14/05/2026
Dr Periwinkle’s Picks for Paddlefest
I’m Late, So Late, Maybe It’s Fate or Maybe Too Much On My Plate!
Every year Dr Periwinkle offers some thoughts and recommendations on who Paddlefest goers might want to check out! He can’t pretend to know all of the artists performing but has some insights, has listened to those he hasn’t heard before and has some long time favourites.
Take a Chance! …Dig In!! …. Go For It!!!
THURSDAY –
Julianna Riolino ( Mainstage 8:00pm) - was a member of Danial Romano’s “The Outfit” which performed at P’fest in 2023. She has since moved on to a solo career which has proven to be rewarding. Her music ranges from poppy country rock- to angsty studio-experimental rock. Why Not!
FRIDAY-
Jacob Rose and Leroy Stagger (Sunbury Shores Jacob 5:30pm Leroy 6:15) -Jacob is a local favourite releasing poppy folk melodies with catchy riffs. Leroy Stagger last played in St Andrews at Sunbury Shores years ago. He’s an alt country singer songwriter based in Victoria BC, reminiscent of Steve Earle and Jason Isabell. Acoustic Magic!
Gina Burgess (Mainstage 7:30pm) - Gina was a member of the band Gypsophilia back in the mid 2010’s. A fiddler she ventured north to give workshops to Inuit youth. While in the north she played with the Jerry Cans. Her latest project “ISNOW” won an ECMA for fusion recording of the year in 2024. This project reflects her diverse experience by mixing classical music with Celtic folk and incorporating contemporary Inuit throat singing with elements of jazz.
SATURDAY –
Mary Beth Carty (Community Stage 3pm; Kennedy House 9pm) - Accordionist, guitarist, and player of pocket-sized instruments, Mary Beth Carty of Antigonish, Nova Scotia possesses a magical voice that earned her the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Award for Traditional Singer of the Year. Years ago she was part of the iconic folk duo Bette and Wallet and performed on stages across the country. Fun, quirky “not boring”
Maggie Savoie, Rob Lutes (Sunbury Shores 5:30 (Maggie) 6:30 (Rob)) - Back to back shows these two singer/songwriters have a history in St Andrews. Lutes played one of the first Paddlefests in the early 2000’s. He’s a multiple award winning songwriter who creates soulful genre bending music, tagged with masterful fingerstyle playing. Maggie is a francophone performer who presents music that is simple in its soulful authenticity and eclectic in its stylistic fusion.
Yukon Blonde (Mainstage 8:30pm) -- is the ultimate festival essential for anyone who loves high-energy indie rock with a side of shimmering psychedelia. Known for their uncanny ability to blend 1970s retro-rock vibes with modern synth-pop gloss, they’ve mastered the art of the "sunny day anthem." Great harmonies, genre bending energy they are festival veterans.
SUNDAY-
Ben Caplan (Mainstage 3:15pm) Watching Ben Caplan live is less like attending a standard concert and more like witnessing a theatrical storm. He has a Biblical stage presence, a thunderous baritone voice and impeccable comedic timing and banter.
Logan Staats (Huntsman Aquarium Theatre 7:00pm) – his shows are a masterclass in how raw emotion can be channeled into a "healing salve" for the audience. His concerts are deeply rooted in his Mohawk identity, his songs posses a rare and beautiful depth in their narrative style but also offer a genre bending style. One moment he might deliver a delicate, contemplative folk melody, and the next, he’ll unleash a passionate, gritty vocal roar.
