The third annual Haywire Farm Festival began on Friday and continues through until Sunday near the village of Codette in Northeast Saskatchewan.
Farm owner and event organizer Patti Propp said this year’s event is bigger than ever, and shines a spotlight on local talent.
“This is an all Saskatchewan talent festival,” Propp said. “Everyone’s home grown, so it’s really exciting for us to showcase that. That’s something that sets us apart from any other festival in the province. Its just showcasing Saskatchewan.”
This will be the 3rd Annual festival and it will avail attendees the unique opportunity to experience a farm life, reconnect with nature while enjoying various kinds of music.
This year’s festival among other things will add an extra day for participants to have enough time to relax and enjoy the festival.
“I definitely have added an extra day because I did feel like people were traveling from quite a ways away and they really wanted to be able to spend a bit more time here on the farm, so adding the full Sunday this year and allowing campers to camp longer, that’s something new,“ Propp said. “My kids programming this year, I’ve really mixed it up. I’ve got different facilitators and some really amazing people coming to do the kids programming. Workshops, I’ve just got a different variety than I’ve had in the past and I love that because every year it’s just new learning there, and then because I’ve added the extra day, I definitely have a lot more artists.”
This year’s festival features 30 lives performances over the weekend. Last year, Haywire had 20. Pratt said that was a big jump for this year’s show, but one she’s excited about.
“It’s quite different for me,” she said. “I’ve lived in lots of big centres in Canada, so I know all about the hustle and bustle, but I have been here now four years and I’m not used to all of the people, but honestly it’s just such a buzz. You can’t get the grin off my face during this weekend, just seeing all the good energy that comes with the people. Everyone’s just smiling and making new friends. That’s just really exciting to see.”
Pratti said there will be different workshops, kids programs, onsite camping, a variety of food vendors, local food trucks and a country market with more than 50 vendors from Saskatchewan who made or produced their own products.
“I’m not really big into VIP areas and things like that. I just really like the fact that the artists will camp with everybody else. It’s a real community spirit,” she said.
The Haywire Farm Festival runs until Sunday, July 27. Musical acts include Skaravan, Oral Fuentes Reggae Band, Dr. J, Aiden Edwards and Eastside of 2nd, Tubman Junction, Drew Derksen Band, The Great Fuss, Cupid’s Heart, Jake and the Kid, and others.
Tickets are onside at the gate. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page, or haywirefarmfestival.mandelbrotdesigngroup.com
—with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
