More workshops, art installations, food vendors, and new sustainability efforts are in the works for both campers and day-trippers at this year’s River & Sky Music/Camping Festival, July 20 - 23.
The festival, set on the Sturgeon River at Fishers’ Paradise in the community of Field, is known for featuring some 40 emerging Canadian bands over its four days, including this year’s headliners Wintersleep, Timber Timbre, PUP and Weaves.
But R&S also works on ways to present arts sustainability, feature art installations by visual artists and the creations of local crafters, as well as run workshops appealing to a wide variety of ages and interests.
"This year, not only do we have an amazing line up of musicians but we also have an amazing line-up of workshops that are River & Sky inspired,” said Melanie Alkins, Vendor/Crafter/and Workshop lead for the festival.
This year the festival has more than 20 sessions on 14 topics - which are free to attendees. Fan favourites are returning, such as puppetry with Kimberley Howe, morning yoga sessions with Liz O’Hara, and a movement workshop with Shannon Falconi of North Bay’s Global Groove.
New skills-based workshops include Fixing Your Bike with Stefan Poliquan of North Bay’s The Wheelhouse, Canoe Trip Tips and Tarp Tying with Carissa Bender and Meghan Walsh, How to String Your Guitar and Proper Intonation with Marc-André Dubosq, and Taking a Herbal Walk with Miranda Martel to learn about edible plants.
There will also be wand making with Tobin Nichol, conquering stage fright through stand-up comedy, and a stand-up paddle board session with Ruby Yoga (for those over 18).
New sustainability initiatives at the festival include reducing waste with a reusable plate program, the recycling of cigarette butts with TerraCycle, and incorporating foods from local farms such as Three Forks Farm in Warren in the R&S wood-fired pizzas.
R&S is also partnered with Sew Local Stitch Lounge in Sudbury who made all the volunteer buffs using Canadian made fabrics this year.
The festival is also proud to host eight artist/collectives who will be creating installations on site include: Nicole Poulin (Sudbury), the HeARTworks collective (Sudbury), Roxanne Ignatius (Toronto), Vanessa Rieger (Toronto), smolghost (Toronto), Rae Miranda (Sudbury), Kallie Berens and Alex Berens-Firth (Sudbury), and Clayton Windat (Nipissing).
To buy a three or four-day camping pass, as well as single day-passes, visit www.riverandsky.ca.
