A wet weekend at this year’s Riverfest Elora

August 21, 2024 @ 3:28 pmArts & Entertainment

he Violent Femmes, best known for their single Blister in the Sun, played at Riverfest Elora on Aug. 16. Gordon Gano is the band’s singer, guitarist and songwriter. Photos by Robin George
Brian Ritchie from the Violent Femmes caught some attention with the over-sized and interestingly-shaped bass he played during the bands’ headlining set on Aug. 16.
Sloane Rousselle, left, and Rae Richardson, both four years old, dressed in matching unicorn-themed outfits for Riverfest Elora on Aug. 17.
Toronto “pagan-punk-poet” Nyssa played a glam-pop set on Riverfest Elora’s main stage on Aug. 16.
Peter Piper from Fergus kicked off each of the three days of Riverfest Elora with bagpipes performances on the main stage.
Bo Vandenameele rocked out on a homemade guitar after enjoying Peter Piper’s set on Aug. 16. The four-year-old was visiting Elora from Saskatchewan.
Ivy Chung performed during Riverfest’s Rivercital on Aug. 16 as part of the band Six Gals and a Jewels that formed at The Adrian Jones Music School Rock Band Camp. Rivercital is a long-standing Riverfest tradition, with some performers going on to play full sets at the festival.
Jacynthe Corriveau, the singer in Six Gals and a Jewels, performed as part of the Rivercital on Aug. 16.
Jules Burnett is the 'Jules' in the band Six Gals and a Jules that formed at The Adrian Jones Music School Rock Band Camp.
Merina Romeo-Glassey is the drummer in Six Gals and a Jules.
Addison Hill’s parents Jessica and Dave Hill attended Riverfest Elora with tables full of Team Addy merch to raise money for SickKids and sarcoma cancer research.
Elora House founder and executive director Luisa Krause attended Riverfest Elora to share information about Elora House, which provides safe housing and support for female victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Mariel Buckley is a country singer-songwriter from Calgary, Alberta who played Riverfest Elora’s mainstage on Aug. 18.
Charles Stewart, left, and Lucas MacFadden, better known as Chali 2na and Cut Chemist, travelled to Elora from their homes in the U.S. for Riverfest and had the crowd dancing and singing along at mainstage on Aug. 17.
Chali 2na led the crowd in dancing along.
Josh Ross’ song Trouble topped Canada’s country chart after its release last year.
Ross headlined Riverfest Elora’s Aug. 18 performances.
Punk rockabilly band from Edmonton, Alberta, the Raygun Cowboys.
Punk rockabilly band from Edmonton, Alberta, the Raygun Cowboys.
Punk rockabilly band from Edmonton, Alberta, the Raygun Cowboys.
Punk rockabilly band from Edmonton, Alberta, the Raygun Cowboys.
Sloane Rousselle, left and Rae Richardson were ready for all sorts of weather during Riverfest Elora.
Singer-songwriter Liv Whitfield from Kingston performing as her musical project Luella on the Riverfest Elora Grasslands Stage on Aug. 17.
Alt pop R&B singer songwriter Una Mia was born in Toronto to Bosnian parents. She performed on Riverfest Elora’s main stage on Aug. 17.
Lee Watson of the Fellow Camper Country Dance Band.
There was lots of country music on the line-up for Riverfest Elora on Aug. 18, including Benjamin Roy from the Fellow Camper Country Dance Band.
Burke Caroll of the Fellow Camper Dance Band playing pedal steel at Riverfest Elora.
Ella Coyes, right, better known as Sister Ray, dancing with Kevin Coyes during the Fellow Camper Country Dance Band's set.
Jordan Coaker of Quote the Raven performed at Riverfest Elora’s Grasslands Stage on Aug. 18.
Elora’s own Boo Radley Project, includingEmmett Watters, left and Daley OKeefe, host an annual karaoke session in the boardwalk tent at Riverfest Elora.
This year’s Boo Radley Projects Karaoke Live included a performance of These Boots are Made for Walking by Nancy Sinatra from Dorothy Hrischenko.
Kristien Wolmarans, who is originally from South Africa, sang one of her favourite songs from her teenage years, Zombie by the Cranberries, during the karaoke session with the Boo Radley Project.
Greta DeLonghi sang Thunder Only Happens When It's Raining by Fleetwood Mac during the Boo Radley Project's karaoke session.
Willie Willis sang Chop Suey! by System of a Down during the Boo Radley Project's Karaoke session.
Honky tonk DJ Barry Spritzer had people of all ages dancing along to his set in Riverfest Elora's boardwalk tent.
River Shook and Blake Tallent performed as part of Sarah Shook and the Disarmers on Riverfest Elora’s Grassland Stage on Aug. 18.
Bassist Mason Thomas and drummer Jack Foster performed as part of Sarah Shook and the Disarmers.

ELORA – It was a wet weekend for Riverfest Elora, but most of the bands got to play and most concert-goers got to see the bands they came to see. 

According to Environment Canada, almost 40mm of rain fell in Elora from Aug. 16 to 18. It came down torrentially at times, with water flowing throughout the festival grounds and pooling on stages.

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Performances were paused at times and the main show ended early on Aug. 17 with some performances moving to “after party” venues inside.

The headlining performers were the Violent Femmes and Josh Ross.

The Fleet Foxes were set to perform on Saturday night but their set was cancelled due to rain.

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