Awards

We are proud to be a part of an incredible community that includes volunteers and artists.

They are truly the backbone of Folk Fest and set the stage for the Festival to be the beautiful celebration of people and music it is. To be able to recognize iconic artists with the Artistic Achievement Award and devoted volunteers with the Glass Banjo is a tremendous honour for us.

Awards Received
2025-26

Community Service Award - City of Winnipeg

2023-24

Tourism Awards Winnipeg | Manitoba - 2023 Sustainable Tourism (Winnipeg)

2022-23

Tourism Awards Winnipeg | Manitoba - 2022 Marketing Campaign of the Year (Manitoba)

2020-2021

Western Canadian Music Awards - Impact in Live Music

2018-2019

Travel Manitoba Tourism Awards - Event of the Year (Budget over $5000)

Tourism Winnipeg Awards of Distinction - Winnipeg Tourism Marketing Campaign (over $2500)

International Folk Music Awards - Clearwater Award

Live Music Industry Awards (Canadian Music Week) - Community Impact Award

2017 - 2018

Travel Manitoba Tourism Awards - Manitoba Tourism Partnership Award with Birds Hill Provincial Park

#4 on BizBash Top 100 Events in Canada - Music Event

2016 - 2017

Best Family Program at a Festival by Canadian Music Week

Best of Winnipeg: Reader's Choice Award - Winnipeg Free Press

#7 on BizBash Top 100 Events in Canada list

RV West Reader's Choice for Favourite Festival You'd Like to Attend WIth Your RV - Manitoba

Well done, Winnipeg! We have been voted one of the top 20 places to visit in the world by National Geographic in 2016! And their extra-special mention of Folk Fest had us feeling all aglow!

2015 - 2016

Travel Manitoba Award for Volunteer of the Year: Jane Graham

Voted Favourite Manitoba Festival by The Uniter

#9 on BizBash Top 100 Events in Canada list

2014 - 2015

Volunteer Manitoba Awards – The Friesen Family: Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Family IMPACT Award

Tourism Winnipeg Awards of Distinction: Large Business of the Year Award

Voted Favourite Manitoba Festival by The Uniter

2013 - 2014

A Greener Festival Award for sustainability initiatives

Volunteer Manitoba Awards – Harry Paine in the Lieutenant Governor’s Make a Difference Community Award category and Karen Dana in the William Norrie Award for Outstanding Community Leadership (Urban) category

Voted Favourite Manitoba Festival by The Uniter

2012 - 2013

Manitoba Access Awareness Week 2012 recognition for outstanding contribution toward creating a fully inclusive society

Syverson Monteyne Architecture Awarded 2012 Prairie Wood Design Award for La Cuisine and Site Office Complex

2012 Manitoba Round Table for Sustainable Development Excellence in Sustainability Awards Honourable Mention in the Category of Pollution Prevention and Product Stewardship

Syverson Monteyne Architecture – Award of Excellence 2012 Prairie Design Awards for design of La Cuisine

2011-2012

Manitoba Tourism Awards - Event of the Year – co-won with Folklorama

Aging Recognition Award for Guest for a Day program from Manitoba Council on Aging for extraordinary contributions to intergenerational interaction

Western Canadian Music Award – Talent Buyer of the Year for Chris Frayer

Golden Carrot award. Nominated by Food Matters Manitoba for contributing to food sustainability in Manitoba.

2010-2011

Tourism Winnipeg’s Award of Distinction, recognizing the contribution of the festival to Winnipeg’s tourism industry.

2009-2010

Ava Kobrinsky and Mitch Podolak received Arts Award “Making a Difference” from Winnipeg Arts Council for creation of the Winnipeg Centennial Folk Festival. Presented by Sam Katz at the 2010 Mayor’s Luncheon of the Arts

2008-2009

Event of the Year from Tourism Industry Association of Canada. Nominated by Travel Manitoba.

Winnipeg Folk Festival signed the Manitoba Food Charter and initiated the L.O.F.T. (local, organic, fair-trade) program in the vendor and Folk Fest food areas.

Hilderman Thomas Frank Cram awarded a Regional Citation from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Awards of Excellence for the Winnipeg Folk Festival Site Master Plan

2007-2008

Premier’s Volunteer Service Award to festival’s 30-year volunteers

Three Signature Awards from Advertising Association of Winnipeg to design firm Relish Design for 2007 Folk Fest advertising campaign posters and program book.

Up! Value Award from West Jet – Event Category winner

2006-2007

Uptown’s Best of Winnipeg – Best Festival

Folk Alliance – Best Festival

2004-2005

Uptown’s Best of Winnipeg – Best Festival

2003

Western Canadian Music Award – Retail Store of the Year

2002

Prairie Music Award – Retail Store of the Year

1995

Signature Award – Best Poster Design

Glass Banjo

The Glass Banjo Award is the Winnipeg Folk Festival’s highest honour, recognizing volunteers, supporters, partners and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to making the Festival what it is.

Past Recipients

2024

Howard Mandshein (Donor)

Mark & Eunson Family (Volunteers)

2023

Lloyd Peterson (Volunteers)

Lisa Sinnicks (Volunteers)

2022

Candice Masters (Volunteer)

The Asper Foundation (Sponsor)

2019

Manitoba Federation of Labour (Sponsor)

Whales Tails™ (Food Vendor)

2018

Elder Mae Louise Campbell

2017

Bob Martin (Audience Services Coordinator)

Firebugs (HMV)

Redd Line Jewellery (HMV)

ZAM!! (HMV)

2016

Bob Frayer

MTS (Sponsor)

2015

The Schwab Family

Long & McQuade (Sponsor)

2014

Trudy Schroeder (Past Executive Director)

Rene's Septic Services (Sponsor)

2013

The Singleton/Hiebert/Sults/Helene Family

The Fairmont Winnipeg (Sponsor)

2012

Gord Finch Site Electrician

Sound Art (Sponsor)

2011

Bill Merritt (Past General Manager)

Premier Greg Selinger Province of Manitoba

2010

Terry Sargeant (Past-President)

Big Rock Brewery (Sponsor)

2009

Manitoba Hydro (Sponsor)

The Potter Family (Site Crew)

2008

Inland Audio Visual (Sponsor)

2007

Ron Oswald (Board Member)

Jack Cram and Francene Adelman (Daytime Stage Coordinators)

Canwest Global Foundation (Sponsor)

2006

Andy Szukiewicz (Birds Hill Provincial Park Maintenance Manager)

Assiniboine Credit Union (Sponsor)

2005

Danielle Carignan and Alexander Svenne (La Cuisine Coordinators)

2003

Mayor Glen Murray City of Winnipeg

Suzi and Rich McClear (KAXE Public Radio)

2002

Randy Woods (Main Stage Host)

“Peter Paul Van Camp” (Winnipeg Free Press)

2001

Winnipeg Foundation

Darlene “Toots” Toews (Graphic Designer)

2000

Brenda Douglas (Past-President CBC)

1999

Birds Hill Provincial Park

Michael Handler (Past-President)

1998

Mitch Podolak (Founder)

Harry Paine (La Cuisine Coordinator)

Rosalie Goldstein (Past Artistic Director)

1997

Burkhard Weiss (Festival Tents)

Jon Singleton (Treasurer and Board Member)

Beth Shore (Board Member and Travel Agent)

1996

Karen Lawlor (Past Staff and Main Stage Coordinator)

Jane Graham (Past-President)

Bob Smith (Site Manager)

1995

Kim St. Hilare

David Landy (Photographer)

1994

Karen Dana (La Cuisine Coordinator)

Leslie Hambleton (La Cuisine Coordinator)

Artistic Achievement Award

The Artistic Achievement Award is presented annually to an artist who has performed at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, who has demonstrated musical excellence, who reflects the values of our organization and who has contributed at an exceptional level to the field of folk music and to the community as a whole.

Past Recipients

  • 2016: Loudon Wainwright III
  • 2015: Arlo Guthrie
  • 2014: David Lindley
  • 2013: Ani DiFranco
  • 2012: Sarah Harmer
  • 2011: Oscar Brand
  • 2010: Leon Redbone
  • 2009: Billy Bragg
  • 2008: Richard Thompson
  • 2007: Buffy Sainte-Marie
  • 2006: Odetta
  • 2005: Bruce Cockburn
  • 2004: Loreena McKennitt