LITTLE CURRENT—“It was a good year,” said Manitoulin Country Fest organizer KT Timmermans when asked how Manitoulin Country Fest 2023 went over. “Camping went well and the weather cooperated, although there was a bit of wind. It is always a bit of a crap shoot when it comes to the weather.”
Another crap shoot, one that didn’t go quite so well, was government funding. Usually, the festival can anticipate a bit of a boost from festivals funding from the province. But like nearly all Northern events, this year that well came up dry. “That was the case for most of the Northeast, they were not successful,” she said.
That was especially challenging this year, as just like everywhere else, costs have risen dramatically for festival presenters. “Not getting the funding was a disappointment, but that is not something you come to depend on,” she said. “We just had to take a close look at where we could cut back without hurting the experience for the people who come out for a great time.”
Like most festivals this season, numbers were down at the gate, but not so much that it put the festival in any danger. The weekend passes were down somewhat, but the day passes went very well. The Flat Rock Entertainment Centre crew had changed the way tickets were sold this season and that helped to take a fair bit of pressure off, as the number of volunteers were also down a bit this year.
“We have already started to sell tickets for next year,” said Ms. Timmermans, even though the process of lining up the talent is just beginning. “People ask about the lineup, but we point out that we have been delivering a great country music experience for 17 years.” That history provides some level of comfort to many yearly attendees who have already begun booking their campsites for 2024.
Festival updates and advanced tickets can be found at the festival website at www.frec.me.
