MFMF Society
HOW IT ALL STARTED
The Mission Folk Music Festival was formed in 1988 by founding artistic director Francis Xavier Edwards and some musical friends who wanted more opportunities to play music for an audience.
The first festival was a one-day event held in Fraser River Heritage Park and featured Shari Ulrich, Cotton Street Band, John McLachlan and others.
Since then, it has grown into one of the finest performing arts festivals in the country, showcasing emerging local and BC musicians and bringing both popular and rarely-heard world artists to the Fraser Valley, sometimes for their only North American performance.
We are committed to expanding opportunities to highlight and celebrate the music, dance, art, and stories from cultures and communities from across Canada and around the world in respectful, fun, and engaging ways.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Mission Folk Music Festival is situated within the unceded traditional territory of the Leq’a:mel, Kwantlen, and Matsqui First Nations, among the Stó:lō peoples. Leq’a:mel, meaning ‘the level place where people meet’, is the origin place of the Halq’emeylem language. We express our gratitude and respect for the honour of living and working in this territory.
MISSION
The Mission Folk Music Festival Society promotes, preserves, and nurtures folk, roots, traditional and emerging music, and its cultural heritage, through the production of the annual Mission Folk Music Festival and other performing arts events and programs in Mission BC and the Pacific Northwest.
VISION
To invite the audience to discover new and traditional music forms while experiencing the richness of the musical traditions of many peoples and cultures (locally, nationally, and internationally) in an effort to foster cultural understanding and exchange in a sustainable manner.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mitch Freestone-Smith, Chair
Pierre Richez, Vice Chair
John Vissers, Secretary
Aaron Levy, Treasurer
Emmanuel Asprakis, Director
Les Hatklin, Director
Camia Weaver, Director
STAFF & CONTRACTORS
Michelle Demers Shaevitz, Artistic and Executive Director
Cathy Crawford, Financial & Administrative Manager
Brian Duggan, Site Operations Manager
Gwen Kallio, Media and Publicity
Meaghan Van Dyk, Artist Services Manager
Tori Jewell, Artistic Associate
Damon Fultz, Production Manager
CRA Business # 12854-4509-RR0001.
The Mission Folk Music Festival is produced by the Mission Folk Music Festival Society, a registered charitable arts organization.
MFMF 35th Anniversary Artwork
In 2022, we commissioned local artist, Serena Trinder, to create a legacy artwork piece, (see above), to celebrate our 36th anniversary. Her watercolour painting lovingly captures the spirit of our festival.
“Music and art have always been a vital part of the human culture throughout history. A representation of our observations and dreams, our desires and our achievements. Festivals like Mission Folk Festival represent just one of the creative and jubilant events and outlets which we are lucky enough to experience in the Lower Mainland. When I was invited to paint a representation of the festival, I was excited, honoured and a little nervous, but took on the challenge with great joy. I aimed to capture the vitality, and inclusivity of all those that have enjoyed the festival over the years. Now, more than ever we are all in need of joy and the opportunity to share this passion with others. This is the joy that I hoped to convey in my painting.” ~ Serena Trinder
