Not only will the EIGHTH ANNUAL WINTERFOLK FESTIVAL entertain with some of Canada's finest artists, but the festival will once again feature community stages showcasing pioneer folk artists like CRABTREE & MILLS and emerging powerhouse vocalist LINDSAY FERGUSON. Toronto's free, all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof urban roots and blues festival will take place on six stages in four downtown venues on the Danforth. The fest will also be spreading the LOVE AT WINTERFOLK, a ticketed event featuring LAURA FERNANDEZ & NOAH ZACHARIN, ARIANA GILLIS BAND, CHOIRGIRLZ and MOSE SCARLETT.

COMMUNITY STAGES SHINE @ ROOTS & BLUES FEST - FEB 12-15, 2010

SPREADING THE LOVE AT WINTERFOLK - FEB 14

WHAT: WINTERFOLK VIII ROOTS AND BLUES FESTIVAL
An all-ages indoor music festival w/100 artists on 6 stages over 4 days
WHEN: FEBRUARY 12-15
WHERE: Venues are @ Danforth and Broadview, including the Black Swan (2 stages), Dora Keogh, The Willow Restaurant (2 stages), Mambo Restaurant 
TICKETS: IT'S FREE (with the exception of one ticketed stage. 'Love at Winterfolk' at the Black Swan Tavern Sunday, Feb. 14 which is $5 @ the door w/ a badge, $10 w/out a badge.
WEBSITES: www.winterfolk.com

As always, Winterfolk, a member of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF), will be keeping the community connection alive by presenting stages for organizations, helping to increase their public visibility and membership and offering exposure for their events. Showcasing stages include CITY ROOTS PRESENTS, BEST OF CALIFORNIA OPEN STAGE, VOCAL COACH.CA, SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA, BEST OF THE MOONSHINE CAFÉ, SPEAK MUSIC PRESENTS, THE BIG SCHMOOZE!, SONGTOWN, SONGWRITERS UNITE, SENECA COLLEGE and the CORKTOWN UKELELE SPEAKEASY. For more information on the community stages and the artists involved, please visit THIS LINK

With a keen desire to reach out to a wider community of artists this year, the Winterfolk team underwent an extensive search for new talent through auditions held in several Ontario cities. Winterfolk is proud to present the winners as part of a total 100 artists performing this year. These artists include the quirky, hurdy gurdy-driven girl-powered SWAMP WARD ORCHESTRA, one-man-band MARC CHARRON, gritty blues guitarist RICK TAYLOR, gotta -see-him-live MAX BUDNICK, the spine-tingling and soulful LINDSAY FERGUSON, roots-rock/Americana band STRINGBONE, dynamite singer-songwriter REVEREND MAX WOOLAVER, impassioned vocalist ROSEMARY PHELAN w/ ace guitarist JASON LAPRADE, the defiant and vulnerable AMY CAMPBELL, insightful singer-songwriter IAN REID, clap-along barnstormin' GRAYDON JAMES & COMPANY, seriously old timey duo WILLIAM & POLLY and the young ERIC FISHER with his sweet heart breakin' songs.

"I SUPPORT ROOTS MUSIC IN TORONTO" badges are available at the door of all Winterfolk venues for a voluntary donation and they'll be large enough for artists to autograph them!

WINTERFOLK TIMES:

Friday February 12 @ 7:00 pm - 1:00 am

Saturday February 13 @ 1:00 pm - 1:00 am

Sunday February 14 @ 1:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Monday, February 15 @ 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm

WINTERFOLK VENUES:

Dora Keogh -141 Danforth Ave.

Black Swan - 154 Danforth Ave (2 stages)

The Willow -193 Danforth Ave (2 stages)

Mambo Restaurant -120 Danforth Ave

**All Winterfolk stages are free, with the exception of one ticketed stage...

LOVE AT WINTERFOLK (A special Valentine's Day event)

Black Swan Tavern
Sunday, Feb. 14 @ 7:00 pm
Tickets: $5.00 @ door for anyone with a badge, $10 w/out a badge.
For more information on performers and times, please visit www.winterfolk.com

LOVE AT WINTERFOLK Lineup:

LAURA FERNANDEZ
Singing in English and Spanish, her sultry voice lends itself well to her musical blend of classical, jazz, pop and world music anchored by intimate and heartfelt lyrics

& NOAH ZACHARIN 
This stunning guitarist and wonderful singer-songwriter has released six CD's of literate, well-crafted songs that know no barrier of genre.

ARIANA GILLIS w/ David Celia, David Gillis
Winner of the 2009 Niagara Music Awards Songwriter of the Year and a 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award, the young Gillis is redefining the borders of folk and breaking the rules of pop with a musical message that is a fusion of everything between the old and the new, the profound, the sad and the joyful.

CHOIRGIRLZ
Debbie Fleming, Dorothy McDonall and Mary Ellen Moore have filled their repertoire with country/bluegrass, jazz, R&B, folk, roots, cabaret, comedy and most of all - catchy original songwriting

MOSE SCARLETT w/ Tony Quarrington
Mose is a fixture on the Canadian scene, playing Hollywood classics to raunchy blues and nearly-forgotten turn-of-the-century gems, breathing new life into old songs and performing only with his voice and acoustic guitar, though you can almost believe a big band or parlour orchestra is playing in the background.

FESTIVAL ARTIST LINEUP:
Al Lerman * Alan Gerber * Alfie Smith * Amy Campbell * Ariana Gillis * Bob Snider * Brian Blain * Brian Gladstone * Brock Zeman * ChoirGirlz * Chris McKhool * Crabtree & Mills * D'Arcy Wickham * Dan McVeigh * Danny Marks * Darrell Grant * David Celia * David Gillis * David Leask * David Newland * Digging Roots * Eric Fisher * Ewan Dobson * George Meanwell * Graydon James * Howard Gladstone * Ian Reid * Joan Beson * Joe Hall * John Jackson and Steve Paul Simms * Jon Brooks * Julian Fauth * Kim Wempe * Laura Fernandez * Lindsay Ferguson * Lynn Harrison * Margaret Stowe * Marianne Girard * Marc Charron * Max Woolaver * Maxim Budnick * Michael Brennan & Steve Briggs * Michael Jerome Browne * Mose Scarlett * Mr Rick & The Biscuits * Noah Zacharin * Nonie Crete * Peter Verity * Phillip Brown * Related * Rick Hodgson * Rick Taylor * Rosemary Phelan with Jason LaPrade * Russell Leon * Seb Agnello * Shawn Brush * Shawn Sage * Sillken * StringBone * Sue & Dwight * Sultans of String * Suzie Vinnick * Swamp Ward Orchestra * Tim Jackson * Tony Quarrington * Wendell Ferguson * William and Polly

Winterfolk gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, Canadian Heritage, The SOCAN Foundation, Toronto Arts Council, East-York Riverdale Mirror, The Association of Artists for A Better World and The Clarion Hotel.