| Mariposa Folk Festival | |
|---|---|
 Mariposa 1975 album cover | |
| Genre | Music festival, arts festival |
| Dates | July 7–9 (2023 dates) |
| Location(s) | Tudhope Park, Orillia, Ontario, Canada |
| Years active | 1961-present |
| Founders | Ruth Jones (nee McVeigh),[1] Dr. Crawford (Casey) Jones[1] |
| Website | www |
Mariposa Folk Festival is a Canadian music festival founded in 1961 in Orillia, Ontario. It was held in Orillia for three years before being banned because of disturbances by festival-goers.[2] After being held in various places in Ontario for a few decades, it returned to Orillia in 2000. Ruth Jones, her husband Dr. Crawford Jones, brother David Major and Pete McGarvey organized the first Mariposa Folk Festival in August 1961. The inaugural event, covered by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, featured all Canadian performers. The festival grew in popularity, size and rowdiness until the popularity of the 1963 festival (with over 8,000 advance tickets sold), and the lack of sufficient security, led to a backlash from town locals.[3][4] The city of Orillia secured a court injunction to prevent the festival from continuing in the town limits.[5] The first festival held in the Toronto area, in 1964, was at Maple Leaf Stadium. The subsequent three festivals were held at Innis Lake in Caledon, northwest of the city. In the 1970s it was held on the Toronto Islands before shifting to Harbourfront (Toronto) and Bathurst Street and later Molson Park in Barrie. In 2000, the Mariposa Folk Festival was invited back to Orillia by city councilors Tim Lauer and Don Evans. The festival continues to be held in Orillia. As well as folk music, the festival highlights other aspects of folk culture including dance, crafts, storytelling.[6]
- ^ a b "Mariposa Folk Foundation fonds - York University Libraries' Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections". Atom.library.yorju.ca. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
- ^ "Mariposa Folk Festival". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
- ^ Marshall, Bill; Taylor, Gil (1963-08-10). "Guitars, Goatees and Girls -- Famous Folk and Folksong Fans Flock for Festival Fun and Frolic for Third Time TO Mariposa". Toronto Daily Star. p. 19. ProQuest 1427335494.
- ^ Marshall, Bill; Taylor, Gil (1963-08-12). "17,000 Paid To Enjoy Mariposa Show". p. 16. ProQuest 1427336416.
- ^ Pape, P. Jeffrey (1963-12-12). "Curious Ethics [letter to the editor]". Toronto Daily Star. p. 6. ProQuest 1430676791.
- ^ "Mariposa : celebrating Canadian folk music · York University Libraries | Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections online exhibits". archives.library.yorku.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-16.