Since its return to Orillia, the Mariposa Folk Festival (MFF) has been a big hit. Most people love the iconic event that has found its home on Couchiching’s shore at Tudhope Park.
But the depth of that affection may be tested in 2019. Festival organizers are seeking a “quantum” increase in funding from the City of Orillia as they try to build on momentum from back-to-back strong festivals.
Mariposa Folk Foundation president Pam Carter, in a 15-page request to the city’s grants committee, is seeking $50,000 in funding in each of the next three years, with an additional $10,000 in 2020 to help celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary back in Orillia.
In addition to that request for $160,000, the city is also being asked to waive municipal charges of approximately $6,800.
Ward 4 Coun. Pat Hehn, who sits on the grants committee, noted the request was “substantially larger” than the committee’s budget.
“We want to make sure we accommodated the Mariposa Folk Festival,” said Hehn. “It’s an integral part of our tourist attractions in the summer time and we liked what we heard, but it was just so much more than we could accommodate ... (and) felt it was much more appropriate to put through to budget committee.”
Ward 1 Coun. Ted Emond agreed.
“The request is a quantum increase in the contribution which, at the moment, I’m in support of,” said Emond. “But (it’s at the) magnitude now that I think it requires a separate council line on budgets … to confer money of that size.”
With that in mind, the request was referred to the 2019 budget deliberations, which will be held in January.
At that time, council will have to weigh the merits of the additional funding against the many other competing requests for city dollars.
Carter, in her request to the grants committee, provided a lot of statistics that reflect the success of the festival.
“The festival is a cultural icon recognized and respected around the world,” said Carter in her pitch for cash. “It puts Orillia on the map as an entertainment destination.”
Last year was a record year for the three-day showcase of all things folk. Attendance was up 20 per cent over 2017, surpassing the old record for ticket sales set in 2010 when the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary.
She cited an audience survey from last year that indicated 54 per cent of patrons come to Orillia from more than 40 kilometres away.
Carter also referenced a 2015 study by the city that estimated Orillia saw a positive economic impact to the tune of $2.3 million in 2015.
Its impact is more than just numbers and dollar figures, she stressed.
“The festival reflects the multicultural aspects of the Canadian mosaic, and provides the community with the opportunity to experience Francophone, indigenous, and world music, as well as a diverse variety of artisans, foods, dance, and spoken word presentations,” noted Carter.
She also noted that over the last decade, the festival's environmental focus has been adopted by the city and has become the standard by which other local events are measured.
Mariposa has been recognized by Ryerson University researchers and has led to several awards including the Chamber of Commerce Green award in 2011, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario's Sustainable Tourism award in 2015, and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority's Pioneering Green Communities award in 2016.
Funding help from the city, she said, has always been appreciated – and necessary. In 2016, the festival received $25,000, in 2017, the city provided $27,500 and in 2018, that rose to $30,000.
“The city's support … is instrumental in convincing our other funding partners that the host community is a committed, fully supportive partner of the Festival,” said Carter, who noted other funding partners include:
- Canada Arts Presentation Fund
- Canada Summer Jobs
- Ontario Music Fund
- Celebrate Ontario
- Ontario Arts Council
- Tourism Simcoe County
Despite the festival’s recent success, there are challenges on the horizon.
“The new Ontario government is reviewing the Ontario Music Fund and Celebrate Ontario grant programs, which were instrumental in 2017 and 2018 in permitting the festival to upgrade its artistic programming,” noted Carter. “Any cutbacks in these programs could have a negative impact on the festival.”
On top of that, increased attendance will “put upwards pressure on operating costs for services such as toilet rentals, security, and waste management” and “as the site approaches capacity, the ability to increase revenues through attracting more patrons diminishes.”
Carter said grant money from the city would be used to take “the festival's artistic programming to the next level and to improve the patron experience despite the site operating at capacity.”
The budgets for artistic programming and service infrastructure are both scheduled to increase significantly over the next three years as the festival reaches its site capacity, she noted.
“With continuing competition for the entertainment dollar, it is essential that the festival avoid complacency after the progress made in 2017 and 2018, and continue to invest more money in the artistic line-up and the site infrastructure,” she said.
While thanking the city for its partnership and for its new Celebration Plaza at Tudhope Park, she urged council to “implement the short-term improvements identified in the jointly funded Tudhope Park Design Plan Update over the 2019-2021 period.”
To assist in this process, if this multi-year grant application is approved, MFF is prepared to continue its capital partnership by contributing up to $20,000 annually in matching dollars to the city towards the funding of municipal capital projects implementing improvements in the Design Plan Update.
“The city has been very helpful in the last few years in addressing site deficiencies to the extent permitted by the constraints of the (parks, recreation and culture) operating budget, and we hope that this co-operative approach will continue over the next three years.”
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Mariposa Folk Festival is the longest running folk festival in North America, entering its 59th year. The festival is a showcase for both emerging and established musical artists, while also offering programs in spoken word, poetry, and dance, as well as interactive craft workshops.
The festival includes over 100 artistic performances on 12 stages. It features 50 artisans, 20 food vendors, 25 community information booths and displays, and a popular children's activity area.
