MondoBanjo: Wolfe Island’s festival of the banjo
A celebration of the banjo in all its glory, with concerts and workshops by featured artists and jam sessions for festival pass holders, plus other activities. A family friendly event!
September 5-7, 2025
Come to listen, stay to jam!
…Andd follow MondoBanjo on Facebook to “stay tuned” on all the latest info.
ADMISSION
EARLY BIRD FESTIVAL WEEKEND PASS for $100 (only available until June 11th, limited passes available)
FESTIVAL PASS PRICES (June 11th onward):
WEEKEND $120
FRIDAY $35
SATURDAY $55
SUNDAY $45
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hotel Wolfe Island has limited rooms/suites still available — Please book online, or phone or email: hotelbooking@hotelwolfeisland.com or 613-305-2626
SCHEDULE
See poster below for schedule summary, with details and descriptions below that.
FRIDAY
18:30 – 19:30 — Meet and Greet
After you have settled into your room, artistic directors Jason, Tim and Teilhard will be in the Piano Lounge looking forward to meeting you. Come introduce yourself chat with us!
20:00 – 21:30 — MojoBanjo: A Loose History of the Banjo with Frost Mercer (main bar)
A loose history of the banjo through pieces, ballads and fiddle tunes. The banjo came originally from West Africa in the 1640s. It arrived as memories and ideas. It adapted to the new world, eventually coming to a common form in the 1840s. From there the banjo was the mojo of the day right through the 1950s and beyond. Loosely threading along this timeline Teilhard Frost and Jason Mercer combine a variety of banjos, jaw harp, fiddle and song for an exciting night of music.
21:45 – 22:15 — Siaka Diabaté (main bar)
Siaka was born into a griot family in Orodara, Burkina Faso. He learned to play the balafon with his father. His first scenes were the fields and traditional ceremonies. In 2008, Siaka moved to Ouagadougou. He started working at the Village Artisanal, making traditional instruments. Here he met other musicians and discovered new genres of music and new instruments. It was the flute that really caught his attention, and he played this instrument every day to improve his skills. The kora became his nightly companion. Diabate remains in demand on stages in Burkina Faso, but is also playing in Ottawa and Montreal, as he moved to Canada in 2022.
22:30……….. — Open Jam: all styles welcome (fire pit weather permitting, main bar if rain)
On the pier you will find the campfire where we will gather to jam. This is a safe place to sing a song or crack out a tune and we can all join in together.
SATURDAY
8:00 – 9:00 — Tai Chi “on the dock” with Teilhard Frost & Siaka Diabaté
Teilhard will start with warm ups then will lead the first 16 moves in the Tai Chi 108 set. Siaka will accompany us.
9:45 -11:00 — Early Era Banjo Workshop with Teilhard Frost (piano lounge)
In this workshop, Teilhard will demonstrate and teach playing techniques from the early era of the banjo, the mid ninteenth century. Often referred to as stroke style or minstrel banjo style, this came directly from the playing of African decedants and is the root of modern clawhammer banjo. It incorporates 6/8 rhthym patterns, left hand plucking techniques, right hand patterns often forgotten in modern clawhammer style. No matter what your level of experience, you will have new tricks and techniques for more fun and interesting playing. Teilhard will also have a variety of banjos for you to see, hear and try out.
10:00 – 11:00 — Bluegrass Jam (patio)
Jason will lead this bluegrass jam. Here you can pull out all your favourite bluegrass tunes and songs to share and tear it up in the three finger style.
11:15 – 12:15 — Bluegrass Banjo Workshop: Fiddle Tunes for Banjo with Jason Mercer (piano lounge)
Delve behind the curtain of adapting fiddle tunes for the banjo! Jason Mercer will lead a constructive workshop on taking fiddle tune melodies and finding out how they fall on the fretboard of a 5 string banjo. This workshop will touch upon the use of melodic style banjo playing as well as modern single note banjo style. Joining him will be Teilhard Frost on fiddle.
12:30 -14:00 — Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00 — The Bluegrass Moment (main bar)
The banjo is probably most well known for its role in making Bluegrass sound the just way it does. Early pioneers like Snuffy Jenkins and Earl Scruggs had a new way to play the banjo and introduced it to the world through Bluegrass music. This is all hands on deck. Many of this year’s artists have a connection to bluegrass music and want to share it with you. We will be picking some classic tunes you know and love and some great surprises too. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the sound, The Bluegrass Moment will be something truly special.
15:15 -16:30 – Hannah & Nathan (piano lounge)
Hannah Shira Naiman and Nathan Smith (The Barrel Boys/Vinta) are acclaimed-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, each with a strong national presence in folk music. Both are CFMA winners-Hannah for Traditional Singer of the Year and Nathan-for Composer of the Year with Vinta and have honed their craft for over a decade. When the two joined for double-bill performances in 2022, Hannah’s clawhammer banjo fit perfectly with Nathan’s fiddle and guitar playing, but their undeniable strength lies in airtight vocal harmonies.
16:30 – 18:00 — Banjo Open Mic (main bar)
Sign up to perform two tunes on the stage (main bar). You or one of your pals need to be playing the banjo. Sign-up sheet is at the merch table
9:00 – 20:15 — So Long Seven (main bar)
So Long Seven is a delicious mix of jazz, classical, blues, folk, and music from around the world is both a funky, relentless force and an atmospheric cornucopia of sound. Nestled in the rhythmic drive of tabla player Ravi Naimpally, Neil Hendry (guitar), William Lamoureux (violin), and Tim Posgate (banjo) create an aural space beyond boundaries.
21:00 – 22:30 — Miranda Ceara & The Odd Fellows Orchestra (main bar)
Miranda Ceara & The Odd Fellows Orchestra reimagine the sounds of prewar jazz, blues, and calypso, weaving them together to create an original and entirely modern cabaret-noir of brass, strings, and rhythm, all tied together by Miranda’s unique song writing and vocal delivery.
22:30……….. — Open Jam: all styles welcome (fire pit weather permitting, main bar if rain)
SUNDAY
8:30- 9:15 — Yoga on the Dock with Chris Brown, accompanied by Ravi Naimpally/tabla & Tim Posgate/banjo
10:00 – 11:00 — Hanging with Hannah: Children’s Concert (piano lounge)
Hannah has been leading classes, workshops and concerts for babies and children of all ages for over a decade; she draws her repertoire from folk music and dance traditions in english and in french. Daughter of renowned childrens’ artist Cathy Reid Naiman, Hannah carries on her family tradition with strength and grace.
10:00 – 12:00 — Old Time Appalachian Tune Session with Teilhard Frost (patio)
Fiddle tunes commonly found in the Appalachian mountains and now all over the world.
11:15 – 12:15 — Outside the Banjo Box (piano lounge)
Composition and a personal approach to the banjo, Tim Posgate, Miranda Ceara & Hannah Shira Naiman will be in discussion about their personal approaches to playing and composing for the banjo.
12:30 -14:00 — Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00 — Os Project with Siaka Diabaté (patio)
A collection of dance musuc based on early banjo tunes wrapped in lush baritone sax, percussion, organ, electric guitar and traps. The banjo and the Saxophone are the bones of most American music; music which has swept the world. Time to get down!
15:00 – 16:30 — Grand Finale Concert: Os Project, Oddfellows Orchestra, Hannah & Nathan, Siaka Diabaté, So Long Seven (patio)
When we all get to celebrate as one big band!
