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.

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.

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.

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.

Mitch Freestone-Smith, Chair

Pierre Richez, Vice Chair

John Vissers, Secretary

Aaron Levy, Treasurer

Emmanuel Asprakis, Director

Les Hatklin, Director

Camia Weaver, Director

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.


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

Serena@trinder.com | whisperedland.com

Serena Trinder – Visual Artist