Article – I watched clusters of elderly Ukrainian women in colorful headscarves guide young children through the steps of traditional dances last August. The scent of cabbage rolls and perogies filled the air as generations connected through food, music, and shared heritage at Saskatoon’s Folkfest. But next year, this particular scene might look different.
Saskatoon’s beloved Folkfest is facing significant changes for its 2025 edition, with a notable decrease in the number of pavilions planned for the city’s long-running celebration of cultural diversity.
“We’re seeing a trend where some cultural communities are finding it increasingly challenging to maintain the volunteer base needed for a full three-day festival,” explains Terri Rau, executive director of Saskatoon Folkfest. When I spoke with her by phone last week, she emphasized that the changes reflect evolving community needs rather than diminishing interest.
The Ukrainian pavilion, a mainstay since the festival’s inception in 1980, is among those contemplating a reduced presence next year. After 45 years of continuous participation, pavilion organizers cite an aging volunteer base and rising operational costs as primary concerns.
“Our dedicated volunteers have been the backbone of our pavilion for decades,” says Natalia Podilsky, who has coordinated the Ukrainian pavilion for 15 years. “But many are now in their seventies and eighties. The physical demands of setting up, cooking, and performing for three straight days has become increasingly difficult.”
This challenge isn’t unique to Saskatoon. According to a 2023 Statistics Canada report, volunteer participation across Canada has declined by nearly 15% since 2018, with cultural organizations reporting some of the steepest drops. The report indicates pandemic disruptions accelerated existing trends of volunteer fatigue, particularly among organizations relying on aging community members.
While walking through last year’s festival, I noticed how the demographics of volunteers varied significantly between pavilions. Newer cultural communities often featured younger participants, while more established groups frequently relied on older community members, many of whom have supported the festival for decades.
The Indian pavilion, consistently one of the festival’s most attended venues, plans to continue full participation but acknowledges similar pressures. “We’re fortunate to have university students and recent immigrants eager to participate,” says Raj Sharma, Indian pavilion coordinator. “But even with this influx, we’re seeing strain on our core organizing committee.”
Rather than viewing the changes as a decline, festival organizers are reimagining what Folkfest might become. The 2025 festival will likely feature fewer but larger pavilions, with some cultural groups sharing spaces or participating on alternating years.
“Cultural celebrations don’t need to remain static to remain authentic,” notes Dr. Caroline Wong, a University of Saskatchewan professor specializing in cultural heritage preservation. “What we’re seeing is cultural communities adapting their expressions to match their current realities while preserving what matters most to them.”
Festival organizers are exploring several innovations for 2025, including a central “global village” concept that would allow smaller cultural groups to participate without the full burden of maintaining an independent pavilion. They’re also considering extending the festival beyond its traditional August weekend to create more sustainable participation models.
“We’re looking at what other successful multicultural festivals across Canada are doing,” says Rau. She points to Winnipeg’s Folklorama, which spreads pavilions across two weeks, allowing cultural groups more flexibility and reducing volunteer burnout.
The changes come amid broader conversations about how cultural festivals balance authenticity with sustainability. A recent Canadian Heritage study found that multicultural festivals nationwide are grappling with similar challenges of volunteer succession and financial viability while trying to maintain cultural integrity.
The Saskatoon Ukrainian Cultural Centre has proposed an intriguing alternative: shifting some of their cultural programming to smaller, more frequent events throughout the year. “We’re considering a monthly perogy dinner with performances, which might actually reach more people than a concentrated three-day festival,” Podilsky explains.
While wandering between pavilions last summer, I was struck by a conversation with 84-year-old Walter Chyzyk, who has volunteered at the Ukrainian pavilion since 1980. “I worry about losing our traditions,” he told me while carefully arranging hand-painted pysanky eggs for display. “But I see my grandchildren taking an interest in different ways. Maybe it doesn’t all have to happen in one weekend.”
This sentiment seems to capture the evolution happening within Saskatoon’s cultural communities—finding new ways to preserve and share heritage that match contemporary realities.
For festival attendees wondering what to expect in 2025, organizers promise the core experience will remain. “You’ll still experience the world without a passport,” says Rau, referencing the festival’s longtime slogan. “But we’re creating a more sustainable model that will ensure Folkfest continues for another 45 years.”
The city’s residents have grown accustomed to the August tradition of passport-stamping between pavilions, sampling diverse cuisines, and witnessing performances from around the globe. While the format may change, the essence of cultural exchange and community celebration appears firmly intact.
As Saskatoon continues to welcome newcomers from around the world, Folkfest’s evolution might actually better reflect the changing face of the city itself—adapting while honoring the traditions that have made the festival a cherished community institution for nearly half a century.
