The Norfolk Music and Arts Festival is back this week, marking another year of performances, competition, and celebration — and this year carries special significance as the organization recognizes its 40th anniversary.
Running March 2 to March 5, the week-long festival will feature musicians, vocalists, speech arts competitors, and performers of all ages across venues in Simcoe, culminating in an award ceremony and celebration events next Tuesday.
Vicky Lachine, Secretary of the festival board, says the event continues to grow while staying true to its core mission of promoting the performing arts in Norfolk County.
The festival includes both competitive and non-competitive classes, with participants registering months in advance through a detailed syllabus released in the fall.
Disciplines include:
Bands
English and French speech arts
Vocal and classical music theatre
Piano
Community youth choirs
Strings
Community bands
Instruments and percussion
Ukulele and guitar
Professional adjudicators are brought in to provide encouragement and constructive feedback, creating what organizers describe as a learning-focused environment that helps participants grow their skills.
Lachine says the festival board works year-round — with planning ramping up heavily in the fall through early spring.
Tasks include securing venues, arranging insurance certificates, hiring adjudicators (often months in advance), managing registrations, and coordinating promotional efforts across media and social platforms.
She notes that the festival relies on a strong registration management system and dedicated volunteers, calling the process time-consuming but rewarding.
As the festival enters its 40th year, excitement is building.
We asked Lachine, who has been involved with the festival for nearly 20 years, about what is special about this event for her.
With music and arts programming facing challenges in some schools, the festival’s mission is especially important.
Lachine says she is happy to see, despite this, teachers and students are being drawn in with growing numbers.
The festival continues to encourage students of all ages to get involved, even if they are nervous about competing for the first time.
Festival performances will take place in local churches throughout the week, including Holy Trinity for band performances and St. James for the Senior Cup competition.
Entry is by donation, and organizers hope community members will attend, fill the venues, and support local talent.
The week will conclude with a highlight concert — a non-competitive celebration — followed by a reception featuring cake, coffee, and cookies in honour of the festival’s 40th anniversary.
Organizers say the celebration is about more than competition — it’s about community, growth, and supporting the next generation of performers.