Saskatoon Folkfest pared down from recent years but still draws a crowd

Saskatoon Folkfest marked its 47th year over the weekend, bringing together diverse cultures through food, dance, and 11 distinct cultural pavilions hosted at Prairieland Park. Despite being consolidated into a single location from its previous city-wide format, the festival successfully drew a significant crowd.

Festival president Danny Baliad expressed pleasant surprise at the turnout, especially on Saturday. "We were surprised that there’s a lot of people coming despite the fact that we only have 11 countries," Baliad stated. He noted that while the number of cultural displays was smaller this year, leading to the decision to centralize the event, the attendance trend is upward.

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We were surprised that there’s a lot of people coming despite the fact that we only have 11 countries.

The two-day festival concluded Saturday night. Baliad highlighted the positive momentum, adding, "We have seen the trend that is an upward trend. So, we’re happy about it." The event's success suggests a growing community engagement and enthusiasm for celebrating the city's multicultural fabric, even with a more streamlined format compared to pre-pandemic years.

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We have seen the trend that is an upward trend. So, we’re happy about it.