Organizers of a new festival celebrating old-time music and dance in Saskatchewan have officially launched ticket sales for the first-ever Biggar Old Time Music Festival, set to run June 6–8, 2025.
Branded as “Saskatchewan’s 21st Century Polkafest,” the three-day event promises a blend of community, music and family fun at the Biggar Community Hall.
“We're overwhelmingly excited and honoured to be bringing this event to life,” said Miguel Fenrich, chair of the festival committee. “This first-year festival hones in on Saskatchewan’s heritage and celebrates music, dance and community.”
Fenrich said the event is a modern revival of old-time music styles such as polkas, waltzes and foxtrots, at a time when the genre has seen declining support in the province. The goal, he said, is to create an inclusive, family-friendly space where live performance and Saskatchewan’s musical roots can thrive.
The event is being organized by a sub-committee of the Biggar Saturday Night Dance Club (BSNDC), a group that has worked to promote old-time music and dancing in rural Saskatchewan for more than 35 years.
Featured performers include grassroots musicians from across the province, such as Leon Ochs (Landis), Sylvia and Dean (Prince Albert), Dennis Ficor (Regina), The Zayshleys (Yorkton), and Norm & the Golden Aces (Northwest Sask.), with a combined 150 years of experience in community venues. The weekend will wrap with a headliner performance by Métis fiddler and award-winning artist JJ Lavallee and his band.
In addition to music, the festival will feature a range of community-oriented activities, including beginner and advanced dance lessons, a 1950s-themed canteen, a vintage market, a silent auction, a historic display by the Biggar Museum and Gallery, and a variety of free family activities such as a kids' area and street buskers.
A full schedule and details are available at www.oldtimemusicfestival.ca.
Early bird weekend passes are available for $70 until May 1, after which weekend passes will be $80. Day passes range from $20 to $35 depending on the day, and youth aged 15 and under are admitted free with a guardian. Tickets are available online through Eventbrite.
Organizers also thanked several partners and sponsors for supporting the event, including SaskLotteries, SK Arts, Dance Saskatchewan, the Town of Biggar, Duperow Co-op, the Biggar Independent, and Biggar Insurance Agencies.
“This is a festival founded on the principles of community, led by community and supporting the community,” Fenrich said. “We hope everyone comes and joins us in celebrating culture, connection and the revival of old-time music in Saskatchewan.”