SPILL FESTIVAL REVIEW: CALGARY FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026 – DAY 3 @ PRINCE’S ISLAND PARK, CALGARY (AB)

CALGARY FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026 – DAY 3

@ PRINCE’S ISLAND PARK, CALGARY (AB)

JULY 25, 2026

The 2026 Calgary Folk Music Festival continues its excellent streak of top-tier music with Day Three. Prince’s Island Park was packed the entire day as attendees were excited to witness some more extraordinary music!

First on my list for Day Three was to catch the Canadian Tuxedo session (Ora Cogan, Fish In A Birdcage, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, and Ribbon Skirt) at National Stage 4 and the Ms. Americana session (Madison Cunningham, Jess Williamson, Lola Kirke, and Ken Pomeroy) at the Community Natural Foods Stage 5. Both sessions were incredible. It is cool that the festival incorporates these one-of-a-kind sessions into the mix, as it results in creative, unrehearsed jam sessions that are loads of fun and allow the musicians to share stories and songs.

Next on my list was to see American indie folk singer-songwriter Jess Williamson perform at the Community Natural Foods Stage 5. Things that really stood out during Williamson’s set were her beautiful voice, soothing guitar playing, chill atmosphere, dreamy melodies, and honest, deeply personal lyrics. Williamson’s lush bittersweet mixture of alt-country and folk-pop sounded gorgeous live. Her backing band played tremendously as well. Williamson noted that this was their first-ever show, all playing together. “Time Ain’t Accidental,” Tobacco Two Step,” “God In Everything,” and “Goodbye To All That” were some notable highlights from Williamson’s set.

After Williamson’s set was over, I headed on over to the ATB Main Stage to catch American folk/country singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman. Goodman’s entire set was outstanding; however, the psychedelic-tinged songs in particular stand out as they were so damn good. I really enjoyed how eerie the instrumentation was and how haunting the lyrics were at times. Also, the guitars sounded so good live, especially the dope guitar solos and gentle fingerpicking guitar lines. Goodman’s narrative songwriting style was raw, vivid, and sometimes witty. Her voice was incredibly versatile, sometimes soft and calm, other times explosively striking. Some standout songs from Goodman’s set were “Space And Time,” “Satellite,” “I Can See The Devil,” “I’m In Love,” and her amazing alt-country cover of Butthole Surfers’ “Pepper.”

Once Goodman’s set finished, I went to the National Stage 4 to catch a bit of Ukrainian contemporary folk group YAGODY. YAGODY take traditional Ukrainian song and put their own unique modern spin on it. Many of their songs are statements of hope, resistance, and survival and touch upon the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. With theatrical flair, captivating stage presence, a danceable atmosphere, intense energy, driving instrumentation, and soaring vocal harmonies, YAGODY put on an entertaining show that got the crowd moving. Some of the best songs from their setlist were the numerous tunes they played from their newest album, Багато неба – хочеться ще більше…

After YAGODY’s set was finished, American country rock singer and actress Lola Kirke was up next. Kirke’s set had a mellow summertime feel, which was very fitting. Her songs were super catchy (with some unforgettable hooks) while also being extremely vulnerable and introspective. Something that really stood out was Kirke’s sweet crystalline vocals. Her vocals sounded great throughout the whole performance. When she wasn’t singing, Kirke told stories (often humorous) about her songs to the audience. Some of the biggest highlights from Kirke’s set were “Trailblazer,” “Easy On You,” “Pink Sky,” “All My Exes Live In L.A.,” and a flawless rendition of “Will Ye Go, Lassie Go?” (Kirke starred in and sang this song in the film Sinners).

The last artist I saw today was American singer-songwriter Maddison Cunningham at the ATB Main Stage. Cunningham’s set was one of my favourites of the entire festival. Her set consisted of intricate guitar-driven songs and breathtaking piano ballads. Cunningham’s voice was very smooth and powerfully astonishing. Her guitar playing was just as fantastic as her singing. Cunningham’s guitar tones were wickedly badass, her guitar solos were thrillingly entertaining, and her guitar riffs were fascinatingly spellbinding. Meanwhile, her bandmate Jesse Chandler mesmerized audiences with his spectacular musicianship across various instruments, creating an entrancing, gorgeous atmosphere and a riveting soundscape. “Skeletree,” “Hospital,” “Shore,” “Golden Gate (On And On),” and “Broken Harvest” were some of my favourite songs from Cunningham’s set.

Overall, day three yet again delivered the goods, with spectacular music throughout.

Festival Links