Summer is fast approaching and that means Sappyfest isn’t far behind.
And the team behind the music festival is getting things in full swing to mark 21 years of Sappy.
That longevity continues to make for a satisfying creative challenge for the team as they try to surprise everyone from new attendees to someone who’s been to all 20, says Steve Lambke, Sappyfest’s head of operations.
“We’re not aiming at it being exactly the same every year, and that goes for even our biggest successes. It’s a trap to sort of try and repeat stuff. I think as long as we consider this a creative thing, then we’re doing it right.”
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Sappyfest will run from July 29 to August 2, with the main festival grounds located on Bridge Street. There will be a performance tent, a beer garden with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, a merchandise market, various vendors, and an open space with picnic tables. All in all, it should be familiar to those who have attended in the past.
What to expect
One new thing this year is a puppet show by North Barn Theatre. Last year, the group put on a puppet parade and this year, Sappyfest is giving them a different opportunity, said Lambke.
“It’s called A Gorgon’s Tail, and it’s a further development of a project that they have presented previously, but we’re very happy to bring it to Sappyfest this year. I think we want people to be delighted and surprised when they see it, so I don’t want to give away too much.”
Other programming comes in the form of literary readings at the Sackville Legion from graphic novelists and poets, a lecture by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson based on her Writers’ Trust prize-winning book Theory of Water, and lots more to be announced.
So far, the lineup features artists like Boyhood, Status/Non-status, Jennifer Castle, and Sackville’s own Steve Haley, and more, with others to be announced soon.
Get involved
The easiest way to participate is by volunteering and those who step up to help get rewarded with festival tickets. Altogether, they need about 130 volunteers each year. Roles range from checking wristbands and passes, working the bar, and selling merchandise to dealing with the recycling and general cleanup.
For Lambke, those volunteers help to set the tone of the event just as much as anyone else involved.
“ We’re all sort of making this thing happen together, and that includes us as organizers, it includes the volunteers, it includes the artists. And that’s the thing to me that’s really special about Sappyfest and why I’ve been involved with it for so long.”
For those interested in printmaking, writing and cartooning, and who are looking for opportunities to sell their own original zines, there is the annual Zine Fair on August 1. The deadline to apply is June 19.
Applications are also open for vendors looking to be on the street near the main stage.
Tickets
With only a partial lineup announced, advance tickets are still on sale at a discounted price, said Lambke.
“Once we make our final announcement, we go up to our regular price tickets. So if you do buy now, which I would love to encourage people to do, it really helps us out.”
To check out the full lineup, find application forms, and to purchase daily or festival passes, head to Sappyfest’s website.
