The Mariposa Folk Festival was a sold-out endeavour for the organization.
The July 5-7th event promotes and preserves folk art through song, story, dance and craft in Orillia, and Board President Pam Carter couldn’t have been happier with the result.
“The artistic lineup, activities, programming and operational components all meshed so well. It was a sellout year,” she said.
“We had around 12,000 people each day, including patrons, volunteers and sponsors. I must attribute our success overall to the commitment of volunteers and businesses in this community. We met the high expectations patrons and artists know us for.”
Bringing a festival like Mariposa back post-COVID was always going to be a challenge, but the organizers handled it in stride.
“It’s been interesting, but a big journey. The first year we came back people just wanted out of the house. That led to a sold-out 2022, and that success carried over in 2023. But we did an environmental analysis and realized we needed to continue programming that would draw people here too,” she said.
“Once the euphoria of being able to go to events wore off, people needed to be able to expect stellar programming. Our audience survey celebrated that, and we pushed to provide a quality experience.”
As inflation hits new highs, Carter says people are getting choosy about where and how to spend their entertainment dollars.
“We are focused on quality and we are always improving. Last year we collected the top 10 items noted in the survey as needing room for improvement, and this year we completed all of them,” she said.
Among the needs were a better shuttle bus system and an improved camping experience, which were both highlighted for Mariposa’s board.
“We doubled our shuttles this year, and the audience survey says it was the best service yet. The wait times were shorter and trips were good,” she said.
“People also wanted licensed areas, so we expanded. Finally, camping registration was a big issue in 2023, especially in terms of traffic. We worked with the MTO to get a dedicated lane for camping registration this year, and things worked like clockwork. We really wanted to look at patron satisfaction from an operational standpoint, and our reputation is so important.”
The lineup included Bahamas, Slow Horses, Noah Cyrus, The Secret Sisters, and 100 other fantastic acts.
“People reacted so well to the lineup. A lot of flex passes were sold, so that tells us people were going for specific artists. Old Crow Medicine Show blew everyone away Sunday night. They brought members of other mainstage acts up. They sang Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. They did their homework and knew who they were playing to,” she said.
“It’s all about discovery of new artists for people. The workshop stages were huge. It was amazing to see Gordie MacKeeman and the Rhythm Boys do three adult shows then a show for children. To have so many artists appeal to multiple generations is huge.”
One thing stood out the most for Carter – The Hall Of Fame induction from Mariposa for Bruce Cockburn was a momentous occasion.
“He played a wonderful set, and it was great to work with Colin Linden and Tom Power on the ceremony. Their words were beautiful, and the audience and Bruce were in tears. It was so important to thank him for his contribution to Mariposa and to this industry,” she said.
For Carter, it’s the way the community lifts up and supports the festival that leaves a lasting impression.
“These people are always coming together and that’s something to remember. Some of our volunteers and regular attendees haven’t seen each other in a year. We always focus on putting the best festival on for everyone,” she said.
“We take pride in what we do. To walk around the site and see happy faces and multi-generational attendees engaging is the best.”