Winnipeg Folk Fest announces 2025 lineup

Artistic director Chris Frayer talks about this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival, including the lineup and how you can get tickets.

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is celebrating its 50th edition with a musical lineup that features local musicians, emerging artists and tried and true fan favourites.

On Friday, the festival announced the artists for its 2025 event, featuring an array of acts including:

• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit;
• Lake Street Dive;
• Gillian Welch and David Rawlings;
• The Cat Empire;
• Begonia;
• Mavis Staples;
• Fred Penner;
• Ruby Waters;
• Waxahatchee; and
• Ani DiFranco.

Winnipeg Folk Fest takes place from July 10 to 13 at Birds Hill Provincial Park.

Artistic director Chris Frayer says the festival has meaning to many in Manitoba, including himself.

“I started going in my teenage years,” he said. “It’s the source of a lot of pride because of just the calibre of the event and how it’s put on. And I feel like it’s something that we should really just celebrate every year that it happens, because a lot of festivals in North America aren’t around anymore, and here we are, 50 years later, doing fantastic.”

The full lineup is available online.