Living Roots Music Festival with be returning to Fredericton, New Brunswick, from May 28-31, 2020, for its fifth iteration. The multi-genre festival continues to celebrate local talent while bringing in rising stars from across Canada.
“We made great strides in the last five years and I am super excited for this year’s Living Roots Music Festival,” says the festival’s creator and executive director, Eddie Young. “We are continuing to highlight our great local talent. We have some familiar names coming back, and we have added headline spots to the point where you may see two headline acts on the same bill.”
“I am really looking forward to introducing some brand new acts to the festival. We are seeing that more and more folks are looking forward to the fest throughout the year, and sooo many artists are looking to play, I wish we could put them all on.”
“Last year we saw the best local support in the way of sponsors, and we are looking to build on that this year. I really feel this is a community event where many hands take part in making it happen, along with a fantastic committee. Year five will be the best yet!”
The full list of headliners for the 2020 Living Roots Music Festival includes Pretty Archie, Lynne Hanson, Zachary Lucky, The Tortoise The Hare & The Millionaire, Shawna Caspi, Heart Attack Kids, Jamie Comeau & The Crooked Teeth, Adyn Townes, Like a Motorcycle, K-man & The 45’s, and the Alan Jefferies Band.
Also included in this year’s line-up are Alex Leggett, Apollo Suns, Astro Not, BrownE, Ben MacDonald, Black Suit Devil, Blaire Webber, Braden Lam, Bud Rice, CA Jackson, Campbell Woods, Catherine Kennedy, Cole Hatty, Colin Fowlie, Colourful Language, Dan Walsh, East Coast Yetis, Fat Moth, The Firey, Fill Head, Fractal Code, The Fundy Drifters, Geometic, Honey Gut, Jerry-Faye, Joel Strauss, Jon Lepp, Kristen Martell, Kylie Fox, Kait McKinley, Lester Slade, Marian, Matt Comeau, The Montgomery Street Band, NatBeast, Neil Morash, Nikkie Gallant, Not Now Madame, Oak Ash & Thorn, Patrick Reynolds, Pony Rouge, Pseudonaut. Red Fox, Rick Sparkes & the Enablers, Rory Taillon, Russ Robson, Sara Osborne, The Stonemasons, The Stratified, Terra Spencer, Track of Rock, The Vaudevillian, Wangled Teb, Wicked Vices, and Willie B.
The festival will also include living painting from Fredericton’s Midas Well Creations and a Writers Showcase hosted by Earthtone Lesbian, featuring readings from local writers Adam Scott, Greg Everett, Joel Mason, Maisie McNaughton, and Peter Gillet. Living Roots Music Festival will also include the Enchanted Bazaar art market, a Beer Yoga Class at Grimross hosted by Everyday Weekend, and the Living Roots “Little Sprouts” School Band Benefit Concert, which will be held on Sunday, May 31 at the Fredericton Playhouse.
The Living Roots “Little Sprouts” concert features special performances by Colin Fowlie, Rory Taillon, Black Suit Devil and more. This event will be closing the festival for the second year in a row and has some surprises in store for this year’s attendees. It also serves as a fundraiser for the Music In Schools program for Royal Road Elementary and Nashwaaksis Middle School programs.
As always, Living Roots Music Festival will also be celebrating the city itself, involving as many of Fredericton’s venues and special places as possible. You’ll be able to find shows at The Abbey Café, Cinnamon Café, the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, The Tipsy Muse, Grimross Brewing, The Royal Barbershop, The Cap, and the Fredericton Playhouse.
Festival Passes are $60 in advance (or $75 the week of). Passes may be purchased in advance online at etixnow.com or via etix kiosks at Grimross Brewing (600 Bishop Dr., Fredericton, NB) or at Graystone Brewing (221 King St., Fredericton, NB). Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Admission to all shows at The Cap includes access to the Capital Bar, the Wilser’s Room, and the Phoenix. All shows are 19+.