Huge numbers of volunteers make Folk happen. Meet a few of them.

Around 500 volunteers are signed up to help run Folk on the Rocks this year, nearly 100 more than in 2024.

Every year, hundreds of volunteers and staff members work together to ensure Yellowknife’s biggest annual music festival runs smoothly and safely.

This year’s festival starts with Warm the Rocks on Friday and extends through Saturday and Sunday. Cabin Radio is providing live coverage through the all-new Cabin app starting on Friday evening.

On Wednesday evening, crowds of volunteers arrived at the Folk site to be told about their specific roles during the festival and receive their volunteer shirts.

Narlie Dapilos, Folk’s volunteer coordinator, told Cabin Radio this year’s festival had the biggest volunteer turnout he has seen, going from around 385 volunteers in 2024 to just under 500 in 2025.

“This year looks like it’s a very huge turnout. Looks like everyone’s excited to be oriented,” said Dapilos.

Carly McFadden, Folk’s former executive director and now its artistic director, said that while preparations for the festival begin in October of the previous year, a lot of work still needs to be completed in early July.

Tasks such as setting up signage, building temporary infrastructure and unpacking boxes of food and gear must all be completed before the festival begins. A lot of that work is done by volunteers.

Old and new faces

McFadden said the festival is “fortunate” to have so many returning volunteers.

“Some of them have been volunteering for upwards of 40 years, which is pretty incredible,” said McFadden, “and a lot of people bring their families year after year as well.”

Olivia Williams is one of these returning helpers. Williams, a Yellowknife local, has been volunteering with Folk on the Rocks for the past four years.

“I love Folk on the Rocks,” said Williams. “I love seeing the community coming together and just enjoying this beautiful festival.

“I’m stoked to be part of it, and to be a part of the magic.”

Williams said she enjoys volunteering over simply paying to attend the festival.

“When you’re working, you end up just kind-of being everywhere at once, getting to experience different things, working with people that you wouldn’t normally get to see,” said Williams.

“I still see my friends and I still get to spend time with them, but now I get to make more friends, know more of the community.”

Many first time volunteers were present at Wednesday’s orientation, including friends Sadie Rankin and Maya Erickson from Winnipeg.

Rankin, who is visiting her mom, learned about Folk from social media and decided volunteering could be a great way to try something new.

“I just thought it looked really cool and really handmade,” said Rankin. “Everything here looks like it was made by people, which I really like.”

“It’s giving hippie vibes,” added Erickson, “and I’m so into that vibe.”

McFadden said Folk does a lot of community outreach to find volunteers, including recruitment work online, on the radio and at the city’s weekly farmers’ market.

“Our team’s kind-of everywhere, always looking for people,” said McFadden.

Emilie Gagne signed up as a way to earn her high school volunteer hours. She learned about the opportunity while volunteering at a Filipino festival.

This will be Gagne’s first time attending Folk.

“I thought it’d be fun to get involved in the community,” said Gagne, “because it’s such a staple of Yellowknife.”

Gagne will be volunteering with the stage crew and said she is excited to be able to meet all the artists behind the scenes.

Folk’s volunteer roles include stage crew, hospitality, ground transport for artists, rover drivers who handle the transportation of equipment throughout the festival, kids’ area volunteers, clean-up and recycling crews, beer garden bartenders and managers, ticketing, and security.

Dapilos said while staff try to accommodate peoples’ volunteer preferences, they also need make sure “area needs are met.”

Dapilos said part of his role is to answer any questions during the days leading up to the festival and make sure volunteers have a “good experience.”

The rest of the week leading up to Folk involves volunteer training, which includes learning safety and radio protocols, sound equipment set-up, art installations, establishing barricades, and hanging signs for sponsors.