Indian River Festival looking forward to exciting new changes after 25 years!

The award-winning Island festival is planning a brand refresh in the coming months.

September 8, 2021 (Kensington, PEI)

After 25 years, Indian River Festival (IRF) is looking ahead to the next chapter in its iconic Island concert series. Recent changes to IRF’s operations—including a new executive director, new leadership within the board of directors, as well as increased online offerings catalyzed by the pandemic—have created an opportunity for IRF to step back and reassess its position within the Island and Atlantic Canadian music ecosystem. In the coming months, IRF will undergo a brand refresh aligning with its commitment to present varied, innovative, and high-quality programming to highlight the beautiful acoustics of Historic St. Mary’s.

After an unnaturally quiet year which saw the live events industry shuttered, music once again returned to the halls of Historic St. Mary’s this summer. IRF showcases the best in folk, jazz, blues, roots, classical, choral, traditional and contemporary music all in the acoustically unparalleled venue of Historic St. Mary’s Church located in beautiful Kataqanek, Epekwitk (Indian River, Prince Edward Island). Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, Indian River Festival has come back stronger than ever for its milestone 25th anniversary year.

When the Indian River Festival first began in 1996, few could imagine the impact it would have on Island culture, community, and music. IRF began as a handful of stand-alone concerts to save Historic St. Mary’s; soon after, it grew into a small concert series called Midsummer Magic. Fast forward 25 years and it has evolved into an internationally-renowned festival. We seek to build on this legacy to create extraordinary experiences for all of our audience members in the future.

Reflecting the growth and evolution of Indian River Festival as a leader in the Atlantic Canadian music scene, the upcoming brand refresh will build on the organization’s strength, stability and legacy, and will include changes such as a new logo, brand positioning, name, marketing, and more. New branding is only one of the many parts of Indian River Festival’s transformation—the organization also hopes to introduce changes to make its operations more accessible, to assess its environmental impact, and to make sure the designated heritage site Historic St. Mary’s is properly maintained for years to come. Changes will be made in consultation with IRF’s board of directors, stakeholders, and patrons, and will have all parties’ best interests in mind.

“Even though some of our brand elements are changing, our core purpose remains the same: to present outstanding performances in our beloved venue, Historic St. Mary’s,” says Executive Director Lindsay Connolly. “After more than a quarter of a century of incredible music, evolution is not only inevitable, but also essential to ensure the Festival is set up to succeed for the next 25 years. We are excited to move forward in a new direction in consultation with our patrons and community. Many of our supporters have been with the Festival since the beginning, and we want to make sure we uphold their legacy while taking actions to make the Festival the best it can be.”

The Indian River Festival is working with a brand strategist and accepting proposals from design companies, graphic designers, and copywriters to help implement the organization’s upcoming brand refresh. For more information, see our Request for Proposals due September 29, 2021.

Individuals and companies interested in partnerships are encouraged to contact the Indian River Festival directly at music@indianriverfestival.com.

For press comments, to arrange an interview, or for further information, please contact Lindsay Connolly, executive director, at lindsay@indianriverfestival.com or 902-836-4933. All press and media questions will be directed to Dean Perry, chair of the Branding Committee.