Lovefest 2025 was at Linnaea Farm on Saturday August 9th. 

Cortes Currents arrived early and wandered through the crowd asking people about the festival and why they kept coming back. In the process, I also recorded a few short clips of music, asked one of the principal organizers about this year’s program and some people shared their recollections of the festival’s beginnings

Howie Roman – “It started with 50 Summers of Love, which was our great hippie festival. People really dug out their old clothes. Women in long skirts; guys in bell bottoms. There was an exhibit up in the school of what you looked like in ’67, and it was very cool. The demand was that they keep it going. So I believe this is the sixth year.” 

Toni Smorodin – “I’ve been coming since the very beginning. I think it was 2017. So the idea of a Lovefest, reincarnation, music and people coming together:  It really excited me, especially in a beautiful location like Linnaea.”

Adam Schick from Linnaea Farm – “It’s great having Lovefest here on the farm. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon in August,  showcasing what a beautiful place I get to live in all the time.” 

Cortes Currents – Tell me about this year’s lineup, and what’s changed? 

Benji Coey – “This year we’ve got quite a few new bands who haven’t been here before. One or two classics, who people on the island will know of. For example, Louis Belcourt is a classic, but if you’re talking big differences, we’ve got a different end of the evening this year. For the last couple of years we finished with the Cuban Act,  this year ending with the Righteous Rainbows of Togetherness.”

“So imagine if you can time traveling Egyptian space lords playing improvised electronica to a visual track of lasers and smoke machines. That’s what’s gonna culminate the evening tonight. We have Canada’s best tribute to the Great Divide, which includes Rex Weyler’s son Jack Weyler, a wonderful Hammond organ player and Dylan Stone, who’s another island favourite.”

“We’ve got Lily Fawn, who has been on the BC music scene for about 15-20 years. We’re doing the music of David Lynch. As you know, David Lynch is a directing legend in Canadian film history. Twin Peaks obviously is one of his most famous pieces, so the band are going to play a selection of music from Twin Peaks and from some of David Lynch’s other works. It’ll be a theatrical element. We’re gonna do that at sunset.” 

Ann Mortifee – “I love to feast on love and there are so many great people here, from our community, and from afar. I love this day because it is a Lovefest where people of talent and all different kinds of things can come and dance, enjoy and visit.”

Amy Harding from the Linnaea Farm food booth – “It’s very exciting and vibrant and beautiful and I love feeling that energy.”

Cortes Currents –  It seems like there’s always the McKenty element to Lovefest, whether it’s onstage or as support.

Francis McKenty – “Yep, and sometimes both, but it’s a fun chance to get together and work backstage, with all of my brothers, helping make Cortes’ most amazing music festival as amazing as it can be.”

Greg Osoba –  “This is my first year volunteering, but I’ve had the great pleasure to play at Lovefest. I was with Six Foot Johnson on, gosh, at least four occasions. I’m very happy with that. It’s a great opportunity for some less experienced players to get their feet wet, as well as some very seasoned professionals. I just thought this is a great way to give back and it’s wonderful to greet all the happy attendees who are looking forward to what Lovefest has to offer.”

Aland from Victoria – “I’ve been here since the beginning, I was five, maybe. It’s a really fun experience and there’s always music, and it’s a really nice time to just connect to everyone.” 

Her sister Nim – “We used to live here full time and we still come here because it’s an awesome community and great music.” 

Anastasia Avvakumova – “It feels like home.” 

Hui Lin – “We’ve been coming every year to offer body work by the lake and just connect with the locals and whoever comes to the festival. So it is sheer love.” 

Anastasia – “Thank you Lovefest for having us.”

Top image credit: a crowd shot – Bryan McKinnon photo; undesignated photos by Roy L Hales

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