Calgary Folk Music Festival Day 3: Lola Kirke, Madison Cunningham and The Free Label take the stage

By Laura Beldor, July 26 2026—

The party continued into the weekend for those attending the third night of the Calgary Folk Music Festival 2026, where unforgettable performances took place throughout Princes Island Park. 

In the evening, Lola Kirke took the National Stage. The country singer, songwriter, author and actress recently starred in the groundbreaking film Sinners as Joan, the fiddle-playing vampire, but in real life has spent a decade creating catchy country tunes. 

Each of her songs is an exploration of her memories of love, life and family; for Kirke, music is a means of introspection which allows her to reflect on her past and ponder the present. During her set, she sang songs such as “Mississippi, My Sister, Elvis & Me” and “Easy On You”, tracks from her latest record, as well as “Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?” from the film  Sinners. Kirke’s lyricism and style of performance resonated with many in the crowd, with the audience laughing, singing and dancing to every song.

Later in the night, Madison Cunningham put on a stirring performance at the ATB Main Stage. Hailing from California, she is a growing influence in the folk music scene. During her set, she performed songs such as “Broken Harvest” and “Skeletree” that go into detail about the heartbreak and loss Cunningham has experienced and witnessed throughout her life. 

Throughout the show, she alternates between the piano and the guitar, each note haunting yet captivating. The stripped-down instrumentals did not diminish the emotional weight of the music; each of her songs was layered with rich metaphors. Cunningham is unflinchingly vulnerable in her lyrics, which translates into an extremely moving performance.

Back at the National Stage, The Free Label delivered a charged performance. The six-member band from Toronto has a sound reminiscent of a past era. Their songs incorporate elements of funk, disco and soul to create something truly special. During the night, they performed songs such as “DANCING ON YOUR OWN” and “Change Your Mind” that the audience couldn’t help but groove along to. 

Information about performances, tickets and passes for Calgary Folk Music Festival 2026 can be found here.