Photo: Josh Gabriel

When Hillside Festivals was founded in 1984, “greed is good” seemed to be the mantra of the day. But for a small group of friends and a team of volunteers in Guelph, Ontario, “green is good” seemed more appropriate.

Now in its 26th year, the festival has taken on a new twist. “Three years ago, a Winter festival at the 5,000-seat Sleeman Centre was added,” explains Sam Baijal, Artistic Director since 1998. “We’ve had a lot of success with the outdoor festival, so bringing that experience inside just seemed so natural. We’ve witnessed steadily growing numbers and are even considering expanding beyond the arena,” he adds.

Inside or outside, Hillside Festivals are unique in their spirit of innovation and dedication to the environment, without major corporate sponsorship. From the setting (first full-time outdoor stage with a “living” roof, and the use of Astroturf on the arena floor to capture that “outside feeling”), to the subject matter of the workshops (everything from breast-feeding to angling), to the diversity of entertainment (with big names such as Arcade Fire and K’naan, and a constant crop of fresh new artists…including a magician), there really is something for everybody!

Juno Award winner Sam Roberts sums it all up: "Hillside represents the Canadian festival spirit. Anyone considering putting on a festival would do well to check out Hillside first to see how it's done properly."

Hillside Festivals is a long-term SOCAN customer and is partially funded by the SOCAN Foundation.

For info, visit www.hillsidefestival.ca.