CityFolk Festival kicks off at Lansdowne

Iggy Pop help kicks off CityFolk 2023 edition CityFolk Festival takes over Lansdowne Park featuring an eclectic mix of musical performances. CTV’s Shaun Vardon reports.

Iggy Pop headlined the opening night of CityFolk Festival, the five-day music festival at Lansdowne Park.

For over half a century, the godfather of punk, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and cultural icon has been thrilling fans.

Formerly the Ottawa Folk Festival, CityFolk has marked the end of summer in the capital for almost three decades.  The festival is taking over the Great Lawn at Lansdowne, and with 27 acts to see there is something for everyone.

Acts like Iggy Pop, Canadian rock band The Arkells and British rockers Bush will rock the main stage. New this year, festival organizers have opened up a second stage, known as the Courtside Stage, with a focus on more traditional folk acts.

This year’s festival signals a return to something close to normal for Ottawa’s COVID-battered festival industry. City Folk was virtual in 2020 and pared down in 2021 and 2022. Organizers are expecting about 10,000 people a night this year, still shy of the pre-pandemic numbers when they would see up to 15,000 through the gates each day.

Another positive sign is volunteer numbers are up this year; an encouraging sign organizers say may mean the COVID hangover is over.

CityFolk wraps up on Sunday, with Irish singer-songwriter Hozier.