About the only thing the seventh annual Winterfolk roots/folk/blues festival coming to the Danforth over the Feb. 13 to 15 weekend can't offer you is warm weather and the outdoors.
But what it can offer is plenty of the music you would hear at a summer festival - all in the warmth of a couple pubs on the Danforth between Broadview and Chester subway stations.
Best of all, it's mostly free, except for one paid multi-artist show that will set you back less than the cost of a pint if you buy the $5 pass in advance ($10 at the door). Otherwise, all the other acts are free.
The event runs 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Feb. 13; 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Feb. 14; and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 at four pubs - the Black Swan (2 stages), Dora Keogh, The Willow Restaurant (2 stages) and Mambo Restaurant.
Local finger picker extraordinaire and roots promoter Brian Gladstone originally kicked off the festival because he thought conditions were ripe for a perfect storm (and not a winter one!).
Toronto is home to a vibrant community of roots/folk/blues artists but the warmer months typically spark their mass exodus as they go on the summer festival circuit.
Winterfolk brings many of them together - in fact more than 80 artists in 100 shows - along with selected guests from outside Toronto.
Local residents get a rare roots festival in the middle of winter, and as an added bonus local merchants get a needed boost.
A quick glance at the line-up reveals such top-notch staples as radio blues personality Danny Marks, the indisputably unique Mose Scarlett, Canadian guitar wizard Wendell Ferguson, country rock singer-songwriter Michael Brennan, soulful songstress Treasa Levasseur, award-winning artist Melwood Cutlery, local treasure Bob Snider, and two-time Juno Award winner Al Lerman, just to name a few.
Winterfolk also offers stage time and exposure to community music associations including the Songwriters Association of Canada, Seneca College Independent Music Program, Storytelling Toronto, and several more.
Winterfolk has a great website with a complete list of artists as well as the schedule; log on to www.winterfolk.com