Hot Artist Announcements, Autographed Guitar Raffle, Volunteer Opportunities and One Month Countdown: Here’s your Peterborough Folk Festival NewsletterPeterborough Folk Festival Announces
Second Wave of 2026 ArtistsThis year’s artists include even MORE Juno Award winners and nominees, Polaris-recognized songwriters, internationally touring performers, and emerging voices who are shaping Canada’s contemporary music landscape. Several performers also have deep ties to Peterborough, including Melissa Payne, Cale Crowe, the return of the Kents, and Ollie Mae—artists whose careers have grown from the local scene to national and international stages. |
 | Shad: A Canadian recording artist of Rwandan descent, raised in London Ontario. He is known for blending humour and weighty themes, inspiring positivity while exploring a range of sounds over the course of his 20-year career. Shad won the Juno Award for Rap Recording Of The Year in 2011 and five of his albums have been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize for Canadian Album Of The Year. |
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Georgia Harmer: Known for her ethereal voice and sincere lyricism, Georgia Harmer has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in Canada's indie music scene. She has toured extensively across North America and the UK, performing at major festivals such as SXSW, The Great Escape, and Focus Wales, and supporting artists including City & Colour, Lake Street Dive, Bahamas, and Broken Social Scene. |
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 | Kazdoura: Meaning “to stroll” in Levantine Arabic— Kazdoura embodies the spirit of exploration, nostalgia, and groove. The JUNO award-winning duo bridges modern and traditional Arabic music with psychedelia, funk, and soul. Their sound radiates a vintage psych-soul atmosphere, with Leen’s ethereal, ornamented vocals soaring over lush, hypnotic arrangements. |
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Tennyson King百城: An award-winning, nomadic folk musician whose life and music stretches between Hong Kong and Canada. Performing in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, Tennyson builds his sound around rhythmic guitar, kick drum, and traditional instruments like the zhongruan. He has appeared at Glastonbury Festival, and has been nominated for Performing Artist of the Year at the Ontario Folk Music Awards. |
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 | Burs: Comprised of Lauren Dillen, Ray Goudy, Devon Savas and Aidan McConnell, Burs takes inspiration from contemporaries and creative heroes alike, Burs has intimately crafted a collection of works that doubles down on their folk-rock ethos while stepping into new experimental depths. |
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The Weber Brothers: Between their renowned musical ability, high-energy, awe-inspiring performances and lessons learned first hand from rock n’ roll pioneers, The Weber Brothers have developed a reputation as the “Baddest Band in the Land”. |
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 | Melissa Payne: Hailing from Ennismore, Ontario, Melissa Payne has made a lasting impact on the music scene, and her journey has only just begun. Originally rooted in old-time fiddle and traditional Celtic music, Melissa has now blossomed into a successful solo artist with three full-length albums under her belt. Melissa's live performances have garnered critical acclaim. |
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Cale Crowe: Born and raised on the Alderville First Nation territory, Cale Crowe was fueled by music from the time he had a heartbeat. His blend of campfire-style folk and modern pop/rock reflects & builds upon the taste he developed all those years ago. Wherever life takes him, Cale will keep telling his story – and the stories of others – behind an acoustic guitar and a microphone. |
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 | The Kents: They’re back! The Kents formed in 2011 in Lindsay, Ontario. Composed of homegrown talents Warren Frank, Freddy Kwon, Tanner Paré, Luke Shauf, and Nathan Truax, The Kents offer a unique indie pop sound that is reminiscent of Foster the People, Young the Giant, and The Arkells. The Kents have appeared on many big stages, including Peterborough Musicfest in 2017, and Canadian Music Week in 2018. |
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Lauren Dillen: While Dillen’s soothing voice and deft musicianship can be heard through her work with folk-rock quartet Burs, her solo project is all about self-work and following her instincts. Her songs are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, and Andy Shauf, with soundscapes informed by ambient musicians like Emily A. Sprague. |
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 | The Friendly Frogs Freak Show: An amphibian progressive funk energetically charged and ready to fire you up into a vortex of infinite sounds and colours backed by an eclectic rhythm section offering dancey shivers and auspicious ambiances to make you bring out your inner frog. |
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Ollie Mae: Ollie Mae is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter who channels the classic sound of folk, CanRock, and country roots through her music. Since 16, Ollie Mae has worked as a recording and mixing engineer at Treblecock Studio, located in Peterborough. She’s been diligently working on her self-produced first album throughout the year, and is elated at the opportunity to play for Peterborough Folk Festival! |
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See the full list of artists announced so far on our website here: 2026 Musical Artists — Peterborough Folk Festival |
Don’t Miss Your Chance to Win this Autographed Guitar!Raffle tickets are still on sale for this beautiful Gretsch Jim Dandy Acoustic guitar autographed by dozens of well known musicians, courtesy of Cottage Country Concerts! This beautiful Jim Dandy Parlour-sized guitar, makes a beautiful decor piece on its own, made only more incredible by the dozens of signatures of some of your favourite musicians: including some PFF alumni! Signatures collected to date include: Terra Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith, Daniel Lanois, Colin Linden, Tom Wilson, Finbar Wall, Bruce and Larry Good of The Good Brothers, Julian Taylor, and Jesse Welles. Even more artists will be added in the coming weeks. Take your shot to take home this stunning conversation piece! Tickets are $20 each, and you can purchase as many as you like at this link: PFF AUTOGRAPHED GUITAR RAFFLE 2026 The winner will be drawn and announced on the Miskin Law Main Stage on Sunday, August 16th. Good luck! |
| Be Part of the PFF Team by Volunteering! |
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Peterborough Folk Festival is powered by volunteers. Volunteer recruitment for 2026 is now open, with both new and returning volunteers invited to be part of this summer’s festival on August 15 & 16. Whether you enjoy working behind the scenes to set up the festival site, welcoming families to the Children’s Village, supporting sustainability initiatives, or assisting artists and production teams, there is a role for you at Folk Fest. Volunteers receive a 2026 festival T-shirt, a meal, and the opportunity to connect with others in a vibrant, community-focused environment. High school students can also receive volunteer hours toward their community involvement requirement. Learn more about available roles and sign up today at: https://www.peterboroughfolkfest.com/volunteer Leadership Opportunities (reply to this newsletter to learn more): Festival Volunteer Roles: |
Huge thanks to our 2026 festival sponsors so far!As we celebrate an exciting year for Peterborough Folk Festival, including receiving the 2026 Festivals and Events Ontario Sustainability Award, we want to extend our deepest thanks to the sponsors and community partners who have stepped forward to support the 2026 festival so far. Here we would like to highlight two very important returning sponsors: CUPE Local 126: This local of the Canadian Union of Public Employees represents the City of Peterborough inside workers, who have seen fit to support the PFF Children’s Village with a $5,000 Tiny Tunes sponsorship for the third year in a row. Cambium Consulting & Engineering: 2026 marks the fifth year in a row that this group of professionals who provide unwavering dedication to quality work have seen fit to support the festival with a $2,500 Make It Happen for an Artist sponsorship. Please support these organizations and businesses. We can’t do it without them! |
| We love partnering with local artists who know the festival well, and we think Kathryn Durst captured the spirit and heart of Folk Fest perfectly with this family enjoying the Nicholls Oval Park hillside. You’ll be able to buy festival T-shirts with this gorgeous design at the Merch Booth this August (or sign up to volunteer and receive one for free!!) |
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Peterborough Folk Festival: Music, Culture & Community
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