Northern Lights Festival Boréal is an annual summer music festival in Sudbury, Ontario."Festival turns 35 this year". Sudbury Star, May 25, 2006. One of Canada's oldest continuous music festivals, it has been staged every year since 1972 including during the COVID-19 pandemic."Northern Lights Festival Boreal finalizes 45th anniversary performance roster". Soo Today, April 20, 2016.Only the Mariposa Folk Festival is older, but it was not staged in 1980-81.

The bilingual festival is held on the shores of Ramsey Lake at Bell Park, home of the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre."Good, bad or ugly, the folk festival endures". Toronto Star, June 15, 1995. A diverse program of music is presented in a variety of genres including arts, crafts and children's entertainment."Festival expands its artistic ambitions". Sudbury Star, July 10, 1999. Northern Ontario, national, and international artists and performers are featured. in concert performances as well as collaborative workshops.

In addition to the summer festival, the organizing committee sponsors concerts and other cultural events in Sudbury throughout the year.

The festival is normally held over three days in the first weekend of July,In 1988, it was postponed until the last weekend of the month to serve as the cultural festival for the 1988 World Junior Championships in Athletics, which was held in the city. although occasionally it has also taken place over one, two or four days.

History Founded by a group of volunteers in 1972, the festival incorporated in 1975 at which time artists also began to be paid for performing. The event has always been multicultural, including Ukrainian, Indian, and Croatian Canadians at the first festival, and Indigenous artists since the third.

Some of the highlights over the years:

In the 1970s, Colin Linden, then 14 years old, appeared at the festival. Canadian folk musician Stan Rogers wrote one of his most famous songs, "Barrett's Privateers","Stan Rogers: 10 Years Gone". Ottawa Citizen, July 11, 1993. while at the festival. The song was written for a collaborative performance session with the band Friends of Fiddler's Green. In 1976, the festival was one of the first major venues to book Shania Twain, then 10 years old.Barbara Hager, On Her Way: The Life and Music of Shania Twain. Berkley Boulevard, 1998. . In 1988, the event was postponed to the last weekend of July to serve as the cultural festival for the 1988 World Junior Championships in Athletics, which were held in the city.Paul Schratz, "Sudbury's offering fine entertainment to go along with great sports action". North Bay Nugget, June 16, 1988. The 1990 event saw the first collaborative performance by folk musicians James Keelaghan and Oscar Lopez, who later recorded two Juno Award-nominated albums together as the Compadres."Just your average 'Celtino' guitar duo; The unlikely fusion of Latin American and Celtic music came easily to Lopez and Keelaghan". Toronto Star, October 11, 2007. In 1992, the festival was profiled in the TVOntario series Putting On the Arts."Arts on TV". Windsor Star, June 20, 1992. In 1999, pop singer Amanda Marshall announced a concert in the city on a date that conflicted with the festival."Everybody loves Amanda Marshall". Sudbury Star, July 9, 1999. The controversy was resolved when Marshall's promoters offered a special promotional pass that enabled ticketholders to attend both events. Nevertheless, attendance at the festival fell below expectations, leaving a deficit."Festival will continue". Sudbury Star, December 5, 1999. The following year, the festival recovered by offering a smaller program."Performance artist wowed the crowds at Northern Lights". Sudbury Star, July 15, 2000. In 2017, the festival expanded its three-day schedule with a Thursday night performance devoted exclusively to Indigenous music."Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tribe Called Red to highlight Northern Lights festival". CBC Sudbury, April 25, 2017. In 2020-21, the traditional festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.Mary Katherine Keown, "Organizers cancel Northern Lights Festival Boreal for this year". Sudbury Star, May 4, 2020."Northern Lights Festival announces cancellation for 2nd year in a row". Sudbury.com, April 20, 2021. In its place, a drive-in music concert was held in 2020, and a limited, smaller event in 2021. The festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.

Festival artistic directors have included Scott Merrifield, Vickie McGauley, John Closs, Claude Faucon, Paul Loewenberg, and Max Merrifield.

Awards The Jackie Washington Award is presented each year for distinguished contribution to Northern Ontario's cultural life. Past recipients have included Robert Paquette, Ken Whiteley, Daniel Bédard, Paul Dunn and Charlie Angus."Music, art combine to make NLFB a success". Sudbury Star, July 18, 1999. The co-winners of the award in 2024 were Iona Reed and Ron Kelly. In 2025, local blues musician Tom Fyfe won the award. The award is named for Jackie Washington, a blues musician who appeared at the festival 25 times between the festival's inauguration in 1972 and Washington's death in 2009.

The Bernie Melanson Volunteer Award is also awarded annually, named after one of the festival's founding members and given to individuals or groups for longstanding or exceptional service to the festival.

Performers

1980 CANO, Tom Rush, Stan Rogers"Folk music lives, from coast-to-coast". The Globe and Mail, June 27, 1980.

1983 Scott Merritt, Lauri Conger and Lorraine Segato, The Nylons, The Bop Cats, Joe Hall, Nancy White, Eritage, Shirley Eikhard, Richard Séguin, Robert Paquette, CANO, Paul Dunn, Daisy DeBolt, Jacko Chartrand"Folk festivals forge their own traditions". The Globe and Mail, June 27, 1980.

1990 James Keelaghan, Oscar Lopez, Tom Paxton, Josephine, Loreena McKennitt"Playbill". Windsor Star, July 7, 1990.

1995 Ashley MacIsaac, Kashtin, Nadjiwan, The Wailing Aztecs, The Shuffle Demons, Stephen Fearing, Eric Nagler"Sudbury festival list was wrong". Toronto Star, June 16, 1995.

1997 Blue Rodeo, Bob Wiseman, Universal Honey, Change of Heart, The Pursuit of Happiness, Bob Snider, Fred Eaglesmith, Pacande, The Wailing Aztecs, Nadjiwan, Les Chaizes Muzikales"Summer's sounds of music All across Ontario tunefests ranging from folk and roots to global world beat are getting ready to roll". Toronto Star, June 15, 1997.

1998 Bruce Cockburn, Natalie MacMaster, Rheostatics"Out of town". Toronto Star, July 2, 1998.

1999 Mackeel, Buckwheat Zydeco, Grievous Angels, Kim Stockwood"Time to head out on the highway ; Music festivals are beckoning from across the province". Toronto Star, June 17, 1999.

2000 The Arrogant Worms, Rita Chiarelli, The Corndogs, Alun Piggins, Carlos del Junco, Konflit Dramatik, Ruby Craig, The Rockin' Highliners, Debbie Danbrook, Hank Engel and the Hoosier Daddies, No Reservations, Darlene"Music abounds at Northern Lights". Sudbury Star, July 3, 2000.

2004 The Arrogant Worms, BeeBop Cowboys, Broche à Foin, Kevin Closs, Sarah Craig, Véronic DiCaire, Brian Dunn, Fred Eaglesmith, Grievous Angels,"New MP hits the stage in Sudbury". North Bay Nugget, July 5, 2004. The Havocs, Colin James, Kingpins, Konflit Dramatik, Corb Lund, Kate Maki, Matapat, Mondo Idols, Ox, Pilate, Andy Stochansky, Sweetwater, The Wailin' Jennys, Verge"Festival Boreal stays true to roots in its 33rd year". Sudbury Star, May 24, 2004."Festival Boreal enjoys another great year". Sudbury Star, July 8, 2004.

2007 Ron Sexsmith, Leahy, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Peter Case, Les Breastfeeders, Oh Susanna, Peter Elkas, Ox, Kim Barlow, Torngat

2008 Kate Maki, Old Man Luedecke, Nathan Lawr, Two Hours Traffic, Daniel Bélanger, Ian Tamblyn, David Francey, Miracle Fortress, The Sadies, Don McLean

2009 Serena Ryder, Bob Wiseman, Joel Plaskett, Jenn Grant, Bob Snider, Angie Nussey, Stéphane Paquette, J. P. Cormier, Norman Foote, Mr. Something Something

2011 Broken Social Scene, The Weakerthans, Lunch At Allen's, Ron Hynes, J. P. Cormier, Ladies of the Canyon

2012 Daniel Lanois, Steven Page, Joel Plaskett, The Good Lovelies, The Hidden Cameras

2013 Serena Ryder, Kathleen Edwards, Buck 65, Lynn Miles, Caracol, Elisapie, Swamperella, Cindy Cook

2014 Amélie, Annie Lou, Bustamento, Bruce Cockburn, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Barry Miles, Stéphane Paquette, Red Moon Road, Crystal Shawanda, The Strumbellas, Tokyo Police Club, Wintersleep

2015 Fanny Bloom, Big Tobacco & The Pickers, Billy John & The Irish Wake, The Bombadils, Duncan Cameron, Cello Tales, J. P. Cormier, Quique Escamilla, Five Alarm Funk, Sarah Harmer, Hello Holiday, House of David Gang, Jayme Stone's Lomax Project, Kobo Town, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dan Mangan, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Mimi O'Bonsawin, Lisa Marie Naponse, Le Paysagiste, Pistol George Warren, Les Poules à Colin, Adonis Puentes, Reuben and the Dark, Scarlett Jane, Ben Sures, Tuba Boy, The Wild Geese

2016 Afrikelektro, The Amazing René, Bahamas, Mélanie Brulée, Collective Roots, Cindy Cook, Digging Roots, Brian Dunn, Paul Dunn, Fagroongala, Martine Fortin, Matt Foy, Anique Granger, Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, Jennifer Holub, Les Hotêsses d’Hilaire, Hugh Jazz, François Lemieux, A. David MacKinnon, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Kate Maki, Mandala, Minotaurs, Murder Murder, Orkestar Kriminal, Steven Page, Pretty Archie, Chuck Roberts, Sheesham & Lotus & Son, Frederick Squire, Jeff Stewart and Community Drums, Rose-Erin Stokes, Sun K, Dwayne Trudeau, Josh Turnbull, Union Duke

2017 Aerialists, The Ape-ettes, Barry Miles and the Congregation, Bboy Redsky, Bixiga 70, Black Bull Moose Singers, La Bronze, Christian Cirelli, Dr. Tom's Travelling Medicine Show, M. D. Dunn, Ever-Lovin' Jug Band, Les Frérots Rochers, Stephanie Fyfe, Emmanuel Gasser, Louis-Philippe Gingras, Sarah King Gold, Nico Glaude, Joy Harjo, Hidden Roots Collective, The Jerry Cans, Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboys, Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie, Mclean, Miss Sassoeur & Les Sassys, Mob Bounce, Music by Jake, No Reservations, Fred Penner, Dale Pepin, Plugged Nickel String Band, Quantum Tangle, Rabbit and Bear Paws, Jenny Ritter, Don Ross, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar, Andy Shauf, Nick Sherman, Ansley Simpson, Rae Spoon, Shotgun Jimmie, Annie Sumi, Leonard Sumner, Chris Thériault, Trad, A Tribe Called Red, Tuns, The Turbans, Whitehorse, Clayton Windatt, Yukon Blonde

2018 Afrikana Soul Sister, Afro Madness Drum Troupe, Alvvays, Andrew Queen and the Campfire Crew, Arkells, C.R. Avery, Les Barricades, BBBRTHR, Seth Bernard, Binaeshee-Quae, Black Bull Moose Singers, Bonsa, Aleksi Campagne, Canailles, Casper Skulls, David Cordero, Aron d'Alesio, Russell deCarle, Les Deuxluxes, Cécile Doo-Kingué, Matt Foy, Frank Deresti and the Lake Effect, Fresh Kils & Vekked, Jane's Party, Connie Kaldor, Doctor Nativo, Guitars Alive Quartet, Hellnback, Richard Inman, Iskwé, JoPo and the Rize, Julie and the Wrong Guys, King Abid, Kira May, The Keyframes, Édouard Landry, Abigail Lapell, Lisa Leblanc, Lee Harvey Osmond, Paul Loewenberg and Richard Mende, Pat Maloney, Mama's Broke, Rodney Meilleur, Mickey O'Brien, Murder Murder, NiLLa & Ghettosocks, Orlando Julius and Afrosoundz, Joel Plaskett and Bill Plaskett, Donné Roberts, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, Sheesham & Lotus & Son, Sulfur City, Team T&J, Mara Tremblay, Laetitia Zonzambé

2019