Isabel Mosseler
Tribune
River & Sky, the unofficial summer meeting place between the Sudbury and North Bay arts communities, has evolved over the 13 years it’s been held at Fisher’s Paradise in Field. The Fisher family evolved with it. Mother of three, Julie Ann Bertram, says that her children matured in this creative environment, with long-term friendships, and a variety of music, arts, foods, and culture under the freedom of a northern Ontario sky and along the summer beaches of the Sturgeon River. How many kids get to grow up experiencing, every year, arts from around the world in their own back yard? The campgrounds are always full of interesting people, some coming back year after year and now bringing their own children, and others experiencing River & Sky for the first time.
“Our kids have grown up, they basically grew up, at the festival,” says Bertram. She was herself a performing musician who transitioned into providing the environment for others to grow their art. Oddly, she was never a festival goer herself, but “It’s been great to have one in your back yard that you can go to. Yeah.” Providing the venue has never been a passive enterprise, although the relationship with the River & Sky organizers is a business relationship. Having a couple of thousand people over for the weekend, even if they are very nice people, has to be logistically well planned, and still things need close attention. “We basically run around and put out fires, not literally obviously – well, literally actually. True. That is true, yeah.”
Her husband Chris Fisher, also a volunteer on the Field Fire Department, mentions those years when there was a fire ban in place during River & Sky, while praying there is no fire ban for 2024. Pre-festival, the Fishers and crew prepare the camp sites, cut the grass, making sure the water and infrastructure is in place for the event, so “People can drive in, get around. Basically they just swoop in with everything they need and set everything up.”
For years, River & Sky seemed like an event for people from elsewhere as it was Sudbury-based, but in recent years the draw is increasingly from West Nipissing, people with a taste for diversity and novelty. Even the food is an experience, with a very busy Syrian food vendor last year, vegetarian and vegan meals, pizza from cob ovens, and more. The event has also been very kid-friendly, since its inception, and that is something Bertram, as a young mom herself, particularly enjoyed. She laughs about all the kids over the years, “All the kids that our kids grew up with here, lots of kids were made here. And come back to the festival every year. So we have one, (name withheld) – he said that their newest was made here last year!”
The Fishers have seen weddings too. Chris Fisher laughs, “You know, we’re sort of creating, with all the babies, the next generation audience.” Bertram adds that the festival just has a special vibe, something different. Every year is a record attendance year (except during COVID). However there is a limit, mostly because of parking. Last year, they had to mow an extra section at the last minute, with a dramatic increase in day attendance. River & Sky has become a bit of a magnet for indie music and arts. “I think a lot of people come for the entire experience,” says Bertram. “Before, the music, the musicians, the bands used to be the draw and I think now over time it’s the workshops, and also just summer — people come back and they haven’t seen each other for a whole year (…) They all camp together.”
The music remains awesome. Chris Fisher notes that most of the festivals in the area are “pretty mainstream”, often with tribute bands, while River & Sky is anything but mainstream and features original, up-and-coming artists. Bertram notes, “You’re coming upon music and artists you’ve never heard of. (…) A lot of it’s really, really good.” She adds that sometimes you may hear a particular R&S band on the radio, but what characterizes the arts at R&S is “They’re emerging, they’re all emerging, but we don’t know if they’re going to continue (…) People have experiences here that they retain for their life. That’s why I describe it like a summer camp thing, that’s full even when you’re an adult. You remember your summer camp summers; they’re special.”
This year River & Sky is running July 18-21. Early bird tickets are on sale. The festival typically features over 40 emerging and celebrated Canadian music acts, at both the main stage and the beach stage. The festival has visual and light installations, about 20 artisan crafters, locally sourced cuisine from a variety of food vendors, and a multitude of workshops. There are two saunas, and the river.
