help, what can we do to help?'" said April Hutchinson, South Country Fair's volunteer co-ordinator.

Some festival-goers showed up two days ago to set up camp, while most arrived Friday.

Many have been coming for decades.

"Just the feeling when you come here, the friendship, the love, the music, the energy -- you just can't really explain it," said Norman Blais, who's back for the 11th time.

"South Country Fair has been a really important part of my life and I did not expect that when I first started but I'm very happy that I've been able to come along for the ride," said 30-year attendee Laurie Blakeman.

"It's like family, it really is," said Mark Sadlier-Brown, who's been coming to South Country Fair for more than 25 years.

"It's not like a big, impersonal fair, it's home."

However, organizers say next year's festival will have a new home.

Exactly where that will be is yet to be announced.

"We have been here for 25 years and we've been operating for 37, so change is really healthy, it's really important." Moranz told CTV News.

"This is something that's been talked about for over 10 years, maybe 15, and it just felt like it was time."

Attendees say they've enjoyed the spot they're at, but look forward to what the future holds.

"It's part of our summer, so it will be sad to miss this location but I'm really excited for what's coming next because I think what's coming next will be bigger and better," said Maxine Henry, the fair’s medical director and an attendee for the past 19 years.

Opening ceremonies start at 6 p.m. Friday and the fair runs through the weekend until 6 p.m. Sunday.

Day and weekend passes are still available and you can purchase them at the gate.