Waxahatchee may be skipping Canada on tour this summer, but the alt-country fledgling legend is at least making a few appearances in the nation's festivals. Case in point: this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival sees the artist born Katie Crutchfield up near the headliners' slot alongside the likes of Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit and Lake Street Drive.
The central province's long-running folk festivities will undoubtedly be among the best of the genre's celebrations north of the border in 2025, and we've got five must-see acts for those making the trek to Birds Hill Provincial Park from July 10 to 13.
Begonia
Hometown hero Begonia, a.k.a. Alexa Dirks, is one of the country's best-kept secrets, but hopefully not for long! With two studio albums to her name, the singer-songwriter has been making the rounds for the better half of the decade, revealing herself to be Canada's answer to Adele with vocal chops unmatched across the country.
Peach Pit
The Vancouver indie pop outfit have only been kicking it since the latter half of the 2010s, but in that time, they've made a huge splash on a local and international scale. Last year's Magpie got its own dedicated Canadian run earlier this year, and they've booked only a handful of additional dates on the continent as of press time.
Fred Penner
Penner offers family programming that's made for more than just the kids. His cross-generational appeal will be a highlight among the festival's lineup of homegrown talent, and besides, you already know all the words to his music!
Allison Russell
Fresh off her team-up with fellow activist and Scottish icon Annie Lennox, Russell is booked and busy south of the border for the summer, only making a handful of stops in Canada — so do not miss the rare opportunity to bask in the golden hour as she heads off the festival's first night.
Waxahatchee
A once-in-a-generation songwriter, Crutchfield continues to ascend toward her career peak with her latest album — and 2024 year-end topper — Tiger's Blood. Her voice is sure to ring out across the entire festival grounds, but you'll want to get a close-up experience when she takes to the stage on Friday night.