Program

Time	Performer	FRIDAY – Main Stage in Fernwood Square
5:00pm	LƏK̓ʷƏŊƏN TRADITIONAL DANCERS	FernFest will open with a welcome and culture share by the lək̓ʷəŋən Traditional Dancers. The history of lək̓ʷəŋən Traditional Dancers stretches back 45 years. Currently under the guidance of sisters Lyla and Beth Dick, the group was founded in 1978 at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre by Ray Peter from the Cowichan tribe along with late Bob Malcom and Jim, Butch and Skip Dick.
5:45pm	THE CAPITAL CITY SYNCOPATERS	Step back in time with The Capital City Syncopators, a deeply established quartet, comprised of some of the greatest traditional jazz musicians in the Pacific Northwest, dedicated to reviving the intoxicating rhythms of Prohibition-era jazz.
6:50pm	LADY PHYL	Lady Phyl is a sultry soulful singer songwriter who melds the worlds of RnB with rhythmic neo-soul melodies, and playful pop energy, creating a luscious trance-like experience to fill your soul.
7:55pm	BU VONBLUME	Fully interactive, 100% original, audience engaging, funk, punk, disco, ska, cumbia, balkan, soul, reggae, hip-hop, whatever-as-long-as-it’s-danceable super fun-time flower-power horn driven dance band.
9:00pm	PETUNIA & THE VIPERS	A new music that springboards off of music of the past and jumps into the present day, left with only echoes of the past… Something in between 1920’s and steam punk. These are just a few of the words uttered by folks around the globe trying to pin down a description of all that is Petunia & The Vipers.

Time	Performer	FRIDAY – Little Fernwood Stage at 1923 Fernwood Road Curated by Vinyl Envy Record Store, space provided by the Fernwood Community Association
6:00pm	SHARON	Sharon is an intergalactic trio of prog/funk mimes hoping to save enough money to transport to Kentucky and lay their tired mime bodies in the Kentucky grass.
7:00pm	JACOB WEIL	Road veteran turned solo artist, Jacob Weil and his band captivate live audiences with a heartfelt blend of Indie-Americana off their debut LP ‘Lived In’.
8:00pm	DANA SIPOS	Described as “slightly strange and completely mesmerizing,” acclaimed Canadian songwriter Dana Sipos’ talent for earthen imagery, rich spiraling vocals, and textured instrumentation sets the stage for a deeply moving performance.
9:00pm	CARA BATEMAN	Cara features her soothing, soulful, and powerful voice at the forefront of the latest soundscapes. Is R&B Grunge a genre? Cara is doing her best to create it.
FOOD Enjoy some tasty eats from our BBQ. We’ll be serving locally-made smokies, veggie sausages, and kid’s dogs, chips, and Phillips sodas. 5pm – Late DRINKS Hang out in Fernwood Square & Little Fernwood, listen to the music, dance, & enjoy local Phillips & Merridale brews. (All ages location, 19+ for alcohol) 5pm – 10pm

Time	Activity	Location	Details
June 12 at 10:00am to June 16 at 5:00pm	Auction	airauctioneer.com/fernfest-2024-auction	Bid on an amazing selection of items including gift certificates, coffee, art, experiences, and more! Our auction will be held online at airauctioneer.com/fernfest-2024-auction. Bidding starts on Wednesday, June 12 at 10am and runs until Sunday, June 16 at 5pm. Thank you to all our auction donors!
11:30am – 10:00pm	Stages	Fernwood Sq, 1923 Fernwood Rd & Stevenson Park	FernFest has 3 stages with live music on Saturday, June 15. The FernFest Main Stage is located in Fernwood Square under the gazebo. The Little Fernwood Stage is located at 1923 Fernwood Road at the Fernwood Community Association. The Field of Dreams Stage is located at Stevenson Park behind the Fernwood Community Centre (1924 Gladstone Avenue).
11:30am – 10:00pm	Bike Valet	Vic High parking lot on Gladstone Ave	Please bike, walk, skate, ride the bus to FernFest! We will have free bike parking on site through Capital Bike.
11:30am – 5:30pm	Artisan Market	Gladstone Avenue beside Fernwood Square	80+ local vendors will be showcasing their unique items, bringing you handmade clothing, jewelry, soaps, art, treats, and lots more! Thanks to @thefernwoodmakersparty for collaborating on curating and coordinating this market!
11:30am – 5:30pm	Field of Dreams Kids Zone, Art, & Non-Profit Hub	Stevenson Park, behind the Fernwood Community Centre	Discover the Field of Dreams for more live music, family fun, and artists galore! Find games, face-painting, a pop-up barbershop, drag storytime, bouncy castles, polaroid photos, community art activities, performances, bubbles, magic here. Talk to local non-profits about the cool things they do in the community! There will also be a Kid’s Stage full of fun & live music on the Field of Dreams Stage (see schedule below)!
11:30am – 7:00pm	Food Vendors	Behind the Fernwood Community Centre	Grab a bite to eat from a great selection of local food vendors from tacos with handmade corn tortillas, to mini doughnuts, to Filipino street food BBQ skewers, to Venezuelan arepas and patacones, to local ice cream, to Japanese & Vietnamese fusion comfort food.
4:00pm – 7:00pm	Community Dance w/ Kemi Craig	In the gym at the Fernwood Community Centre	Join City of Victoria Artist in Residence Kemi Craig at a pop-up family dance, including a mini-dance lesson, a community playlist, and tunes by DJ Nova Jade. The dance will center the youngest members of the community first and use the music to engage various age groups throughout the afternoon. Come enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of dancing, and laughter.
11:30am – 10:00pm	BBQ & Drinks	Fernwood Square	The FernFest BBQ brings you delicious eats including locally-made smokies, veggie sausages, and kid’s dogs. BBQ is open 11:30am – Late. FernFest will be pouring fresh Phillips Beers and Merridale Cider in Fernwood Square. (All ages location, 19+ for alcohol). Open Noon – 10:00pm All proceeds support Fernwood NRG!
12:30pm – 2:00pm	Tours	Belfry Theatre	1:00pm	Belfry Theatre Tour – explore the hidden rooms, backstage, costume department, and stages of the Belfry. Meet at Belfry Theatre box office.
12:30pm – 2:00pm	Tours	Meet at the Community Orchard	12:30pm	Fernwood Community Centre Garden Tour – learn about our kitchen garden, community orchard, native plant meadow, and more!
1:00pm – 3:30pm	Workshops	1923 Fernwood Road	1:00pm	Shuffle Dance Workshop with Nicki Pepper J – This is a playful open-level shuffle dance workshop infusing hip-hop, cutting shapes, and a mini choreography to groovy electronic vibes!
1:00pm – 3:30pm	Workshops	1923 Fernwood Road	2:15pm	Tall Mark and Kady’s Freestyle Jam – A fresh, fun-loving open jam session. No need to be an expert—grab the mic and jump in!

Time	Performer	SATURDAY – Field of Dream Stage at Stevenson Park AT 1240 Gladstone Ave.
11:30am	HORSETAIL BANDITS	Traditional Eastern European and Romani tunes, infuse them with elements of swing and jazz Manouche, then add vocal harmonies for a new world take on old world traditions.
12:30pm	FLAMENKITAS	Flamenkitas is a collaboration of Flamenco artists who enjoy every moment as an opportunity to articulate and craft something profound and vibrant.
1:30pm	ZOUBI	Zoubi (they/them) blends finger-style guitar with deep lyrics and simple, catchy melodies, melding folk-pop tones with a gritty, jazzy swing.
2:30pm	BONEYARD BABES	The Boneyard Babes are a combination of Indigenous and queer-identifying musicians committed to building a sense of community through music.
3:30pm	PINDIAN	A Kwakwa̲ka̲’wakw and Nuu-Cha-Nulth MC born on lək̓ʷəŋən Territory who, in almost 3 years of sobriety, has found immense healing in expressing themselves through lyricism in the genre of hip-hop.
4:30pm	GALGAPOŁA	Their name means ‘we stand together hand in hand’.

Time	Performer	SATURDAY – Main Stage in Fernwood Square
12:00pm	VIC HIGH R&B BAND	The Vic High R&B Band, founded and formerly directed by Eric Emde, is a dynamic band made up of nearly 25 high school students ranging from grades 9 to 12, now under the leadership of Denver Rawson.
1:00pm	SLIM SANDY & THE HILLBILLY BOPPERS	Slim Sandy and the Hillbilly Boppers play a mix of old time country music, western swing and rockabilly, from the 30’s to the 50’s. Slim sings, plays guitar and harmonica, joined by Willa Mae on vocals, Big Daddy Bo on bass, and Soda Pop on drums.The band is promoting their new album LAZY DAY.
2:00pm	GHOSTLY HOUNDS	Ghostly Hounds creates soulful folk and old-time music with a distinct, haunting sound, captivating audiences with a clear, soaring range, powerful projection, and just the right amount of grit.
3:00pm	THE SMOKESTACKS	The Smokestacks are a younger generation of musicians keeping soul and blues alive. Their songs have unique twists keeping the energy high and the body moving.
4:15pm	RANGER	Drawing inspiration from musical influences like Bahamas and The Black Keys, Ranger seamlessly blends smooth, uncluttered melodies with thoughtful, textural instrumentation.
5:20pm	DAVERS	Davers Lang is best known for his body of work as a singer/songwriter/guitarist in Victoria’s Current Swell. Since 2018, Davers and his band have been releasing and performing music Exclaim.ca calls “poignant folk with lush arrangements.”
6:25pm	BLASÉ BLASÉ	Blending elements of live jazz, funk and conscious hip-hop, Blasé Blasé has a sound as unique and diverse as its members
7:30pm	BUČAN BUČAN	Victoria’s beloved Eastern European party band!
9:00pm	AYLA TESLER-MABÉ	Ayla Tesler-Mabé is a 23-year-old songwriter and musician who has performed for thousands of people around the world, touring extensively with her previous band Calpurnia and alternative R&B band Ludic. Her debut solo EP ‘Let Me Out!!’ is out now.

Time	Performer	SATURDAY – Little Fernwood Stage at 1923 Fernwood Road Curated by Vinyl Envy Record Store, space provided by the Fernwood Community Association
1:00pm	SHUFFLE DANCE WORKSHOP WITH NICKI PEPPER J	This is a playful open-level shuffle dance workshop infusing hip-hop, cutting shapes, and a mini choreography to groovy electronic vibes! Come have fun and learn some new moves for the dance floor. Nicki is a dynamic dancer that has been training in many different styles throughout her whole life, and teaching shuffling among other styles in Victoria over the past few years.
2:15pm	TALL MARK AND KADY’S FREESTYLE JAM	You’re invited to join Tall Mark & Kady’s open jam session. No need to be an expert—grab the mic and jump in! Musicians, if you’re eager to create and improvise music with us, come along and share in this fantastic exchange of creative energy. Let’s make some magic together!
3:30pm	SMALL PLEASURES	Small Pleasures is a post-punk duo from Victoria, BC inspired by post-punk mainstays of the late 70s to early 80s and shoegaze pioneers of the 90s.
4:45pm	POSH COAT	Posh Coat’s powerful yet tender modern rock undresses the beauty in the mundane through a framework of catchy melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and both driving and laid-back styles.
5:50pm	THE DANG PACKAGE	Living on lək̓ʷəŋən territory, That Dang Package unearths rare jewels from the gem store: hard rock, soft rock, psychedelic rock, and other varieties of precious stones.
6:45pm	DRAG HOUR WITH CHAZ AVERY	Enjoy a fabulous Drag Hour brought to you by local legends!
8:00pm	GRAPEFRUIT IS IMPOSSIBLE	Grapefruit is Impossible is a six-piece band from Victoria playing a fusion of original jazz and hip-hop music with technical instrumentation and uncontrollable enthusiasm.
9:00pm	NEIGHBOURLY	Victoria’s Neighbourly weds the freedom of psychedelia with layers of pop and funk influences. The group, which debuted in 2022, features four multi-instrumentalist songwriters: Latham Reader, Lauren Giorgio, Oliver Sandberg, and Scott Sparrow.