ORILLIA – On behalf of the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, Bruce Stanton, Member of Parliament (Simcoe North), today announced funding of $30,000 to support the Mariposa Folk Foundation’s annual Mariposa Folk Festival, as well as an expanded concert series in Orillia and Toronto.

“Canada’s New Government is pleased to support the Mariposa Folk Festival,” said Minister Oda. “For more than 40 years, this annual festival on the shores of Lake Couchiching has been providing residents and visitors to the region with an outstanding array of performers. The Mariposa Folk Festival has been a gathering place for many Canadian artists, and with this year’s performers, which include the iconic Gordon Lightfoot and the young Serena Ryder, it promises to be one of the best festivals yet.”

“The Mariposa Folk Festival has always presented world-class performers of folk, roots, blues, gospel, acoustic and world music,” said Mr. Stanton. “This year’s festival will weave together diverse established and emerging artists, including many of Canada’s own top performers.”

“Continued support from the Department of Canadian Heritage has been really helpful,” said Chris Lusty, President of the Mariposa Folk Foundation. “Funding from the Department has been critical to the growth of two of our projects, the Mariposa Folk Festival and our concert series in both Orillia and Toronto.”

In addition to musical acts, the Mariposa Folk Festival presents dance and spoken word performances to round out its line-up. In its 47th year, the festival offers children’s programming, dance and instrument workshops as well as crafts demonstrations. The mainstage headliners for this year’s festival, which will take place in Orillia’s Tudhope Park from July 6 to 8, include Hawksley Workman and the Wolves, Don McLean, and Gordon Lightfoot.

Canada’s New Government has provided this funding through the Arts Presentation Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program seeks to give Canadians more access to direct experiences of the diversity and richness of Canada’s culture through professional arts festivals, presentation of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.