Canadian Folk Music Awards

The mission of the Canadian Folk Music Awards is to celebrate and promote Canadian folk music in all its forms. In 2024 the Awards Weekend takes place between April 4th and April 7th, in St John's, Newfoundland.

Slaight Music is proud to sponsor the "Unsung Hero Award", an annual award recognizing the exceptional contribution of an individual, group, or organization active in any aspect of the Canadian folk music scene (performance, promotion, presentation, etc). It is meant to recognize those not generally recognized as a high profile individual, group, or organization, but who work tirelessly behind the scenes for the love of the music and who have not been recognized for their contributions by national or international music entities. It includes volunteers in all their diversity who, year after year, lend support to folk clubs, festivals, house concerts, etc.

Previous recipients include Toronto Publicist Jane Harbury (2011); New Brunswick Journalist Gerry Taylor (2012); Winnipeg Folk Festival Founder Mitch Podolak (2013); Ottawa Impresario and Philanthropist Harvey Glatt (2014); Ottawa Folklore Centre Founder Arthur McGregor (2015); Vancouver’s Rogue Folk Club Founder Steve Edge (2016); Co-Founder of The Carbonear Folk Festival Gerry Strong (2017); Edmonton Folk Music Festival Artistic Director and producer and event sponsor Terry Wickham (2018), Nova Scotian performer, promoter and historian of Canadian Folk music Donnie Campbell (2020), Winnipeg Home Routes General Manager Ava Kobrinsky (2021), and manager, director and producer of trad music and song in Quebec, Geneviève Nadeau (2022).