Calgary Folk Music Festival GM stepping down after 15 years

The Calgary Folk Music Festival is looking for a new general manager.

Les Siemieniuk is retiring after guiding the festival for the past 15 years.

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But, he says he'll likely still be around.

I'm not leaving the festival, I'm leaving the employment, the job part of where I have to show up every day and work. I have to think maybe I'll come back as a beer garden volunteer.

Siemieniuksays he's proud that the festival has grown beyond four days a year.

He played a central role in the transition from a yearly summer festival into a year-round operation at Festival Hall.

Siemieniuk says there have been many highlights including last summer's catastrophe.

"I'm so proud of what the staff, the volunteers, the city pulled off last year with the flood. Five weeks before the festival the stage was under water and we managed to pull it off on 60 per cent of the island. It was amazing experience."

He'll leave his position May 15.