By Will Yannacoulias
Photo By Contingent Colours Photography
An iconic part of Saskatchewan’s arts & music history, the Regina Folk Festival comes home to Victoria Park for it’s 51st annual event after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. With day and night stages, workshops, demonstrations, children’s events and an estimated attendance of over 35000, the triumphant return of the Regina Folk Festival is being celebrated by the city and the entire Saskatchewan arts community.
34 artists are scheduled to appear, with headliners Buffy St. Marie, The New Pornographers, Lido Pimienta and Saskatchewan’s own Andy Shauf leading the way. NSMZ spoke to Aurora Wolfe of Dump Babes, a chill alt-rock act from Saskatoon who are appearing on the Folk Festival stage for the first time.
In April Dump Babes released their second album, niya kîminîcâkan, an impressive collection of songs more mature, arranged, complex and crafted than their scrappy, jammy 2020 debut. “We self-recorded our first album” Wolfe recalled. “We were applying for a bunch of festivals so we we were really in a hurry, I think we finished recording in three days. That first album feels rushed to me, like we didn’t take a lot of time. With niya kîminîcâkan it was really nice to approach things more patiently, we went into Rec Hall with Barrett Ross and asked him to take on a role as a producer. He had a lot of ideas and guidance that I feel really shaped the album.”
The band has undergone a lineup change since the niya kîminîcâkan sessions, with Grimelda guitarist Skyler Cafferata replacing outgoing co-founder Derek Farrier. “I’ve known Skyler since I was seven years old” Wolfe shared. “It’s been fun to bring in some more of that Mortlach energy. We’ve written one song together and started working on a few more. It’s been really exciting and awesome to have his input.”
The latest addition to the Dump Babes lineup is Shirley & The Pyramids guitarist Aron Zacharias, who assumes bass duties after the passing of much-loved co-founder Jill Mack in March. “Aron is a cool guy we’ve known for a long time” Wolfe said. “He’s easy to work with and a rippin’ bass player. He’s told me that he’s filling in but I’ve decided that I’m trapping him forever and he’s not allowed to leave!”
Aurora Wolfe, Eric MacNeill, Skyler Cafferata and Aron Zacharias are set to take the stage at the 51st Regina Folk Festival on both August 6th and 7th. For more information visit: