The lineup for the Mariposa Folk Festival’s 60th-anniversary edition is slowly starting to take shape.
After November’s announcement of John Prine as a headliner, the festival recently added four acts to the list: Tré Burt, David Francey, Hussy Hicks, and The Pairs.
“They absolutely know how to engage an audience. They’re just fun,” Liz Scott, the festival’s artistic director, said of The Pairs.
She also had praise for Hussy Hicks.
“They’re really high energy and they’re very powerful on stage,” she said of the Australian act.
Scott described Francey as a crowd favourite who “writes amazing folk songs” people can relate to.
When it came to booking Burt, it wasn’t a tough decision, Scott said, noting he is one of only two acts signed to Prine’s record label.
“For him to have stood behind Tré Burt is pretty cool — for us and for him, obviously.”
Getting Prine on the bill was a coup for the festival, but not a first. In the ’70s and ’80s, Prine played at Mariposa four times when it was being held in Toronto and Barrie.
“It was one of the festivals he had talked to his agent about wanting to come back to,” Scott said. “Mariposa helped define him. He met a lot of people there.”
While only five acts have been announced, many more have been confirmed. The festival brings in about 60 acts, and Scott said half have been booked. Another artist announcement will be made in the new year.
Scott said the audience can “expect a balanced and exciting lineup.”
“They can expect some of their favourites who have played Mariposa in the past,” but new faces, too, she said.
“It’s going to be on the folk thread, but it’s stretching the folk music boundaries.”
There will be something for everybody, she added, noting performances are always happening on at least two stages at the same time during the festival.
Tickets are available for the July 3-5 event. Click here for more information.
