The ground may be coated with a thick blanket of snow, but the organizers of the River & Sky Music and Camping Festival are asking you to think ahead to July and August.
“It's the hope of summer that gets you through the winter,” said Peter Zwarich, who plans the annual event with wife Lara Bradley.
If you're a fan of the festival, and think you'd like to spend more time at its home at Fishers' Paradise on the Sturgeon River in 2020, you're in luck.
While River & Sky technically runs July 23-26 this year, organizers are planning a bunch of ways you can while away more of your summer days on the festival site.
Zwarich said he and Bradley are in the process of organizing an on-site music camp for emerging bands in need of mentorship for the week preceding the festival (maybe starting July 15).
“We're still kind of finalizing details, but we'll be opening up an application form,” he said.
“It would be great to take some city-based artists, put them in that natural environment out at Fisher's Paradise, and have that influence potentially come through in the music.”
As for the festival itself, the organizers aren't yet ready to release the names of any of their headliners.
But if you know you're planning to attend, you can save some money by purchasing “Waiting Out Winter” three, four and five-day early-bird passes (attendees are welcome to arrive July 22, a full day before the festival starts).
“You've seen other festivals refer to these passes as blind passes, because you don't get to see the lineup,” Zwarich said.
The festival technically wraps up July 23, but in 2020, the fun is being extended by another week, until Aug. 2.
“We're hoping people will use the week to explore ecotourism opportunities,” said Zwarich.
That includes cycling or canoeing from Pine Falls Lodge in Markstay back to Fishers' Paradise, located in the community of Field.
Back at Fishers' Paradise, River & Sky will be offering up artist residencies, which may translate into those artists offering campfire entertainment.
“Saturday, Aug. 1, we will be booking an evening of music on the beach,” he said.
For more information, visit the festival’s website or Facebook page.
