Stan Rogers Folk Festival to take over village of Canso once again

By Victoria Walton

The festival, celebrating iconic Canadian folk artist Stan Rogers, will take place this year from July 25 to 28.

Artistic director Chris Greencorn says the gathering, dubbed 'Stanfest,' is unlike any other festival in Atlantic Canada.

“It's hard to boil down into a couple of sentences,” he says. “It's a very vibrant musical atmosphere on the stages, but as well in the campgrounds there's music continuously.”

The festival is hard to describe for those who haven't been there, but Greencorn says those who go once return year after year.

“People who have been there are zealots, basically. We have a huge conversion rate, and we think that speaks for itself,” he tells NEWS 95.7's The Todd Veinotte Show.

The festival takes place in a seaside fishing village, just like the ones Stan Rogers used to sing about.

“Both his mother and his father's family were from Nova Scotia, but his mother specifically was from the Canso area,” says Greencorn.

Although Rogers tragically died in a plane fire in 1983, at age 33, his classic folk tunes are timeless for many Canadians.

“Stan's name is known across Canada as someone whose music defines what it is to sound Canadian,” Greencorn says. “There are only a few other people who can really come close to that, like Gord Downie.”

Greencorn says Stan defined the folk genre, combining many other genres into his unique sound.

“Some of his songs are country songs, some have a Celtic flair, some are old-timey, some are basically rock and roll,” he adds.

The festival begins on a Thursday, and with four outdoor stages under the hot July sun.

By the time Sunday night rolls around, 30 artists will perform, including big names like Suzanne Vega, Donovan Woods and the Opposition, and Jeremy Dutcher.

“But the basis of this festival, the core, is the group of East Coasters that we bring nearly every year,” says Greencorn.

Locals Rose Cousins, J.P. Cormier, Reeny Smith, and Garret Mason will all hit the stage this year, among others.

“That core of East Coast talent is something that's recurring, and a very strong, very important part of our festival,” Greencorn adds.

Throughout the weekend the stages are also home to hour-long music workshops.

“In each of those workshops there are two to three, sometimes four artists or groups,” says Greencorn. “We give them the theme, and we let them interpret that however they want, and do it in a songwriters circle fashion.”

Because many of the festival's attendees are musicians themselves, the weekend is social and spontaneous.

“It's really not uncommon to see or hear jams in the mornings,” Greencorn adds.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, all the secondary stages shut down and everyone gathers at the main stage for the namesake event — 'Singing Stan.'

The annual tribute is a special moment, even for those who have seen it several times over.

“It's generally seven or eight folks either who knew Stan, performed with him, or folks that have been inspired by his music, interpreting his songs for all of our benefit,” Greencorn says. “It's really quite a moving point in the weekend. Even for me, I've seen it 23 times and it's different every year.”

For more information on Stanfest, visit their website.

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