>> Sponsorship - Updated Soon
>> Sponsorship Download Centre -
Updated Soon
>> Current Sponsors - Updated Soon

Major Sponsors & Funding Agencies

Subscribe to receive updates on the John Arcand Fiddle Fest.

Your E-mail

Sponsorship
John Arcand Fiddle Fest

Information for Sponsors

• John Arcand Fiddle Fest Description
• Introduction
• Programming
• Site & Happenings
• Audience Profile
• Communications
• Future Plans
• John Arcand Fiddle Fest Communications Profile

John Arcand Fiddle Fest Description

Introduction

The John Arcand Fiddle Fest was founded by John Arcand, Master of the Métis Fiddle, in 1998 in Greencourt, Alberta with $750 out of his own pocket.  Approximately 300 people attended and the artists worked for free out of their respect for John and commitment to his dream.

In 1999 the festival relocated to Windy Acres near Saskatoon, and by 2006 expanded to four days, enjoyed an audience of over 3700 and had a budget of over $130,000 including expenditures to pay performers and instructors.  To date we have reached an audience of just under 5000 with a budget of $187,000.

Programming

The festival delivers a combination of programming to youth, adults and senior citizens.

Workshops
Two days of workshops (free with admission), led by nationally renowned instructors (including John Arcand), transfer skills to developing musicians and dancers in fiddle, jigging, guitar, and piano. In 2009 we had 942 people register for workshops, with participation averaging at 12 people per workshop.

Concerts & Dances
Thursday and Friday during the day, running concurrent with the workshops, as well as evenings and Sunday morning are filled with entertainment with the presentation of six concerts and two old-time dances.

Contests
Developing fiddlers and dancers of all ages are motivated to improve skills and hone public performance abilities through the sanctioned fiddle contest and the Canadian Red River Jigging Championships.  Contests take place all day Saturday and a half day Sunday.   The fiddle contest and festival itself concludes with much excitement as competitors take to the stage en masse for the popular Fiddle Finale.  With 73 competitors in Jigging and Fiddle taking home $10,440 in prize money in 2009, making the competition Saskatchewan’s highest attended fiddle competition.

Site and Happenings

The festival delivers a warm and welcoming family atmosphere on approximately five of Windy Acre’s 80 acre expanse.

Onsite camping, without services, is offered free to interested participants.  A concession operates all weekend and serves standard festival fare as well as bannock, in reverence to John Arcand’s Métis roots.  A children’s playground lies at the heart of the site and providing activities for youngsters.

The festival’s main stage is under a large tent that accommodates approximately 2000 to 3000 spectators at a time.  The audience often spills beyond capacity into the surrounding open air for the festival’s many popular presentations.  Workshop tents are scattered throughout the site, and when not in use are used for spontaneous jam sessions or as shaded rest areas for patrons.

News media and film production companies are a regular occurrence and cameras can be spotted at virtually any time during the festival capturing the artistic and cultural activities occurring.

>> Back to top

Audience Profile

Demographics:

Attendees originate from:

Future Plans

Future plans for the festival include:

• Construction of a main concert venue with a permanent roof and stadium seating
• The attraction of higher profile artists for instruction and performances
• Improvements to concession and camping amenities
• Continued expansion of the number of days of programming, which will be focused on increasing workshop delivery from a variety of artistic disciplines, genres, and cultures.
• A larger audience, with international reach

>> Back to top

Communications Profile

The John Arcand Fiddle Fest executes a multi-media advertising plan to build awareness and attract audience to the Festival.

Direct Mail & E-Mail

One mass mailing effort takes place in February of each year to a database of 1500.  The majority of recipients have Saskatchewan addresses with the balance located in other Canadian provinces and the USA. E-mail news updates are distributed to 600 recipients 4-6 times per year.

Flyers/Posters

6000 flyers/posters are distributed throughout Saskatchewan through festival networks, partners, mail database, volunteers, and by John Arcand during his busy performance schedule.

Newspaper Advertising

Star Phoenix (Includes ad placement and a full-page story feature)
RM Review
Prince Albert Herald
Sweetgrass News
Eagle Feather News
Rural Roots
Pike Lake News
Saskatoon Sunday Sun
Manitoba GrassRoots News
Saskatchewan Senior
Planet S Magazine
Wispering winds
Western Producer
The Outlook

Magazine and Other Print Advertising

Wholife Journal
Govan Fiddle Fest Program
Ness Creek Journal Program
Provincial Fiddle Association Newsletters
Prairies North Magazine
Saskatchewan Sage
Sask Senior
Prairie Dog
Planet S
Coffee Perks
Aboriginal Tourism Guide
Hot Times Summer in the City
City Life Poster
Neighborhood Express

Radio Advertising

CJWW – Saskatoon
Hot 93 - Saskatoon
CJVR – Melfort/Tisdale
Missinipi – Northern Saskatchewan
CFCR - Saskatoon
Rawlco - Saskatoon

Media Releases

Two-four media releases per year, distributed to 45 Saskatchewan media outlets and 10 media outlets throughout Western Canada.

On the Web

• johnarcandfiddlefest.com and johnarcand.com (214 168 unique visitors in 2009) and johnarcand.com
• Listings on fiddle and music websites throughout Canada and the USA

News and Network Presence

The Fiddle Fest is routinely covered in the Saskatoon and national news media and has been the subject of several television documentaries and features. Over the past two years, the following production companies have attended and filmed the festival:

>> Back to top