EAR FALLS -- The Town of Ear Falls saw the long-awaited return of the Trout Forest Music Festival.
This year was the 25th year of the festival, which was postponed for two years due to COVID restrictions.
“It was the shot in the arm we all needed, after those two years,” says TFMF board chair Kathryn Robinson.
The TFMF is an annual event in Ear Falls that brings musicians from all over Canada out for a weekend to preform for the hundreds of attendees at the waterfront.
As the festival was postponed, the 25th anniversary took place this past weekend on Aug 12-14. Many of the performers that were booked for the pre-COVID shut-down were able to come this year.
During the two years of hiatus, the TFMF committee were able to put on ‘Trout on a Line’ which was an online show in lieu of the festival in 2020, and ‘The Rolling Trout Revue’ which was a travelling show in 2021.
For this year’s festival, the board of directors worked hard to make this 25th anniversary special. A quilt was made by a Red Lake local, using a shirt from all the years passed, which was then unveiled and hung on the main stage. Boards were also hung near the stage with photos from the many years of festival’s passed.
Key organizers Kathryn and husband Richard, whom are both on the board of directors, along with festival music producer Devin Latimer put in a great deal of time and energy into planning and preparing for the festival each year. That effort escalates as the festival draws closer, organizing more than 1,200 patrons, the performers and vendors, and any things that may pop up.
“With the help of our dedicated board of directors, team of amazing volunteers and an incredible line-up of performers, our 25th anniversary Trout Forest Music Festival went on without any hiccough, except for Sunday afternoon’s downpour,” says Kathy.
Many beloved performers from previous years were in attendance, including Al Simmons, Madame Diva, Good Lovelies, The Weber Brothers, The Sturgeons, Hillbilly Burlesque, Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices. As well as some new faces including Juno nominated folk groups Aerialists, Burnstick, and The Fu Fu Chi Chi Choir; and many more.
Workshops were held at the family stage, teaching interested attendees to play both the washboard and ukulele, with open mic time afterward.
“The Trout is one of those times when we can step out of our lives and have perfect days,” says Kathy, “The overwhelming positive feedback from festival goers buoys my spirits and makes me eager to do it all again next year.”
