Stir Cheat Sheet: Beach concerts to artisan market, 5 happenings to hit at Harrison Festival of the Arts
Hawksley Workman, plus mesmerizing cultural melds from El Balcón, Benin International Musical, and more
Harrison Festival of the Arts
Hawksley Workman
THE LAKESIDE RESORT town of Harrison Hot Springs offers much more than relaxing dips in steaming pools. From July 10 to 19, the scenic spot plays host to one of the summer’s most diverse multicultural, multidisciplinary festivals.
The Harrison Festival of the Arts celebrates music, visual arts, theatre, and more—all with a relaxed, small-town vibe, reachable in under two hours from Vancouver.
The program of smartly curated concerts, with their emphasis on world and folk music, are split between the atmospheric, ticketed community hall and the free beach stage. Elsewhere, artisans spread along the waterfront. There are workshops, gallery shows, and more; read on for five highlights of the 47th annual fest, and find the full schedule details here.
Hawksley Workman
July 12 at 7:30 pm at Harrison Memorial Hall
Hawksley Workman might just be the hardest-working man in the Canadian music biz. Between producing albums for the likes of Great Big Sea, Hey Rosetta!, Adaline, and Sarah Slean; performing as part of the indie-rock supergroup Mounties—alongside Hot Hot Heat’s Steve Bays and Ryan Dahle of Limblifter—and composing theme songs for TV series like Republic of Doyle, the multiple Juno Award–winning Workman somehow still finds time to create his own highly eclectic music, including last year’s Fly Like an Ego EP. (The Spill described that six-song release as “just a snippet of Workman’s greatness”, noting that it showcases “his unabashed penchant for creating incredibly catchy hooks and memorable, emotionally driven and sometimes weird lyrics”.) Now more than dozen albums into his solo career, the man born Ryan Corrigan can pen a strutting glam-rock stomper like no one else. And a deeply earnest country-folk tune. And a cabaret number. And…
My Son the Hurricane
My Son the Hurricane
July 11 at 8 pm at Harrison Memorial Hall
Watching the members of My Son the Hurricane exiting their tour van must be a little like watching circus performers emerge from a tiny clown car. There are so many of them, and they just keep coming. There are, in fact, 11 musicians in My Son the Hurricane. Or maybe 12. Possibly 14. It depends where you look. In any case, when the Toronto-based band, which boasts a full horn section, is in full swing, you’ll be too busy busting moves on the dance floor to count how many people it takes to make such a high-energy fusion of funk, rock, ska, jazz, hip-hop, and dance grooves. Find out why American Blues Scene described My Son the Hurricane as “a force of nature”.
Harrison Festival Artisan Market
Upcycled Blooms
Artisan Market
July 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19, Harrison Hot Springs Beach
The Artisan Market is one of the Harrison Festival's biggest draws, bringing together more than 45 artists and makers in an open air showcase of craft. From hats to honey, the variety of work is what makes the market worth visiting. Alula Ray Designs stands out for its intricately woven copper and silver jewellery, with pieces that seem to have fallen straight out of a fairy tale. ARCANDARTZ brings playful ceramics full of personality, while Fabric Art Rocks turns reclaimed textiles into striking sculptures. Upcycled Blooms gives discarded fabrics a second life as colourful floral art, and David Kilpatrick's vibrant acrylic paintings add another burst of colour to the market. Talann Creations rounds out the mix with intricately laser-engraved designs on wood, glass, metal, paper, and fabric. Visitors can also find handcrafted knitwear, nature photography, locally produced honey, handmade candles, and much more. With so many artists working across different mediums, a quick browse can easily turn into hours of wandering.
El Balcón
July 11 at 3:40 pm and July 12 at 5 pm, Harrison Beach Stage
The magic of this Montreal band is in its heady mix of instruments. Think Mexican folk instruments like the jarana and the requinto mixing with the Middle Eastern oud, alongside violin and upright bass. It’s all driven by the rhythms of percussion, created with everything from the cajon to the quijada del burro (donkey jaw bone). Add two mesmerizing vocalists (Valeria Del Marre and Charles Cantin) singing in multiple languages, and you have an insanely danceable, culture-crossing sound unlike anything else out there. Expect a range of new twists on traditional covers with original arrangements from El Balcón’s fourth release, 2025’s El Errante (The Wanderer), an album, that—not surprisingly—explores ideas around migration, cultural exchange, and transcending borders. (Note that these folks, who have made a name for their energized live shows, are also hitting this year’s Vancouver Folk Music Festival.)
Benin International Musical
July 18, 8 pm, Harrison Memorial Hall
Based in the bustling West African metropolis of Cotonou, the seven-piece collective Benin International Musical draws on its culture’s Vodou worship dances—rhythmic prayers in motion, designed to induce trance-like states and restore harmony. But listen to this music that bridges the past and present, and you'll also hear elements of jazz, rock, blues, Afrobeat, rap, and club grooves. In this rare, direct look at Benin’s vibrant music scene, BIM will play the hypnotic beats and vocal polyphonies from its 2026 album Positive Vodoun. We challenge you to stand still. 
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