Harvest Music Festival

Frederictonians are savouring the last few weeks of summer as September peeks around the corner. Luckily, the onset of fall and back-to-school bustle also coincides with Fredericton’s biggest festival: The Harvest Music Festival! This year’s festival runs September 10^th to 15^th and features an impressive mix of up-and-comers, local favourites, and internationally acclaimed heavy-hitters. Downtown Fredericton recently sat down with HMF’s General Manager, Courtney Steeves, to learn more about the 34^th Harvest Music Festival.  

Q: What’s coming to Harvest this year that’s new or different? 

“We’re doing a lot this year to make Harvest more accessible and interactive across age groups. We’ve got a bunch of activities planned in the kids’ zone on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with interactive games and an instrument “petting zoo” where kids can interact with a bunch of different instruments. And we have a dedicated space for kids and parents to hang out, with some shade and seats in between shows. There’s also a master class with the incredibly talented Victor Wooten which is happening on the 12^th at noon, lining up with our “Blues in the Schools” charitable program. Victor will be sharing his vast wealth of musical knowledge and it’s open to everyone with a “pay what you can” donation model.” 

Q: One of the best parts of Harvest is the street experience. Even if you don’t go to any shows, you can still walk around and take in some of the festival. What can people expect from the street experience this year? 

“The street experience is definitely one of the best parts of Harvest. Queen street is going to be booming as always with plenty of different food, sponsor activations, and regional artists performing for free. We’re expanding into the Garrison and behind the public library as well. We’re trying to increase that flow so that people are exploring all around the area. We’ve got so many great street performers and different food trucks, and live art installations. It’ll be very interactive and accessible for everyone.  

Q: What are you most excited for this year, and is there anything else you want to let people know?  

“I’m really happy about our lineup this year, I’m sure I’ll be running around during the festival but if I get the chance I want to hear a few songs from Spoon. I grew up in the 90s so I’ve always loved Broken Social Scene, and then Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit always put on a great show. I’m really excited about all our artists this year, and we have such a huge variety there’s really something for everyone. Apart from that, I really just want to give a huge thank you to our volunteers. There’s only a handful of employees at Harvest but we have almost a thousand volunteers, and it would be impossible to put on such a great event without them. So many people volunteer every year and bring so much experience to the team. We’re truly blessed to have such a dedicated group of volunteers.  

(Psst: if YOU are interested in being a Volunteer at the festival, visit Volunteer – Harvest Music Festival for more information) 

This year’s Harvest Music Festival promises to be an incredible experience whether you’re catching your favourite artists or taking in the street experience.  

Downtown Businesses are also getting into the festival spirit with many planning to decorate their store windows – be sure to check out the Downtown Fredericton Facebook Page to vote for your favourite window between September 9^th and 11^th  !  

The Harvest Store is now open in Kings Place Mall – stop in to pick up your passes and check out the 2024 merch line!  

Monday-Friday: 11am-6pm 

Saturday’s: 10am-2pm 

For the schedule and more information about the Harvest Music Festival, visit: https://harvestmusicfest.ca 

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