Daniel Lapp is the headliner for this year’s Lovefest, which returns to Linnaea Farm on Saturday, August 8, 2026. He has played on over 100 albums and performed across Canada, the United States, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Finland, and Germany. Daniel is also a winner of the BC Fiddler Championship and is the Artistic Director of the Victoria Conservatory of Music.
Benji Coey, who is organizing Lovefest, said, “This year I’m very excited to have booked Daniel Lapp, who is a nationally renowned folk and jazz musician. He’s going to bring Adam Dobres—who the folks on the island are familiar with—a world-class guitar player, and Richard Moody, one of the country’s best fiddle players. Those guys are going to do an extended set. When you get that sort of talent coming through, you have to give them room; you’ve got to give them time to play, and it’s going to be a really mind-blowing set.”
(This podcast opens and closes with Wafflerama Rag by Daniel Lapp)
“We’re also going to have the return of Pablo Cardenas with his ‘Latin explosion,’ so we’re going to have some good, vigorous dancing to all kinds of great rhythms. I actually had him last year, but the reason I brought him back is because he only had a short set last year. It was a really energetic, exciting show; the crowd responded terrifically and I thought, ‘That’s a great taster, but let’s get him back this time to really hammer it home.'”
“We have a really good lineup—a diverse mix of material—quite a bit of folk really going back to the roots of the festival.”
“Amy and Rick Bockner will be doing a full set. They didn’t play last year, and Rick is part of the heart of the island music scene and, of course, Lovefest. It’s going to be a really special occasion to have him and Amy playing a set. I think the island will be very receptive to seeing that beautiful family playing together, celebrating their love, their family, and the music.”
Cortes Currents: Are there any other acts that you wanted to mention?
Benji Coey: “I won’t mention too many right now. There are one or two confirmations which are still coming through, so I shan’t release too much more. Daniel Lapp is definitely the big-ticket item. If you haven’t heard of Daniel Lapp before, I suggest you go online and check him out. He is a highly regarded musician, multi-award nominated, and a very nice bloke.”
Cortes Currents: So when will this be happening?
Benji Coey: “That’s on August 8th at Linnaea Farm. Tickets will go on sale in June and you can, of course, buy them from the Friday market. We hope for another great event and a really good turnout. It’s going to be, as ever, a really friendly, enjoyable, laid-back event with some high-energy moments and some beautiful reflective moments. Just those moments when you sit back, feel the early evening roll in, listen to the music, and feel grateful that this talent is coming all this way to entertain us.”
Links of Interest:
- Daniel Lapp Music (YouTube)
- Adam Dobres (website)
- Pablo Cardenas & The West Coast Cuban Orchestra – Facebook
- Stories about, or mentioning, Lovefest
Top image credit: Daniel Lapp – courtesy Victoria Conservatory of Music
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