Info and FAQ 2021
Summerfolk 46 is going to look a little different to years past.
Wondering about parking? Tickets? Or where all the venues are?
See below for answers to these questions and more.
Summerfolk 46 will be running on August 21st and 22nd. We will be presenting music in up to 20 venues on Saturday and Sunday. All concerts will be in the daytime with three performers in each of those venues. The shows will be running from 12pm to 4pm. Patrons will buy into a venue for the afternoon and the music comes to them. This means that you will be staying at one venue for the duration of the afternoon. We will be rotating our performers between venues to bring you a rich Summerfolk experience. We are using this format to ensure our patrons are staying in smaller bubbles, both for their health and wellbeing, as well as respecting guidance from public health. In all, there will be over 40 individual performances per day. The ticket you purchase will also be good for the live streams happening on Saturday and Sunday night.
Tickets for Summerfolk 46 are $50. This ticket is good for ONE (1) live afternoon show, as well as the livestream for that evening. Tickets are available through our Tickets page HERE. Simply select the show you are wanting to attend, and click the “GET TICKETS” buttons. Remember to have your ticket(s) saved on your phone so we can verify them at the venue.
The nature of this year’s festival means there are four venues which are not accessible. This information can be found on our VENUE page. This is an unfortunate side effect of using 20 different locations. We will have volunteers on all sites to assist with accessibility. Summerfolk is committed to offering exceptional service to its patrons by providing an environment that is inclusive, accessible, and respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
All volunteers and staff will be required on arrival to have filled out a COVID assessment form. Patrons will also be asked to complete a short COVID-19 questionnaire before admission. We strongly encourage guests to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine, however this is not mandatory for attendance. All patrons will be sat socially distanced by our ushers. The same protocol will apply to all patrons when they arrive at the venue. Mask wearing will be mandatory at all venues, for the duration of your time at the venue, except when you are seated at your seats. We have chosen to separate our festival into multiple shows this year as a way of establishing small “bubbles” at each venue. A limited number of tickets are available per show as directed by Public Health Guidelines. In the instance of a positive COVID case originating from your bubble, Summerfolk will work in tandem with public health to ensure all potential contacts are traced and notified. We kindly ask you to refrain from attending if you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, or have come into contact with any person who tested positive for COVID-19 14 days or less before the show. Refunds will be made available for any guest who falls under this category.
Some of our venues will be located in residential areas at private residences. We ask you park in accordance with all municipal signage in the area. Parking will be on a first come first serve basis. If possible, consider cycling to the venue. This is a great way to keep the volume of traffic down, and is a healthy, environmental alternative to driving.
Yes, please bring your camera. We would love to share your photos of the great times, good friends and excellent entertainment Summerfolk brings each year. Copyright laws prohibit the videotaping or recording of any artists appearing at the festival. Video and recording equipment will not be allowed on the festival grounds, unless permission has been authorized. (Media Accreditation). We will have videographers and photographers present at most venues, and we will be publishing this content on our website and social media for all of our patrons to enjoy!
Service animals are permitted, but must be properly harnessed. As part of Summerfolk’s commitment to respectfully accommodate our patrons with disabilities, registered service animals are welcome to attend the festival, as well as our offices, with those who require them. Please note that all service animals will receive a band to be worn on their collar. This will allow Summerfolk volunteers to identify legitimate service animals at the venues.
It is important for service dogs to be identifiable to other patrons as well, as many people have animal allergies, and the festival advertises and upholds a no dog policy. Sorry, no pets (no matter how awesome) are allowed at any venues.
If you get lost while heading to the show, we kindly ask you to call the Georgian Bay Folk Society Office at (519) 371-2995. To avoid this situation all events have a link to a Google map that you can open and plot a route from your starting point. Any personal belongings left at the venue after the show will be collected by our volunteers and brought to the Summerfolk Office in downtown Owen Sound. If you suspect you lost an item at a show, please email info@summerfolk.org, or call the office at (519) 371-2995. Summerfolk is not responsible for any stolen or damaged property.
Bike parking for shows hosted at private residences will be left to the cyclist to handle. Please respect the private property of the neighbourhood and do not lock your bike to any fences or gates on peoples residences. We ask that cyclists use municipal bike locking infrastructure for shows hosted at commercial venues or in parks. Summerfolk is not responsible for any stolen or damaged property.
Due to the nature of this year’s festival, alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic drinks will not be available at shows. Alcoholic beverages will not be permitted. For the shows hosted at commercial venues, alcoholic beverages will be available in accordance with the venues policies.
As part of our efforts to keep our community safe and healthy, we are asking that all guests return to their home at the conclusion of each day. We understand that Summerfolk has been a weekend long affair for many years, however in light of COVID-19 and corresponding public health guidelines, we discourage any guests from travelling long distances to attend the festival.
Yes! We love it when folks of all ages join in the fun. To make it easier for the whole family, kids 12 and under are eligible for a free “Kids Ticket”. This ticket can be found on all of our event listings on TicketPro. See all our even listings here. This policy may be subject to change based on the current Public Health directives at the time of the festival.
Venues will be accessible from 12pm the day of the show. This gives guests one (1) hour to settle in before the performances begin.
This year we are employing a pack-in / pack-out policy. This means we kindly ask you to take any refuse with you upon your departure. Re-entry is not permitted at any venue, meaning once you have come into the venue, you will not be allowed to re-enter if you leave before the conclusion of the show at 4pm. For those with young children exceptions can be made. We are also not offering food or drinks at venues this year. Bearing this in mind, we advise to pack a picnic for yourself and your group, as well as a variety of clothing, including but not limited to; rain gear, warm layers, sun hat, and of course a mask! Plan ahead for three hours worth of water and snacks. A large reusable water bottle is ideal, as is sunscreen, and pack snacks according to your parties nutritional needs. Items such as a personal bottle of sanitizer is highly recommended, as are folding chairs so you can comfortably enjoy the afternoon of live music.
Unfortunately, our artisan and eats village will not be operating this year. In a bid to keep less people at each venue, there will be no food offered at any of the venues. Shows hosted at commercial venues will have food supplied in accordance with the venues policies. Snacks, or even full picnics, are highly encouraged and welcomed!
No. Smoking will not be permitted at any of the private residences, as re-entry is not permitted. It is the policy of the city of Owen Sound that no person shall “smoke” on any “public playing field”, “playground equipment zone” or other “public recreation place” as defined in the City of Owen Sound’s Public Health Policy. This means shows at public parks will not be permitting smoking.
