Experience Our 2013 Festival - July 19 to July 21, 2013
Home County Music and Art Festival celebrates 40 years of being London’s premier summer festival. Forty years of music, art and food, as always in downtown London’s beautiful Victoria Park. This ‘admission by donation’ event features 25 of Canada’s best roots, traditional and indie folk/pop acts.
The festival site is wheelchair accessible and close to Richmond Row shopping and downtown hotels.
Mission:
The Home County Folk League presents a premier summer Music and Arts Festival and related Home County Folk League activities throughout the year. The League engages loyal patrons along with new generations in the appreciation and promotion of Canadian musicians and artisans. The League endeavors throughout the year to include an Artists in the Schools program and a Community Concert Series. The League strives to ensure environmentally friendly choices
Vision Statement:
The Home County Folk League will create outstanding opportunities for the London and area community to celebrate juried Canadian music and hand-crafted art in a premier summer festival. The League will continue to celebrate traditional folk/roots music and will promote emerging Canadian artists. The Home County Music and Arts Festival will be recognized as a leading destination festival. The League will become financially self-sustaining.
Show your support for the 40th annual Home County Folk Festival!
Home County Folk Festival does not charge an admission fee, but needs increasing public support through individual donations in order to continue to produce this great Canadian event.
In 2013, as in past years, we encourage those who enjoy the festival to donate a minimum of $5 per day.
Watch for our donation campaign at park entrances. You can also donate whenever the Morris dancers or festival volunteers collect donations at the stages.
Please support this family-friendly, non-profit event, operated by a community organization and administered by a volunteer Board of Directors and over 300 volunteers!
Donations may be made online through Canada Helps, via cash/cheque or credit card at our Information Booths, or by sending a cheque to:
1017 Western Rd. London, Ontario N6G 1G5
A receipt will be issued for any donation of $20 or more.
Thank you for your support!
2009 Pillar Award for Environmental Impact
2009 London Green Festivals Gold Award
In 2009, Home County Folk Festival was awarded at the Municipal Waste Association’s Annual Promotion & Educations Awards for Best Grassroots Campaign 2009.
2008 Recycling Council of Ontario Gold Award
The environment is a top priority for the Home County Folk Festival. In 2008, a new Greening initiative was introduced between the City of London, Waste Free World and other festivals to reduce the environmental impact festivals produce in waste. Successfully, Home County diverted 70% of the waste from going to landfill. These achievements resulted in the RCO Gold Award being awarded to the greening committee.
2007 Londons Featured Community Organization
In 2007, The City of London honoured Home County Folk Festival with this prestigious award for valuable contributions to the community.
Funding and Sustainability
Funds to operate Home County Folk Festival are raised through the vendors fees paid by craft artists and food vendors, grants from the local, provincial and federal governments, goods sold by Home County (programs and merchandise), donations by the audience and corporate sponsorship as well as concerts held throughout the year.
Our budget is developed annually and every effort is made to pay all expenses in the year they are incurred and to have funds to prepare for the next festival year as well as to cover the ongoing costs (insurance, office expenses, etc).
Our Mission:
Home County Folk League, a non-profit organization, was formed in 1973 to produce the Home County Folk Festival.
The League presents a premier summer Music and Arts Festival and related Home County Folk League activities throughout the year.
The League engages loyal patrons along with new generations in the appreciation and promotion of Canadian musicians and artisans.
The League endeavors throughout the year to include an Artists in the Schools program and a community concert series.
The League strives to ensure environmentally friendly choices.
Our Vision:
The Home County Folk League will create outstanding opportunities for the London and area community to celebrate juried Canadian music and hand-crafted art in a premier summer festival.
The League will continue to celebrate traditional folk/roots music and will promote emerging Canadian artists. The Home County Music and Arts Festival will be recognized as a leading destination festival.
The League will become financially self-sustaining.
“Wow!!! Ten hours on the road Friday and ten hours today, were so amazingly worth the privilege of sharing in your Home County Festival. You have created a phenomenal, community enriching experience for your neighbors. It was easy to observe and feel the camaraderie and warmth of spirit among your concert goers as we soaked up as much of the workshops as we could crowd into each day. Your breadth of offerings was exquisite. The ease with which everyone could move around, get anything they needed comfortably, and the care and tending exhibited by your staff show great skill, experience, training and attention to detail. I know the production and promotion ropes, and have the scars and joys to show, so I am very comfortable in praising you to the hilt. The folks of the London area are extraordinarily fortunate to have you in their midst. Thanks“
- Karl and Doris Bittenbender
Orange, Massachusetts
July 18, 2011
Q:Where does the name Home County come from?
A:“Home counties” is an informal phrase used to designate the group of South East England counties that border or surround London, England. The home counties have no official definition but are usually understood as coinciding with the London commuter belt or the London Metropolitan Area. In England in 1926, the Home Counties (Music and Dancing) Licensing Act regulated activities in all parts of Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey within 20 miles of the City of London. (source – Webster’s Online Dictionary)
Based on this geographical concept, our founding festival organizers came up with the name H.O.M.E. County in 1974, as an acronym for Huron, Oxford, Middlesex, Elgin — the four counties in southwestern Ontario surrounding the city of London and area.
