um... sleep? no. but at least there's this to look forward to!

In just a few days, a gate will open, and people of all ages will wander the side of a grassy hill overlooking Lake Ontario. They’ll greet old friends, and settle themselves down to listen to some of the finest music out there.

Eventually though, they’ll have to stretch their legs.

And a little further down the hill, they’ll find another layer to the festival exists.

Not only is Shelter Valley Folk Festival a great place for exposure to some of today’s most exciting in Folk, Blues and Roots music, but it plays host to a fantastic selection of local artists.

The Artists’ Village opens up before you into a world of texture and colour. Original works of art share a space with their creators, giving opportunity for discussion and demonstration, while workshops invite guests to touch and take part in the creative process. A perennial favorite in the workshop department takes place Saturday afternoon, where folks are invited to express themselves in colour, guided and inspired by some of the festival’s musicians (this year with the musical group Po’Girl).

The juried show runs the duration of the festival and includes a mix of returning and new exhibitors covering a broad range of mediums. Tie-dye goes hand in hand with a folk festival, and returning Artist Rri Povey of Rrijoice-Tie-Dye takes the craft a little further. Povey hand stitches her patterns and designs before dying the fabric. Turtles, guitars, flowers and stars are some of her popular designs. A newcomer to the festival this year is Richard Cox, builder of beautiful Irish wooden flutes. Each instrument he builds is a work of art, beautiful to the eyes and the ears. Cox first heard of Shelter Valley Folk Festival from a friend who has been an Artist in the Village before, his friend spoke so highly of SVFF that Cox just had to apply.

So much waits to be found and experienced in the Artists’ Village...

Tickets are still on sale for the Labour Day weekend event, online at www.sheltervalley.com by phone at 905-355-1244, or in the downtown office on King St.