Hot time at Countryfest

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This article was published 27/06/2025 (312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DAUPHIN — There has been no official census, but there are enough country fans at Dauphin’s Countryfest to populate a small town.

Even so, “there’s always room for more,” said Duane McMaster, one of the event’s organizers.

“We’ve had big years with 12,000 people out here and there’s only 8,500 people in Dauphin,” McMaster said.

“We’re not quite where we budgeted for yet, but we’re really close, and we’re confident that we’re going to get there.”

On Friday, the second day of the four-day festival, tickets were still available and fans were lined up at the gates, pulling all sizes and types of trailers and tents.

The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid to high 20s C with a chance of a thunderstorm for the festival tonight. McMaster shrugged off any talk of inclement weather.

“We have the greatest fans that come out here. One year it hailed so bad there were people piling it up and using it to keep their beer cold,” McMaster said as he laughed.

“They just keep going, and they still have a great time. So we want them to keep coming back and we keep trying to put on a quality show for them.”

There are three stages set up for the 50 performers who have been booked for the weekend.

The Road Hammers are on the main stage tonight. The first time the band played Countryfest was in 2005.

Sunday night, the headliner is Grammy Award-nominated Deana Carter — that’s who Sam, Stacey, Teresa and Veronica said they are looking forward to seeing perform.

“Don’t laugh,” Stacey said, “but I still have Deana Carter’s tapes.”

“I’m also looking forward to seeing Corb Lund,” Sam said. “He’s also known as the Hurtin’ Albertan. That’s the title of one of his songs.”

The four have been friends for about 20 years and said they are on a “girls weekend,” all staying in the same trailer. They came to the festival from Portage la Prairie, Winnipeg and Pine Falls.

When the Sun asked if they wanted to give their last names, they said “no” at the same time while laughing.

The campground has the capacity for 3,900 trailers and tents.

Rebecca and Dana Wells pitched their dome tent on one of the main roadways. They’re from Grand Marais on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg and said this is their fourth year at Countryfest.

They reserve the same campsite every year because of “location, location, location,” Rebecca said. “Nice and close to the stage.”

And for the last three years, they’ve brought an inflatable hot tub.

“Why? Why not,” Rebecca said. “The hot tub attracts attention, and we get to meet a lot of people. We just love the whole country experience. We wouldn’t miss it.”

Saskatchewan’s Glen Forrester said he is a “major country fan. I’ve been coming here almost 30 years,” he said.

“Great people are always here and very good entertainment. I really like the amphitheatre set up for the main stage instead of lawn chair, lawn chair. So that makes a big difference.”

The festival not only has the population of a small town, but there are services to match, with almost a dozen food kiosks and two dozen vendors selling everything from cowboy hats, T-shirts and ponchos to jewelry, woodworking, travel mugs and rugs.

Aside from the music, festivalgoers can book a helicopter ride, learn to line dance, sign up for a flip cup tournament or a hole-in-one contest, which is exactly what Winnipeg’s Shelly and Chris Carlson were excited to try.

“We’re having an amazing time,” Chris said. He and wife Shelly chose the quieter campground at the top of the festival ground’s hill. But he pointed to a spot he stayed “maybe 15 years ago” in the midst of all the fun.

“We also go to Minnedosa’s Rockin’ the Fields every year,” Chris said, “so we decided to come here as part of a circuit. Why not? The environment is good, and it’s what you make of it.”

“Just come and have a good time,” Shelly said. “You don’t have to be a country music lover — there’s a little bit of everything for everyone.”

This is Countryfest’s 36th year, making it the longest-running country music festival in Canada, and McMaster said it will continue thanks to the provincial government.

In April, the non-profit received one-time funding of $500,000.

“We’re really appreciative of that,” McMaster said. “That was indication from the province that they value us, and they think what we do is worthwhile and something that needs to be here.

“And we want our fans to come out and let us know they value being able to see this calibre of entertainment in Dauphin,” he said.

“This really is a fantastic site, you can’t beat our amphitheatre for watching a show.”

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