The best seats don't have seat numbers. They start with a blanket spread out on the hill and someone nearby trying to guess the first song of the evening while sharing snacks. Sound familiar? It must be Folk Fest. From today until 9 August, Gallagher Park once again becomes a gathering place for Edmonton music lovers. What keeps people coming back year after year? It's rarely just one artist. Across the festival's stages, musicians perform solo sets, then join others for workshop sessions that create one-off collaborations.

This year's lineup includes Nathaniel Rateliff, Cat Power, Corb Lund, Of Monsters and Men and Arrested Development, with dozens of other acts adding fresh discoveries along the way. Since 1980, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has been a summer tradition for many Edmontonians. More than 2,700 people sign up to volunteer each year. As daylight fades, the hillside comes alive with music. Are you heading to Gallagher Park this weekend?