Future of iconic Red Rock Folk Fest unclear amid turmoil between town and board

RED ROCK, Ont. -- The town and board that host one of the best kept secrets on the country's folk festival scene are at an impasse, leaving the future of the iconic Red Rock Folk Festival with uncertainty.

While the town of Red Rock and Live from the Rock Folk Festival board say they want to make it work, it's unclear how or if that can happen in time for one of the region's biggest events.

"It will depend on whether the town will even give us access to the site," board chair Ray Rivard said.

For more than a decade thousands of music lovers have taken over Red Rock during the second weekend of August for Live from the Rock Folk Festival. Last May, well into the festival's planning season, the town of Red Rock told the festival board that fees for the marina and storage at Pull-A-Log Park were jumping from $1,500 to $6,500.

Rivard said uncertainties like that make it hard for the board to budget. So they headed to a town council meeting Monday night to ask for a memorandum on understanding.

"We would like to come up with something that lays out the roles and responsibilities of each side and what the costs are going to be for the next few years," he said.

Speaking to CFNO, mayor Gary Nelson said some changes need to be made first but wouldn't specify what those changes are.

"We're finding it hard to work with them," he said.

"Once these changes are made we will sit down with them and try and make things work out. It's something we never want to see leave Red Rock and I can guarantee you right now we won't let it leave Red Rock no matter what happens."
But Rivera said the changes are quite clear.

"He's asking that the board remove me as the chair and that the board provide the town our financials," he said.
The board will meet early next week to look at options.

"Our intention, just to be very clear is to have the festival happen. That's not to say that we're going to do everything and anything that people demand but it is our intention to do whatever we can to ensure that it continues," Rivard said.

The board has offered the town's economic development officer a seat on the board in the past. Rivard said that was declined.