Since 2023

About SING!

We're Edmonton's a cappella and vocal arts festival: a weekend of concerts and workshops, a week of school visits each spring, and a year-round push to get more people singing together.

Voices, and nothing else

The voice is the oldest instrument we have, and the only one you can't leave at home. Take away the band and what's left is a group of people listening hard to each other. That's the sound we built a festival around.

SING! Edmonton began in March 2023, presented under licence from SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival, and has run every year since. We're a registered Canadian charity, SING! Prairies Society, run by a small team and a lot of volunteers.

Each festival brings touring groups together with Edmonton's own choirs and vocal groups, on the same stages, in front of the same audiences. The visiting artists are the draw. The local groups are the point.

What we do

Three things, every year

The festival

A weekend of concerts featuring guest artists alongside Edmonton groups, plus workshops on things singers actually want: arranging, beatboxing, stage presence, recording.

Schools

Each spring our clinicians visit high schools to run workshops and adjudicate vocal groups, finishing with a showcase that brings the students together. Sponsored passes get young singers into the festival too.

The rest of the year

Concerts, community sings and workshops between festivals, plus a calendar and directory so anyone can find a group to join or a concert to hear.

Who's sung with us

Festivals so far

Four festivals in, with the fifth coming in March 2027.

  1. March23
    The first SING! Edmonton
    Three days in March 2023, with Sweden's The Real Group on the bill.
  2. May24
    Second festival
    Apocalypse Kow, 6 Minute Warning, smallTIME, The Heebee-Jeebees, Altra Volta, The Sonabelles, High Street Sound, TIME and Epsilon.
  3. Apr25
    Third festival
    A week of singing headlined by The Heebee-Jeebees, with 6 Minute Warning, High Street Sound, Apocalypse Kow, The Sonabelles and Altra Volta.
  4. March26
    Fourth festival
    The music of The Nylons with Micah Barnes, then a community showcase with the Grove City Barbershop Chorus, Etown Extended and From The Top. The Real Group returned to Edmonton that June.
  5. March27
    SING! Edmonton 2027
    March 12–14, 2027. Lineup announcements on their way.
    See the weekend

Who runs it

Mostly volunteers

SING! Prairies Society is a registered Canadian charity with a volunteer board, led by president Brett Ludwig. Everything you see at the festival is put together by a handful of people and a crew of volunteers who like harmony and don't mind carrying risers.

Come help out
  • 2023our first festival
  • 5thfestival coming in March 2027
  • Charityregistered in Canada, so donations get a receipt

Want in?

Sing with us, help us run it, put your event on the calendar, or chip in.

Perform at SING! Volunteer Sponsor