Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tribe Called Red to highlight Northern Lights festival

The Northern Lights Festival Boreal will kick off one day earlier, and keep the sounds going later.

Max Merrifield, artistic director with the summer festival, said at a press conference today that the headliners for the weekend's event are set: Buffy Sainte-Marie, A Tribe Called Red, Yukon Blonde and Whitehorse.

"Thursday night will be a fully Indigenous lineup," Merrifield said. "It will be sort of a special celebration of Indigenous music of many styles to kick off the festival."

Merrifield also promised something different than past years for concert-goers.

"It's not just going to be a regular concert where we booked a bunch a bands," he said. "There's going to be little performances in between, we're going to do short films."

• Visit the Northern Lights/Festival Boreal website here

He also said the event is family friendly, including a performance by children's entertainer Fred Penner.

"He's not the only great family performer we have," he said. "Tying in with the Indigenous theme also we have an act called Rabbit and Bear Paw which is a puppet show based on the seven grandfather teachings Anishinawbe teachings."