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Al & Pals will be parading through Sackville at 2:30 PM at the Bridge Street Tent! Come meet us at the back of the tent at 2:15 PM to get ready for the celebration!
No floats, only levitation with joy. Must be willing to wander in the company of bandleaders and children on parade. Bring your own instrument, voices included! Children’s music dance party with DJ Sky Rat and DJ Roof Troll to follow. Costumes welcome. You, reading these words, are welcome. Absolutely no kazoos.
The clock strikes midnight on Sappyfest Saturday. Inspired by all the great music surrounding you, you search for a way to test your singing chops. Bring your enthusiasm to our host of Sappy Karaoke Graeme Patterson and Geordie Miller. Sappy Karaoke takes place at the Royal Canadian Legion at 12am on Saturday. All participants are encouraged to participate through singing, dancing, chuck and jiving and watching for surprise guest appearances!
The hosts will clean and provide protective coverings for all of the microphones before each performance. Participants can visit karafun.com/karaoke/ to view the catalogue as there will not be physical copies at the event. With all the wonderful music around you we can’t wait to hear the music you bring forth at Karaoke. See you there!
Sappyfest was recently featured in weekly Canadian indie rock newsletter Some Party, curated by author Adam White. He describes it as an “act of therapy”, a Swamp Magic talisman with which he wards off misfortune, embarked upon just before leaving his home in Ontario and coming to the East Coast. Not only does Adam profile every single artist coming to Sappyfest 17, but he also manages to squeeze in interviews with Vancouver band Tough Age and Sackville local Klarka Weinwurm. You can read the article here: https://www.someparty.ca/2022-07-23-guide-to-sappyfest-17/
A photo of Jay Crocker. He is wearing a pansy-print blazer with fringe, a pink shirt, beige pants, and stands against a blue sky with clouds. Photo by Johanna Hayes
So you may have noticed the Surprise Show on the schedule, featuring an artist rhyming with BOY GULL SQUAWK. (We hope you appreciate our sense of humour.) But the jig is up. We can’t hide it any longer. We’re bursting at the seams to share that JOYFULTALK is performing at Ducky’s on Saturday!
JOYFULTALK is the brainchild of composer, producer, arranger, instrument builder, multi-instrumentalist and multimedia artist Jay Crocker. Since relocating from Calgary to a rural Nova Scotia homestead a decade ago, Crocker has been broadening the scope and pace of his work in tandem with his musical exploration. He creates instrumental compositions that straddle analog and electronic sound explorations. Guided by graphic scores, handmade kinetic sculpture, and the junked/recuperated, Crocker weaves between human interaction and machine clockworks.
Doors at 12:00am! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!
A photo of Jay Crocker, wearing a purple pansy-print blazer with fringe, a pink shirt and beige pants, standing against a blue sky backdrop with clouds. Photo by Johanna Hayes
So you may have noticed the Surprise Show on the schedule, featuring an artist rhyming with BOY GULL SQUAWK. (We hope you appreciate our sense of humour). But the jig is up. We can’t hide it any longer. We’re bursting at the seams to share that JOYFULTALK is performing at Ducky’s on Saturday!
JOYFULTALK is the brainchild of composer, producer, arranger, instrument builder, multi-instrumentalist and multimedia artist Jay Crocker. Since relocating from Calgary to a rural Nova Scotia homestead a decade ago, Crocker has been broadening the scope and pace of his work in tandem with his musical exploration. He creates instrumental compositions that straddle analog and electronic sound explorations. Guided by graphic scores, handmade kinetic sculpture, and the junked/recuperated, Crocker weaves between human interaction and machine clockworks.
Doors at 12:00am! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!
A photo of Jamie Kronick of the Phonoautomat, a self-powered, mobile instant recording booth. Has the appearance of a white trailer with a blue stripe pulled by a black van, sitting in a field of lupins against a blue sky with clouds.
The Phonoautomat is a solar-powered mobile recording studio built by engineer Jake Nicoll (The Burning Hell, Kelly McMichael) and manned by Jake, Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom (The Burning Hell). Sign up for a half-hour session, step into The Phonoautomat, and record 5 minutes of material in a fully analog chain, copied onto four limited edition cassettes for you and your band. While you wait for your song to be mixed (quickly!), make your album art in the art lounge outside and walk away with four rare cassingles for keeps or trade. The Phonoautomat is equipped with a backline and instruments: all you have to bring is the music!
Want a B-Side? Come to the Phonoautomat with another band's tape and get their track dubbed onto the other side of the cassette.
Jake, Ariel and Mathias will be operating the Phonoautomat from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Saturday and Sunday at Sappyfest! Come visit the Rod Allen Co. Parking Lot (Struts Gallery) for more details!
Please join us on Saturday, July 30th from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM for Co-Creating Care: Accessibility, Safety and Wellbeing in the Arts, a Panel Discussion presented in partnership with Struts Gallery.
Moderated by Kate Lahey of Weary, Kim Edgar (Bird Feet), Ami Dang, Daniel Monkman, Adam Sturgeon (OMBIIGIZI) and Ysabelle Vautour come together in this artist-focused panel to imagine radical possibilities for change and transformation in the areas of accessibility, care, safety, collectivity, and wellbeing. Panelists share strategies, insights, dreams, and interventions on the broad themes of disability, chronic illness, mental illness, addictions, healing, and resistance from their own unique perspectives.
Location: Royal Canadian Legion, 15 Lorne Street, Sackville NB, main floor
Cost: Free - no Sappyfest or pass required
Access notes:
The venue is a community space within a bar, however, alcohol will NOT be served during the event. There are VLT’s on site, in the back corner, out of sight from the panel area. You must pass by these to enter the space.
Please note that this event may discuss topics that are triggering to you. You may leave any time you need to. There is no pressure to stay for the duration.
Level cement entry, wide door, no automated button to open. Once inside, there is a second door to enter, again, no automated button to open. Washrooms on the main floor are gendered, each with a wheelchair accessible stall. A single occupancy gender neutral wheelchair accessible bathroom is located upstairs. If you need to access the second floor, there is a wheelchair accessible lift that is key operated. You must ask a legion staff member for the key. The main area is an open room with flexible seating configurations and plenty of room for wheelchairs.
Panelists will be mic’d. Mini whiteboards will be on hand. Chairs safe for 300-400lbs pounds, including chairs without arms on site. Large print panel descriptions and crisis support resources will be on hand.
This is a scent-free event. Please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, essential oils, scented sanitizer, etc.
This panel will not be recorded and posted online.
Like all Sappyfest 17 events, masks are required unless actively eating or drinking.
Due to sensory sensitivities, if you need to eat something while attending this panel, please move away from the main audience area and have your snack quietly. Please refrain from chewing gum while at this event.
Panelists:
Kate Lahey (Weary) - Moderator
Kate Lahey lives in Holyrood, NL in a saltbox on the ocean with their partner and dog. Kate is the frontperson of Weary, who is playing at Sappy! Kate is also a course instructor at the Gender Studies department at Memorial University of Newfoundland, a PhD candidate at the Women and Gender Studies Institute, University of Toronto, a board member of Girls RockNL, and a community arts organizer. They have a permanent disability, mental illness and are in recovery/sober since February 2020.
Kim Edgar (Bird Feet) - Panelist
Kimberly Edgar (aka Bird Feet), is a visual artist and musician based on Tr’ondek Hwech’in land in so-called Dawson City, Yukon. Their work reflects on experiences of both the medical system and the ennui that comes with being sick with no end. Kim’s work envisions the sacred nature of thresholds, and how those who occupy or cross these liminal spaces, such as trans and disabled people, hold a special kind of knowledge.
Ysabelle Vautour - Panelist
Ysabelle Vautour is an interdisciplinary artist and founder of the NB Disability Art Collective. A graduate of Artslink’s Catapult Arts Accelerator Program, Ysabelle explores accessibility and ableism in a fun and playful way through visual and installation art. The legally blind artist collaborated with Theatre New Brunswick and the JRG Art Society for the Arts on Atlantic Canada’s first Disability Arts Symposium, has had several solo exhibitions, served as the artist residence at the Fredericton Arts alliance and Connexion ARC, and was awarded an Artsnb artist in residence grant to work with the NB Coalition with Persons with Disabilities.
Daniel Monkman (OMBIIGIZI, Zoon) - Panelist
Daniel Monkman (OMBIIGIZI, Zoon) is an acclaimed Anishnaabe artist whose artist moniker comes from the Ojibway word Zoongide’ewin, which means “bravery, courage, the Bear Spirit.” Daniel has spent the better part of his 28 years channeling that courage in the face of deep adversity. Daniel’s music paints a message of hope and fortitude, lessons he learned studying the Seven Grandfather teachings after experiencing the lowest point of his life.
Born and raised in Selkirk, Manitoba, a small prison town outside of Winnipeg he describes as “one of the roughest places,” Monkman has faced an uphill battle his whole life. But with the spiritual guidance he learned from 12-step therapy, Monkman entered into recovery and began to follow a passion for music he discovered from a young age growing up within the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation.
Adam Sturgeon (OMBIIGIZI, Status/Non-Status) - Panelist
Adam Sturgeon (Nme’) is an Anishinaabe artist and community worker who spent a decade carving a path through Canada’s DIY scene before leveling up with the acclaimed Status/Non-Status long player album Warrior Down (You’ve Changed Records). This album tells us about colonial injustice loudly and confronted Sturgeon’s complex family history and identity.
Adam is ‘non-status’ as defined by the Canadian government, as a result of his grandfather’s difficult decision to enfranchise and enlist in the Armed Forces to support his family. Enfranchisement was a pillar of the government’s assimilation policy and a requirement for any Indigenous person who wished to enlist. These acts of colonial violence have resulted in disconnection amongst generations of Indigenous people from their communities, languages, land, and identities. Today, voices like Adam are rising up and — through acts of reclamation via art, language, music, and community — taking back spaces that have been dominated by settler culture for so many years.
Ami Dang - Panelist
Amrita “Ami” Kaur Dang is a South Asian-American vocalist, sitarist, composer and producer from Baltimore. Her work references her hybrid identity as a first-generation South Asian-American, Sikh upbringing, musical education, as well as the chaos and spirituality of the landscapes of both Baltimore and urban India. Picking up her first sitar when she was twelve years old, Dang has studied North Indian classical music (voice and sitar) in both New Delhi and Maryland, and she also holds a degree in music technology & composition from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Following in the footsteps of artists like Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass, she seeks to advance the sound of contemporary experimental, pop, and electronic music with the sounds of South Asia and vice versa. She aims to bring a broader sound palette to the legacy of South Asian music. These goals are a lifelong mission.
After contributing a track to the compilation Healing Together: A Compilation for Mental Health Recovery, featuring 23 ambient-electronic artists from around the world, Ami spoke publicly for the first time about her experiences with persistent depressive disorder. Ami’s track was inspired by her struggles with depression, something that was swept under the rug her entire life. Noting that as a society we have begun to more openly discuss mental health issues, Ami is empowered to speak up.
Text reading “wear a mask” in droopy, melty font with bright colours against a beige background.
Though we have returned to an in-person festival, we understand that the pandemic is still ongoing. In the spirit of community care and to help protect our team, artists, and audiences, masks are required at Sappyfest 17 except when actively eating or drinking.
Please practice good hand hygiene, cough or sneeze into your arm (yes, even when wearing a mask), practice consent when touching people (ask for those hugs and handshakes!),give people the space they need and stay home if you are experiencing ANY symptoms!
Wearing a cloth mask or forgot your mask? Not a problem. Grab some kn95’s from our box office or at any Sappyfest venue. We encourage N95 masking. We also have a supply of rapid tests available for anyone in need at our box office!
Sappy-goers who begin experiencing symptoms during the festival should leave and isolate immediately. There will be signage throughout the festival reminding attendees of our COVID-19 protocols.
Thank you for your understanding and compassion!
Planning your trip to Sappyfest, but not sure when your favourite artist is playing? Want to catch the Mini Zines and Mighty Buttons workshop? Looking forward to poetry readings, art exhibits, panels, movies, softball, farmers’ markets, fashion, food, and parades? Does your heart yearn for Sappy Karaoke? Do all of these things apply to you and more?
Our schedule is finally here! Check the Schedule of Events here. Make sure you don’t miss out!
We’re never quite done! With much excitement, please offer up a warm welcome to these very special artists:
Michael C. Duguay ft. New Hermitage & Joyful Joyful, bringing a unique, unprecedented performance assembled for Sappyfest. Imagine spontaneous, improvised arrangements of Michael's songs and poems featuring voice, electronics, guitar, saxophone, cello, and more.
Harris McSheffery, a highly talented and dearly cherished Sackville-based multi-instrumentalist bringing his originals and incredibly special covers of Sappy artists (Julie Doiron, Juice Girls!!) to Struts Gallery Community BBQ on Friday at noon! With many thanks to Open Sky Cooperative!
Zaki Ibrahim, bringing her hypercurious process of transposing atomic-level details into big ideas, merging elements of hip hop, soul, house and 70s pop together, filtered through the prismatic and often contradictory lenses of personal, historical and scientific relativities.
Valmy, who’s been chasing the ocean and finding a home on the East Coast, bringing her folk-inspired music to tell stories about loving and stumbling your way through the dark.
We are so excited to see so many faces, old and new, near and far, joining us here in the marshlands. You can find day passes and weekend passes on sale on our website. Schedule coming very, very soon, we promise! What you can expect: joy, reunion, community, music, art, dreams, and lots of birds.
Art by our amazing resident artist Amery Sandford!
A piece by Yukon artist Kimberly Edgar, titled What You Had to Kill Within Yourself to Survive, done in acrylic ink, watercolour, and pencil crayon.
Kimberly Edgar | Altar to the Threshold
Struts Gallery exhibit, 12-6 PM July 26th-August 13th
In partnership with Sappyfest, Struts Gallery is hosting an exhibition of drawings by Kimberly Edgar (aka Bird Feet), a visual artist and musician based on Tr’ondek Hwech’in land in so-called Dawson City, Yukon. Their work reflects on experiences of both the medical system and the ennui that comes with being sick with no end. Kim’s work envisions the sacred nature of thresholds, and how those who occupy or cross these liminal spaces, such as trans and disabled people, hold a special kind of knowledge.
A recipient of grants from CUE, Canada Council, Culture Quest, and the Advanced Artist Award, Kim also has pieces in the Yukon Permanent Art Collection and the Ottawa Direct Purchase Program. They hold two Broken Pencil Awards for Best Comic, and have been nominated for two Doug Wright Awards for their comic The Space in Between (2020). Kim is the founder of the small comics press Hecate Press, dedicated to celebrating northern comic artists and building opportunities for them to get paid work.
To see more of Kim’s work, click here.
Are you unable to make it for the whole weekend of Sappyfest, but really looking forward to seeing your all-time favourite artist or discovering your new favourite? We are excited to announce that Day Passes are now on sale on our website!
We’re still finalizing our full schedule, but some of the incredible artists you can expect each day are:
Friday July 29th - Julie Doiron, Hot Garbage, and Weird Lines
Saturday July 30th - Ami Dang, Sook-Yin Lee, Steven Lambke, and Cedric Noel
Sunday July 31st - Circuit des Yeux, Mister Monark [include full name once confirmed], and Klarka Weinwurm
Book your Day Passes for Sappyfest 17: http://www.sappyfest.com/tickets
We look forward to seeing you!
Are you in need of a place to stay during Sappyfest 17: July 29 - 31?
The Mount Allison University Dorm Rooms are now available for booking. They offer affordable rates, wireless internet, comfortable and quiet/private rooms, all within a kilometre radius of the festival grounds, local shops, businesses, and restaurants.
Click HERE to reserve your room(s) now!
Sappyfest is looking for participants for this year's Zine Fair scheduled for Saturday, July 30th from 12-4PM. We welcome all, zinesters, crafters, printmakers, publishers, writers and other creative types to sign up and sell your amazing works..
There will be a $15 registration fee (due the day of). Click HERE to register. We look forward to this event every year and can’t wait to see what you put forward!If you have any questions or difficulties filling out the form please email Thor, Festival Operations Intern at festivaloperations@sappyfest.com .
Always evolving and never quite done, we’re continuing to expand our 2022 lineup with old friends and exciting discoveries. Welcome Colleen Coco Collins, Hot Garbage, Jake Nicoll, José Contreras, Julie Doiron, Kierrah, Mister Monark & We The B Sides, Steven Lambke, The Burning Hell, Tough Age, and Weird Lines, joining previously announced artists Ami Dang, Apollo Ghosts, Bird Feet, Cedric Noel, Circuit des Yeux, Jon McKiel, Kelly McMichael, Klarka Weinwurm, Lee & Gamble Unlimited, OMBIIGIZI, Sook-Yin Lee, Weary, and Wolf Castle.
We are thrilled to welcome home some of the dear family that has made Sappyfest what it is and what it has come to be, and to invite new artists to this wonderful, annual reunion.
Sappyfest 17 will also host The Phonoautomat - a miniature, instant recording booth where you can record up to five minutes of anything you like and walk away with physical copies on cassette. Completely solar-powered, mobile, self-contained, and off the grid, the Phonoautomat is built into a 1970s camper trailer, and comes complete with backline (drums and amplifiers), a fully analog recording studio, and a cassette duplicator. Built and run by engineer Jake Nicoll and his assistants Ariel Sharratt and Mathias Kom, the Phonoautomat is open for spontaneous collaborations, music, spoken word, poetry, sound art, audio collage: the possibilities are endless.
Weekend passes are on sale at www.sappyfest.com/tickets. Passes are $124.99 (taxes and fees included).
Art by Amery Sandford.
A reminder that we are hiring a Production Assistant Intern! Interested? Check out the posting below and apply asap! Interviews begin June 27th!
Position Title: Production Assistant Intern
Duration of opportunity: 8 weeks
Anticipated start date: As soon as possible
Hours and wage: 35 hours/week @ $15.00/hour
Requirements: Must have access to own laptop & phone - stipend will be provided
ABOUT US
SappyFest Inc. is a community-run organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors. We promote art and culture in Sackville, New Brunswick, and Atlantic Canada, focusing on the organization and presentation of Sappyfest, a three-day music and arts festival. The annual festival brings the community together to experience a multi-disciplinary program of regional, national, and international artists. Built on a foundation of non-hierarchical programming, Sappyfest facilitates meaningful conversations and lasting connections between artists and audiences of all ages and backgrounds. We provide employment and volunteer opportunities for students and young people, creating valuable experiences within the arts and cultural sector.
TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Production Assistant will work directly with Sappyfest staff and the Board of Directors on the production of the 17th annual festival - July 29-31, 2022 and other summer programming. The internship is an opportunity to work in a creative and engaging environment within the Sackville community and will provide excellent event production and leadership experience while developing skills in communications, project administration, and creative problem-solving.
Tasks and Responsibilities include communication and coordination with technical and logistical suppliers and venues, communication with artists and their representatives regarding technical and organizational requirements, supporting festival production logistics, liaising with the municipality of Sackville, local businesses, and other key stakeholders, and supporting the Creative Director and Festival Operations Intern as needed. In addition, the Production Assistant may assist in documenting festival activities and other duties assigned. All team members will assist with day-to-day office tasks.
The successful applicant will be a detail-oriented clear communicator with an eye for logistics, and will be comfortable representing Sappyfest in a kind and respectful manner. Strong organizational skills and cultural sensitivity are required. They will be able to work independently on tasks and collaboratively, take initiative, and exhibit creativity, enthusiasm, and curiosity. Experience using Google Sheets or Excel, email, and various social media platforms is required. A valid driver's license and access to a vehicle are considered an asset but not a requirement of the position.
The position will require some weeknight evenings leading up to the festival for meetings and full availability through the festival weekend.
ELIGIBILITY
This position is funded through the Government of Canada via the Canada Summer Jobs program. As such, applicants must:
Be between 19 and 30 years of age at the start of employment period*
Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment**
Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
*Applicants may be over 30 at the END of the employment period as long as they were under 30 at the beginning of the employment period.
**International students are not eligible participants. International students include anyone who is temporarily in Canada for studies and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada. Youth awaiting a refugee status ruling, as well as those who hold a temporary visitor visa, youth visa or work visa are ineligible. As the objective of the Canada Summer Jobs program is to support youth entering the Canadian labour market, the temporary nature of an international student’s time in Canada does not allow for a long-term connection to the labour market.
TO APPLY
Please submit your resume with two references to director@sappyfest.com with the subject line “Production Assistant Application.” Cover letters are not mandatory but if you opt not to include one, please tell us a bit about yourself in your email. Interviews will begin June 27th.
Sappyfest is committed to employment equity and welcomes applications from all self-identified equity-seeking people who meet the required job qualifications. You may self-identify within your email, cover letter, or resume - whichever feels best for you, but it is not a requirement. When an applicant voluntarily discloses this information, it will be kept confidential. Disclosure and/or self-identification will not lead to advantageous treatment of an applicant who is not qualified.
Please contact us at the above address with any questions you may have, and let us know if there are accessibility accommodations you may require in the application and interview process. Interview questions will be provided in advance.
The sun has returned to Sackville and with it comes warmth, jorts and cold beverages! This can only mean one thing – Sappyfest is just around the corner.
This call goes out to Sackville residents with space in their homes who are interested in hosting visiting festival artists. Any space to comfortably and safely sleep is truly appreciated, whether it is a bed, couch, or air mattress. Please let us know if time and space grace you with this special power! Each year we rely on the kindness of folks like you to open their homes. We ensure appropriate matches, nice times, and lasting connections.
If you are interested in VOLUNTEERING, please apply here.
If you are interested in VENDING, please apply here.
We are excited to invite vendors to participate in Sappyfest - July 29th - 31st, 2022. The Sappy Street Market is an essential component for the festival experience, and it provides an opportunity for guests to check out local food and fare. With over 1000 attendees expected to visit Sackville throughout the festival weekend, we hope your business is able to take advantage of the increased traffic. Our market will run all weekend near the main stage on Bridge Street. It will feature a number of food and non-food vendors. If you're interested in selling food or other goods at our festival site on Bridge Street, please find rates, details, and a registration form HERE!
Attention Sappy friends and family! Perfect summer nights are returning to the swamp with Sappyfest 17 approaching and we need your help to make sure everything runs safely and smoothly! Would you like to volunteer your time and talents? If so, just follow these three simple steps for the best Sappy summer ever:
Help make Sappyfest 17 the best, make new friends, and have a good time while you're doing it!
Get. Tickets. for. Free.
Sappyfest is made possible through all of your contributions! Thank you for being a part of it and keeping Sappy forever, forever!
Today we are excited to share that Apollo Ghosts, Bird Feet, Jon McKiel, Klarka Weinwurm, Lee & Gamble Unlimited, Sook-Yin Lee, and Weary are among the many artists coming to play in the marshes of Sackville, NB! Old friends and new friends alike bring their open hearts and big smarts. Sappyfest 17 will also host a special screening of DEATH AND SICKNESS and WHO CARES?, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Sook-Yin Lee and Dylan Gamble (Lee & Gamble Unlimited).
These artists add to our artist announcement from last week, which includes the incredible Ami Dang, Cedric Noel, Circuit des Yeux, Kelly McMichael, OMBIIGIZI and WOLF CASTLE. Please visit our artist page to learn more about these special people and visit our ticket page to purchase your weekend pass!