The Lethbridge Folk club is back and bigger with two big shows happening this summer as well as a full indoor concert series starting in September.
President Tom Moffatt is glad to be back after the club having to severely curtail their activities because of Covid.
They have a couple of big outdoor events happening this summer before returning to monthly concerts in the Fall.
The first big concert is in Pavan Park, July 23 with Edmonton blues bad Jimmy and the Sleepers with Reid and Writes. Tickets will be $10 for students, $35 for Lethbridge Folk club members and $40 for non-members.
“ Jimmy and the Sleepers are a blues band from Edmonton. They haven’t been doing much for quite a few years, but are starting to play more. They were just playing with Kat Danser,” said Lethbridge Folk Club president Tom Moffatt.
“We really like that space, but weren’t able to use a lot of the facilities,” he said.
“The big festival is Lethbridge Roots music festival on Aug. 20 which is a partnership with the Lethbridge Jazz Society,” he said. It will feature Ryland Moranz, John Wort Hannam, Makiisma, Braden Gates, Magnolia Buckskin and Bryan Bradfield at Legacy Park.
It will feature multiple stages and a vocal harmony workshop with Magnolia Buckskin, Bryan Bradfield will be hosting a dobro workshop and Reid Seibert and Karen Romanchuk will host a songwriting workshop. There will also be children’s activities, food trucks, vendors and a beer garden.
Local comic artist Eric Dyck will also be drawing portraits.
The Lethbridge Folk Club is also planning indoor shows for the fall at Lethbridge College beginning with Lenny Gallant and Greg Herman. Tickets are $40 for non members, $35 for members and $10 for students for Folk Club shows.
They are also planning on bringing back regular open mic be at Casa beginning, Sept. 9.
They aren’t planning on bringing back bluegrass open mics.
“Though if there is a demand for genre specific open mic we’ll do them,” said Moffatt, who has been volunteering with the Folk Club since 2004. The Folk Club has been operating in Lethbridge since 1979
Moffatt noted the Lethbridge Folk Club is still looking for volunteers for their shows, especially for the big summer shows. Contact them through https://lethbridgefolkclub.com/contact-us.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
