Running a music festival is a perilous thing, a task that might be best left to ultra-optimistic, foolhardy dreamers. So many things can go wrong. The weather. Logistical breakdowns. Crowd control issues. It’s not a profession for the faint of heart. Most festivals eventually — and often quickly — flame out.

Canada has lost a few of them recently. Rifflandia, an excellent late-summer event in Victoria, B.C., has been cancelled for 2026 with no plans to bring it back. The Sound of Music Festival, held in Burlington, Ont., is no more, although it was replaced by the Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival. And Elora Riverfest, in Elora, Ont., one of the greatest small-town music festivals in the country, has folded.

And it’s not just a Canadian problem. Festivals across the U.S. and Europe have run into serious problems. Many of the small- and medium-sized events have either scaled back or gone dark entirely. In the U.K., at least 43 music festivals will not happen in 2026.

Some, though, have figured things out. The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island has been running continuously since 1959. Pinkpop in the Netherlands has been going since 1970. Same thing with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Glastonbury started in 1970, but has occasionally paused for “fallow years” every half-decade or so to allow Worthy Farm to regenerate.

There’s also Hamilton’s Festival of Friends, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at Gage Park in Hamilton starting this Friday and running through Sunday (July 31 to Aug 2). Fifty years is a major accomplishment. But what sets the festival apart is that it’s free. Anyone can attend for the entire weekend and not spend a single dollar. In today’s world, that’s an incredible strength, very unique. No wonder between 100,000 and 120,000 people show up every year.

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The first event was organized in 1976 by local artist and coffee shop owner Bill Powell. From his hippie hangout on Augusta Street, the first festival took shape.

The artist list from over the years is incredible. Stan Rogers, Bruce Cockburn, Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, Jane Siberry, Gord Downie, Don McLean, Dr. John and literally hundreds of others. There was a brief and unpopular detour to the Ancaster Fairgrounds in 2011 after the city declared that it had outgrown the park, but by 2017, it was back at its original home after things were patched up at city hall. The only year not to feature a Festival of Friends was 2020 because — well, you know why.

The current general manager is Robert Rakoczy, who marvels at the festival’s longevity and resilience. Of course, the fans and artists have a lot to do with it.

“One of the things that makes [Festival of Friends] work is that it was started organically by a bunch of hippies, “says Rakoczy. “They weren’t worried about the economics or financial success. That kind of mentality has allowed the festival to continue. It’s obviously changed over the years, but I think what we’ve been able to do is use a generational volunteer base that believes in what we do.

“It’s not a money-making endeavour, but obviously needs to make money,” he continues. “But it’s not here to make a profit. It’s here to celebrate art, and it’s surrounded by people who are very strongly in favour of that vision continuing.”

Everyone associated with the festival is realistic, too. Idealistic ventures like this usually fail because they don’t take into account the perils of the real world, from the realities of the need for sponsorships to the number of porta-potties needed. The hippie vision is long gone, but there’s still some of the spirit.

The first years were offered some objectively weird performers, as you can see from this 45-minute documentary on the inaugural year. Make sure you stick around for the dude doing his interpretative dance to … something.

Powell was dead against selling beer at the first festival. Only Canadian performers were booked until 2007. A big stage took over from the bandshell, which is now used as a secondary stage. A midway was added as a way to appeal to families. The vendor booths have evolved with the times and now there are more of them at Festival of Friends (at least 150) than you’ll find at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The variety of performers has changed, offering more than just the original folk styles.

This year’s lineup features Feist and Dallas Smith as headliners on the main stage. There are three other stages, children’s performers, and a 50th anniversary all-star concert taking place on the last day of the fest, which is expected to run for about two and a half hours.

Chantal Kreviazuk, Matt Mays, Bif Naked, Maestro Fresh We, Hawksley Workman, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), James and Scott from Finger Eleven, Dan Hill, Andy Kim, Teenage Head, Terra Lightfoot, Elliott Brood, Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness), Ashley MacIsaac and even Sharon of Sharon, Lois, and Bram will take part. The entire production will be hosted by Blackie & The Rodeo Kings. The full schedule can be found here.

The idealistic hippie spirit of music lives. And that should do our hearts some good.

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