Note: This article was originally written after the Sept 5 event.
SEBA BEACH — The skies threatened rain over Seba Beach on September 5, but the weather held as country music fans settled into lawn chairs for the second annual In the Woods Music Festival.
Held on the grounds of the former Seba Beach School, now SebaHub, the festival combined performances by seven Alberta acts with children's entertainment, local vendors and fundraising activities.
The crowd was still relatively sparse earlier in the afternoon, but attendance picked up noticeably around 5:30 and 6 p.m. As more visitors arrived with folding chairs, the grounds began to take on the atmosphere of a small-town summer gathering.
Danny Hooper was performer, comedian, and MC at Into the Woods.
Photo credit: Shara Cooper
Veteran Alberta entertainer Danny Hooper was among the afternoon performers, bringing his familiar combination of country music, storytelling and humour to an audience that included plenty of older country fans.
His jokes occasionally leaned on an older style of comedy, but his ability to connect with the crowd was evident. In one particularly affectionate moment, Hooper dedicated a song to a couple celebrating their 68th wedding anniversary.
His set drew on classic country influences, including Ian Tyson and Merle Haggard, alongside his own material.
Beyond the stage, organizers had made a considerable effort to ensure the festival offered something for families.
Children could have their faces painted, play on a large inflatable attraction and try their luck at prize machines that dispensed toys with remarkable generosity. One family left with approximately seven prizes.
A live airbrush artist added another creative element to the festival grounds, while food vendors, a beer garden and a designated cannabis area catered to adult visitors.
The evening's musical lineup included Edmonton country-rock band The Prairie States, whose performance offered a preview of new material.
Among the songs was “My First Rodeo,” which had not yet been released. The band told the audience that its record label had wanted the song kept under wraps ahead of its release, making the performance an unexpected early introduction to the track.
The single would subsequently be released on October 9.
The festival also featured Indigenous artists, including Métis fiddler and singer-songwriter Darla Daniels, and The Prairie States' frontman Mat Cardinal, a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation.
Community fundraising formed another part of the event. An auction offered unusual prizes, including a forest lodge stay, a two-night stay in a stargazer glamping geodome, two guitars and artwork by Parkland County artist James Mackay.
The auctioneer kept bidders on their toes, warning that even direct eye contact might be interpreted as a bid.
According to organizers, ticket proceeds and other fundraising initiatives supported Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta. Local Girl Guides raised funds through treats and container collection, while family activities supported Parkland Food Bank.
With a musical program spanning traditional country, roots and contemporary country-rock, In the Woods demonstrated the potential for a community-based festival to attract both local families and visitors to the lakeside village.
The modest setting was part of its appeal. Visitors could spend the afternoon enjoying music, watching their children explore and settling in for the evening's headline performances without the scale or crowds of a major urban festival.
