2026 Ontario Folk Music Awards

The 32nd annual Ontario Folk Music Awards, honouring our nominees and recipients, will take place on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at The Studio in Hamilton, Ontario.

Folk Canada is very pleased to announce that renowned Canadian Artist Terra Lightfoot will be the host for the 2026 Ceremony!

The ceremony will also include performances from nominees Tanika Charles, Vicki Brittle, Jonathan Nvita, kazdoura, Logan Staats and more!

The event will be exclusive to nominees and Folk Canada Conference delegates and attendees. Festivities will begin at the Folk Canada Conference Opening Reception at the Art Gallery of Hamilton where there will be photo opportunities, refreshments and snacks and then we will make our way over to The Studio for an evening of music and celebrating the nominees and award winners.

Click here to see past award winners.

Folk Canada Conference Opening Reception at Art Gallery of Hamilton: 4:00 pm
Red Carpet: 4:00-6:00 pm
Awards Show: 7:00-9:00 pm

HOST - TERRA LIGHTFOOT

Terra Lightfoot has a well-earned reputation as a tireless live performer, with a tour history mapped across the globe and awards testifying to every mile logged along the way.

To date, Lightfoot's marathon tours have touched down in eight countries across four continents (including support slots for Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, The Posies, Matt Andersen, The Sheepdogs, and Willie Nelson). She also conceived, created, curated, produced and co-headlined The Longest Road Show, an all-female touring revue.

ESTELLE KLEIN AWARD RECEIPIENTS

Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award - Chris White

Based in Ottawa, Chris White was born in Toronto into a musical family with Nova Scotian roots that combine Black, White and Indigenous heritage. As a child, he sang in a sibling vocal quartet and participated in a neighbourhood choir led by his father. His mother played the piano and was a major fan of Canadian folk songs. A songwriter and guitar player, Chris has released three albums of original songs that are sometimes humorous and sometimes touching. He is known for his engaging stage presence and his ability to get audiences to sing along enthusiastically! He is a member of a musical collective called the Afro-Métis Nation, and also performs with his banjo-playing wife, Mary Gick.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CHRIS

Estelle Klein Community Builder Award - Coco Love Alcorn

Over the past 30 years, Coco has carved out a remarkable and multifaceted career. She has performed at major festivals and theatres across Canada and beyond, released a dozen albums, and explored an array of genres, from her early jazz beginnings to rock tours, electronic projects, pop, folk, soul, gospel, and more. Her willingness to experiment and her playful, genuine stage presence have made her a beloved and enduring figure on the Canadian music scene.

In recent years, Coco’s music has found a profound home in the community choir world. Her original songs, known for their simplicity, accessibility, and heartfelt messages, have been taken up by choirs around the globe. Her song “The River” has become a grassroots anthem, sung in over 1000 choirs worldwide, as well as in living rooms, yoga retreats, song circles, climate rallies, and campfire gatherings.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT COCO

CULTURE IN CLIMATE AWARD RECEIPIENT

Culture in Climate Award - Logan Staats

Mohawk rocker turned folk and soul musician Logan Staats has turned the itinerant life of a touring musician into a tool for land defence. Rather than flying home between dates, he anchors his touring schedule around frontline action, using a handful of shows on Vancouver Island as the reason to stay for weeks at a time — turning what might have been a four-day trip into a month on the land. Throughout 2025, this brought him to the Fairy Creek action camps for extended stretches, work he sees as inseparable from his music: the same commitment to reclamation and healing that drives his songwriting. In December, he was arrested during a land defence action; his court case is ongoing. His wife and tour manager, Hannah Staats, shares in this work, providing supply runs and rides for land defenders while also keeping his tour and social media running from the edge of the frontline.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT LOGAN