Hamilton’s Festival of Friends returns following pandemic hiatus
Old friends who have weathered tests of time (and pandemic) can endure long absences, taking up where they left off, on the very beat, and that should be the case between Hamilton and its most beloved festival.
Headline acts like the inimitable Serena Ryder and our homegrown Monster Truck will help us find that beat as our Festival of Friends, which began in 1976, returns for the first time since 2019.
The legendary three-day outdoor music, art and crafts event, the largest of its kind in Canada, is, like so many others, coming out of COVID-19 hiding this summer with a stellar lineup running right through the Civic Holiday long weekend, July 29, 30 and 31.
Serena Ryder will kick off the headline stage entertainment on the Friday night at Gage Park. The multi-Juno Award winner, famous for such hits as Stompa" and Weak in the Knees," to mention just two of many, is renowned for her powerfully expressive and raw vocals as well as her bold poetic lyrics. She will be joined by opening act Ryland James who recently gained attention for singing the national anthem at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.
Hamilton's much-celebrated hard rock band Monster Truck, who have achieved great international success over the last few years touring the United States and Europe, will headline the Saturday program of acts and activities. It will be their first show in the city in almost six years.
Saturday's program will also feature Indigenous hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids who have been praised both here and abroad as the new face of First Nations music.
It's exciting to close out National Indigenous History Month by announcing the performance of one of the most important artists in hip-hop," says Robert Rakoczy, the festival's general manager. This is their first major hip-hop act to play the Festival of Friends, and I think it's long overdue."
The festival, with its all-Canadian roster, will build to the Sunday close, which is being given over to country music, a tradition almost a decade old now at Festival of Friends.
Albertan new-country star Gord Bamford will be the star attraction on the evening stage. The opening act before him will be country music icon George Canyon, who has topped the country charts for almost 20 years.
On top of the three stages of music featuring more than 30 acts, there will also be a great choice and quantity of crafts and food vendors, as well as a huge midway, pony rides and an escape room.
Admission is free, as usual.
For a full schedule and details, visit festivaloffriends.ca
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator.jmahoney@thespec.com