Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in beautiful downtown Gallagher Park (next to 97 Ave and 94 St).
There is NO ON-SITE PARKING. Use Park & Ride or Edmonton Transit or bike down.
Bike Lock-up Hours of Service
Thursday - Sunday: 1 hour before gates open until 45 minutes after gates close
or
Thursday 3 - 11:30PM
Friday 3 PM - 1AM
Saturday 9 AM - 1 AM
Sunday 9 AM - 12 midnight.
NO supervised overnight parking, and no parking for motor bikes!
Volunteers: If you arrive for your shift before the gates are open or after the gates are closed, open the gate , lock your bike and close the gate. To claim your bike, show your volunteer badge, instead of a bike check ticket.
Park and Ride: University of Alberta, any campus lot --special Folk Fest parking rate is $5 per day--tell attendant you are attending the Folk Festival.
Bus pick up-- south east corner of the Butterdome (87 Ave and approx. 114 St).
Bus fare--
one-way is $2.75 for adults and children ages 6-15. Children 5 years and under are free. Cash fare only; ETS passes are valid for payment. Please note: bus drivers do not carry change.
Note: Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre is NOT a Park & Ride site.
Buses run every 30 minutes during the Festival. Hours of operation are:
Wednesday & Thursday 3:30 - 11:30PM;
Friday 3:30PM - 1:00AM;
Saturday 8:30AM - 1:00AM;
Sunday 8:30AM - 11:30PM
Regular transit service: bus transit service goes right by the park in all directions. Call 496-1611 for information.
Open 5:30PM on Wednesday, 4:30 PM on Thursday & Friday and 9:30 AM Saturday & Sunday. Evening ticket holders can enter after 4:30 PM (Thurs-Sun).
To ensure fair, orderly line-ups that create minimal intrusion and noise in Cloverdale Community, there is a lottery for line-up position for all 5 days for those who wish to line up before the gates open.
Note: New lottery assembly area for North Gate for 2010: Location NW corner of Muttart Conservatory parking lot. Also new for 2010: 1000 tags at each gate. Times as follows.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Entrance Procession: Patrons will be escorted at a walking pace in groups of 25 from both North and South gates to the seating area. Gate volunteers will control entry to ensure everyone's safety; there will be NO RUSH!
Exchange your ticket for a wristband. at the gates.Weekend pass subscribers can get one wristband for the whole weekend. This enables you to come and go from the site and is a requirement to verify you have purchased a ticket. Patrons who remove their wristband may be escorted from the Festival site.
Mainstage: Wednesday: 7-10 PM; Thursday: 6 - 11 PM; Friday 9 PM to 12:30 AM;
Saturday 2-3 PM and 6 PM to 12:30 AM; Sunday: 2-3 PM and 6 PM to 11 PM.
Sessions (workshop) stages will run on Friday from 6-9 PM and on Saturday from 11 AM-2 PM and 3-6 PM and on Sunday from 11 AM-2 PM and 3-6 PM.
How do I know what's on when? The Mainstage line-up and sessions schedule are posted here. Program books will be available on site, with complete schedules, site map, performer bios and neat photos. You'll want to keep your program book as a souvenir of your festival experience!
Bike lock-up, family area, food and beverage concessions, beer garden, crafts, recording and memorabilia sales, information tent, lost & found, first aid, non-smoking area, telephone, washrooms, water & wash stands, recycling stations, environment tent, insta-bank. See Festival program book for complete information about services and site locations.
The Folk Festival has a complete program to accommodate patrons with physical challenges. Handicapped parking is available just North of the Main Gate and volunteers will meet you at the North gate to assist.
Wheelchair access: Volunteers can assist your ability to move around the site and a special seating area at mainstage is available.
Hearing impairment: Magnetic induction loops have been installed at all performance areas to enable hearing the music. Ask Access Crew or Information Tent volunteers for a loop receiver (or use your T-switch hearing aid) or for specific locations at each stage.
Visual impairment: Ask for Braille or large print Festival information at the Information Tent.
This is a very friendly Festival where strangers respect each other's needs during the Festival weekend.
Smoking and Non-smoking Areas
Smoking is permitted on the east half of the mainstage hill and outside the beer garden. It is not permitted at the session stages and inside the beer garden. It is also not permitted in any line-up per City bylaw. Please consider the needs of those around you.
Close by, Edmonton has many hotels within walking distance of the site downtown. Contact your travel agent or Edmonton Tourism at 1-800-463-4667 or (780) 496-8400.
Comfort Inn & Suites Downtown Edmonton Offers a special Festival daily rate for August 6-9, 2009: $105 single, $112 double (unchanged from 2008), based on double occupancy; includes free parking, complimentary continental breakfast, free local calls, highspeed wireless internet access, indoor pool, hot tub and sauna, restaurant and lounge onsite, as well as free in room coffee and tea with a daily newspaper. Located on the south edge of downtown, we are close to the Festival site, so you can leave your car in our free guest parking lot take a cab (short ride). The more adventurous, weather permitting of course, may choose to walk to the festival, maps are available but give yourself about a 30 minutes to get there. Mention the Festival rate when you call to ensure the best value in fun, clean and comfortable downtown accommodation. Reservations 1-888-384-6835 or visit us online at link
Stay at MacEwan: Located in downtown Edmonton at 11050 – 104
Avenue, MacEwan Residence offers easy and convenient access to Gallagher
Park in Edmonton’s spectacular river valley, shopping, restaurants
and entertainment. MacEwan Residence is a smoke free environment, and provides
common area lounges where guests can relax while watching television or
meet with fellow Folk Music Festival patrons and participants. All suites
feature double beds, kitchenettes and private bathrooms. Parking is available
adjacent to MacEwan Residence. For a virtual tour of MacEwan Residence,
go to link.
For reservations phone: 780-633-3623 or 780- 633-8000; fax: 780-633-8910; E-mail: hanker@macewan.ca
When booking request the special Edmonton Folk Music Festival rate:
2 bedroom suite (2 double beds) $80/night; Bachelor suite (1 double bed)
$65/night; 4 bedroom suite (4 double beds) $160/night (limited number);
Guest Room (1 queen bed) $75/night; Guest Room (1 queen & 1 double bed)
$85/night. **Rates subject to applicable taxes.
Rooms are available on a first come first service basis. Credit card information
is required to secure a room.
University of Alberta, Lister Centre: Located across the street from the Park & Ride service, Lister Centre offers a variety of accommodation from $49 per night per room. For information, go to their website at link or email: guest.services@ualberta.ca To reserve a room, use this pdf and fax it to (780) 492-7032. Lister Hall reservations
Hostelling International-Edmonton: Folk Festival Special: Folk Festival attendees: Get 15% off your first night’s stay when you show your festival ticket or wristband.
You really can’t beat HI-Edmonton’s location in Old Strathcona just off Whyte Avenue – a safe, serene and historic neighborhood. Whyte Ave is only minutes by foot from the hostel. The hostel is open 24 hours and comes fully loaded. Choose from two-, four- or eight-person dorm rooms or comfortable private rooms, all with secure storage. New memory foam beds ensure a comfy night.
Prices start as low as $24 a night. This gets you access to the recently renovated kitchen (with all the kitchen utensils you need to feed six or 60 of your friends); a bunch of common spaces including a spacious TV lounge and a games room; free Wi-Fi; free coffee all day and very helpful staff who love this city and are ready to share it with you.
HI-Edmonton 10647-81 Avenue www.hihostels.ca/edmonton
Phone: 780.988.6836; toll free: 1.866.762.4122.
GO Backpackers Hostel is a travelers hostel which provides short-term accommodation for the thrifty traveler. We accommodate a variety of international and Canadian guests who are in Edmonton for a few days and want to make the most of it. We also have the capacity to host your group the next time you decide to come to Edmonton! We would love to have you stay with us!
GO Backpackers has the perfect combination of beds and room types for groups of any size! With rooms no larger than 6 beds and private rooms for the chaperones we can accommodate groups of up to 120 people! With our location in the heart of downtown at 10209-100th Avenue, we are within walking distance of the Folk Festival as well as a variety of restaurants!
What we provide for our groups:
- Bunk bed style accommodation (between 4 and 6 beds per room) – perfect for any group!
- All linen included - no need for sleeping bags and towels!
- Private bathrooms in every room – no tramping down the halls in the middle of the night!
- Catered meals available for groups (advance booking) from Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant which is attached to our building!
- 24 hour access to our fully stocked self-service kitchen and dining room as well as our TV room – just bring your own food and prepare your own meals! (Two grocery stores within walking distance!)
- Electronic keycard door locks on all the rooms for extra security and 24 hour on site staffing to make the groups stay more pleasant.
Please contact us for group rates and availability ($25-$80/night). First nights’ payment as a deposit required when making the reservation. Final payment due 30 days before the group arrival.
Check us out at www.gohostels.ca and email us at groups@gohostels.ca or contact us toll free at 1-877-646-7835 and ask for the Group Manager (Edmonton callers use 780-423-4146).
Camping: There is no on-site camping but you can camp in Edmonton at the Rainbow Valley Campground, located in a beautiful spot beside Whitemud Creek, not far from the Festival site. For reservations, call 780-434-5531.
For information regarding other attractions in Edmonton and Alberta call Alberta Tourism at 1-800-661-8888. Also see Other Alberta Festivals.
