Music moving to Morden’s Suncatch Plaza for two evenings in late June
Organizers of the annual Back 40 Festival are optimistic about this year’s event as they prepare to host it with some significant changes from past years.
The line-up of Back 40 performers this year includes The Irvin Miller Band (above) on the Friday night and Cassidy Mann (left) on the Saturday, among other acts
Not only is the festival being moved from Morden Park to the Suncatch Plaza in downtown Morden, but it is also going to be held over two days at the end of June rather than the first weekend of the month. Admission this year will also be free.
Financial and other considerations led the festival board to decide to shake things up this year, said chair Scott Bell.
“People have enjoyed the setting in the park, but downtown Morden is a nice spot to hold an event as well,” he said, noting that “the Suncatch stage has been put to good use with live music” with other events through the summer months.
“I know change like this is always a bit jarring for people, but for us it was born of necessity,” Bell said. “Things needed to change just so that we could sustain the festival … it just seemed to be time to try something new. So we’re just looking to create a couple of great evenings of music for the community. And it’s free to attend, and we’re really pleased to be able to offer that to the community.”
Shane Falk, who has stepped into a leading role in organizing the festival, noted they will be watching closely how things go with the new location and dates.
“I’m very excited about the changes, and if it comes down to, after a couple years, people want to go back to the park, and we can find a way to make it feasible to go back to the park, then that’s not out of the question,” he said. “We took the cost savings and we were able to spend it on making it free, but we’ve also gotten really great support this year from local businesses, so that’s really helped.”
Falk shared a few other factors that came into play as planning for the 2026 festival got underway.
“We started to look at even doing sound—out in the park is a lot harder to make the sound sound well because it’s just such a big wide open area,” he said. “And even just the work involved in setting it up in the park just for one day.
“We thought how can we make this both easier on the volunteers and the board but also cut costs and benefit the community as well by increasing the number of people coming by making it free?”
Falk also pointed out some people might only want to see a certain band or two but don’t necessarily want to pay for a whole day pass.
“And we have that great stage area down there already set up,” he said. “I’ve also seen the success of some of these street festivals in the city where it gets the whole community or neighbourhood out … so I thought why not do that here?
“And even with the businesses, we are showcasing that we have such a beautiful downtown,” he added.
Organizers are also capitalizing on the fact that the Suncatch Sounds concerts that happen through the summer provide an established draw.
“We kind of took over one of those, so that already helped that the City would be prepared to put on one of those,” Falk said. “We could keep things set up and do a second day on the Saturday.”
The festival kicks off Friday, June 26 at 6 p.m. with a lineup that starts with local band Lakes and Pines followed by Stellar and The Irvin Miller Band along with a few to-be-announced “tweener” acts.
The second night, Saturday, June 27, also gets underway at 6 p.m. with a lineup that includes The Sharpe Brothers Band, Cassidy Mann, and Field Guide.
Falk feels there is a good lineup of local performers as well as some bigger names from Winnipeg.
“I think we’ve got a great mix,” he said.
“It’s a really nice blend of some popular Manitoba performers both from Winnipeg and from our local area,” agreed Bell.
In addition to the music, there will be a vendor market and food trucks. Organizers are also planning to offer a 50/50, with the proceeds being split between Many Hands Resource Centre and Big Brothers Big Sisters Pembina Valley.
“It’s kind of a Back 40 gives back initiative,” explained Falk, who also shared that music fans who are not ready to go home after the show can head down the block for more music. “We’re also doing something this year to keep the music going with some local bands. We partnered with Travellers [Inn Bar & Grill] … after 10:30, there will be bands playing there as well.”
Head to backfortymusicfestival.com for more information.
