All folks may attend! Our programming is tailored towards professionals in the music/creative industry, which attracts musicians, agents, festival buyers, representatives of related organizations, and music lovers, all are welcome.

Members and non-members both can attend, but members receive the steepest discounts on all purchases. Take a look at our rates on our registration portal to see which rate applies to you. You are welcome to purchase a membership before registering for the conference to access the best deals.

When you first arrive, follow the signs to the Registration Area to pick up your badge. You just need to provide your name and one piece of ID, or your confirmation number or QR code, to one of our FMO volunteers at the Registration Area, to receive your welcome package.

You can bring your instrument to the conference, even if you don’t have a showcase booked as you’ll find people jamming throughout the weekend in various areas of the hotel. We will have an instrument lockup area if you want to store your instrument at the hotel. And maybe bring a pair of comfortable shoes, you’ll need them! Feel free to reference this Conference Packing Checklist video: LINK

Other good ideas are:

• Business Cards or other ways to share your contact information
• On-the-go snacks or meals for when you need a quick re-fuel
• Re-usable cup / mug; because we love the environment!
• Bathing suit, if you fancy taking a dip at the conference hotel, there is a pool!
• Comfy clothes and a mat if you'd like to join us for some morning yoga/stretching!
• Herbal tea, honey, FIsherman's Friend; anything to soothe the throat after a long day of networking/singing

We recommend you register in advance, as the registration rates increase at intervals leading up to the conference. However, you are welcome to register onsite. Head to the Registration Area and our staff will be glad to assist you. You can pay for your registration with credit card online and on-site. If you are an active FMO member be sure to have access to your member ID number or any membership confirmation documentation, you’ll need it to receive the member rate on-site.

New this year, we have simplified registering for the conference as an FMO member! In order to receive your discounted member rate, use the selection tool on the ticketing site. If you aren't sure if your membership is active, please contact Joel Elliott.

All artists that have applied to showcase at the 2024 Conference are eligible to register at the Artist Rate, regardless of showcase status. You will need to select Artist as your primary industry role to be eligible. Any additional members of your band, or side-players can register with the Band Member/Side Player rate once you have purchased one registration at the Artist Rate. If you are unsure if this rate applies to you, please contact us.

Refunds are available until 1 month prior to the conference dates. If you find yourself unable to attend as planned, we are happy to apply a full credit to your account, to be used on a future purchase from Folk Music Ontario (membership renewal, conference registration, etc.). You can also transfer your ticket to another person online through the TIXR portal.

Send an email to our Registration Coordinator, Crystalena Paquette.

The performer you are playing with should purchase your ticket on your behalf under their name, which allows you to get a special $75 per additional musician rate.

Every artist needs to register at least one member of their group at the regular artist rate of $200. Additional band members or side players can then register at the rate of $75. The Band Member / Side Player Rate allows entry for the full conference, and access to all activities and venues.

The Side Player Rate and Artist rates are capped at $500 (incl taxes and fees), which means that larger ensembles of 6+ musicians do not have to pay for registrations above the capped amount. If you are registering an ensemble of more than 5 musicians, please contact our Registration Coordinator to access the Large Ensemble Discount.

Please register all band members in the same transaction. If this isn't possible, please contact us to notify the staff who will be registered under a different transaction.

Our Official Showcase Artists are selected by a jury of 23 industry professionals, through an open application process. Some showcases may be presented through an industry partnership. We use the word “Spotlight” showcases for acts presented by our industry partners, and secondary showcase opportunities.

The 2024 official showcase applications are now closed. Information about the 2025 showcase applications will be published in the new year. Sign up for our newsletter or become a member for the most up-to-date information.

An Official Showcase Artist is an Artist that has been selected by our Jury, and joins an illustrious family of Artists who are alumni of the past 38 years of our conference. Official Showcases are a stand-alone in the FMO schedule (ie. have no other competing programming during that time), and are 20 minutes in length. We require that our Canadian and International presenters are in attendance at the Official showcases and encourage presenters to see as many showcase artists as possible.

An FMO Showcase Artist is part of the family year-round! Thanks to a growing community of partners around the world, we arrange ongoing activities - showcases, public performances, professional development opportunities, and more. FMO Showcase Artists are encouraged to participate in additional opportunities that may arise throughout the year and beyond.

We can’t promise when you will receive offers as a result of being an Official Showcase Artist. However, our post-conference results have been impressive, and the relationships developed at the FMO conference can bring opportunities throughout the many years to come.

Many presenters have expressed - to us, and to artists directly - their excitement about the bands they discovered through the FMO Conference. Also, BE PATIENT. While you may not see a booking for that festival you’ve had your eye on come this summer, sometimes opportunities like this take several years to unfold. You may wind up on someone's wish list for their 2025 festival.

Yes, there is! Your showcase acceptance email includes an Official Showcase Invitation to Folk Music Ontario to use for these grant and other funding opportunities:

• Canada Council Travel Grant
• SOCAN Foundation Travel Assistance Program
• FACTOR Live Performance

You may also be eligible for additional support through local/regional/ provincial sources. Check with your provincial music industry association and local music offices directly for more information on programs that support international travel and showcasing activities.

Yes! You can still access the artist discounted rate, one-on-one meetings (lightning talks), networking, panels, professional development programming, receptions, and other career development and community building activities offered at the conference. Our conference programmers will draw on artists that took part in the Jury Process that we know are attending the conference, if there is a cancellation, and there are many spontaneous opportunities to jam and share your music with other attendees.

Head to HOTELS to find information about our group rates an availability at our partner hotels.

No. You are welcome travel from home if you live in the area, stay with family or friends, or book accommodations at the many other fabulous hotels in Mississauga, ON.

This year we are pleased to offer a complimentary HOTEL SHUTTLE which will be taking delegates to and from auxiliary hotels in Mississauga to the conference site several times per day.

Visit the YYZ website to learn more information about ground transportation. See the About the Conferencepage for more information.

Yes! We encourage conference attendees to minimize costs as well as your carbon footprint by sharing rides, or taking mass transit to the conference. If you are a member, you can access the Ride Share and Room Share Message Boards in the Member Portal to connect with other folks traveling to the conference from your area.

To be become a volunteer you must apply online with our Volunteer Application Form.

Yes, you may attend any of the conference events when you are not scheduled for a volunteer shift.

When you apply to volunteer, you will be contacted within 3 weeks by our Volunteer Coordinator. Once your Volunteer status is confirmed, you will receive an email from the staff with your acceptance email and registration instructions.

Once your application to volunteer has been accepted, you will receive an email with a promo code to access your complimentary registration.