Waynefest was a small, three-day, outdoor music festival held annually between 2002 and 2007 in the southern Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

 ghost town of Wayne. Wayne is located in the Alberta badlands

Badlands

A badlands is a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. It can resemble malpaís, a terrain of volcanic rock. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological forms are common in badlands. They are often...

. The first Waynefest took place in 2002 and was initially intended to be a one-time event. It became an annual event after the first festival was a sold-out success. The festival showcases local, Canadian and even some international musicians.

Festival goers camped out in tents, trailers or motorhomes for the three days of the festival. In addition to the music, attendees were provided with several prepared meals by festival organizers, including the famous "Pitch-fork bar-b-que" (steak and/or chicken) speared onto pitch-forks

Pitchfork

A pitchfork is an agricultural tool with a long handle and long, thin, widely separated pointed tines used to lift and pitch loose material, such as hay, leaves, grapes, dung or other agricultural materials. Pitchforks typically have two or three tines...

 and deep-fried in a vat of boiling oil.

A meagre 500 tickets were sold for Waynefest, which kept it an intimate event where the line between performer and audience is blurred. The relaxed atmosphere was a key feature - you couldwatch a performer on Saturday night and then sit with him/her at breakfast Sunday morning.

Past performers include Ann Vriend

Ann Vriend

Ann Vriend is a singer-songwriter/pianist from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A popular performer, she has sold thousands of albums and played festivals and venues around the world.- Recording career :...

, NQ Arbuckle

NQ Arbuckle

NQ Arbuckle is a Canadian alternative country band, consisting of Neville Quinlan , Mark Kesper, Peter Kesper and John Dinsmore...

, Wendy McNeill, Melissa McClelland

Melissa McClelland

Melissa McClelland is an American-born Canadian singer-songwriter who lived in Hamilton, Ontario, in her youth and now bases her career from Toronto. McClelland's music is influenced by blues and americana. A writer on CMJ's staff blog wrote that McClelland has "a persona reminiscent of a female...

, Danny Michel

Danny Michel

Danny Michel is a singer-songwriter from Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.- Biography :Danny Michel was born in 1970 next to the "Smiles n' Chuckles" chocolate factory in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada...

, Kris Demeanor, Nathan, Elliott Brood

Elliott Brood

Elliott BROOD is a three-piece, alt-country band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of Mark Sasso on lead vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele, and harmonica, Casey Laforet on guitar, backing vocals, bass pedals, keys and ukulele and Stephen Pitkin on percussion, sampler and backing vocals...

, Painting Daisies, Melissa Majeau, Brock Skywalker

Brock Skywalker

Brock Jason Armstrong Skywalker is a founding member of the Alberta band Captain Tractor and since Tractor's inception, back in 1993, Brock has become a permanent fixture in the Alberta music scene...

, The James Murdoch Band, The Wailin' Jennys

The Wailin' Jennys

The Wailin' Jennys are a Juno Award-winning Canadian folk trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and New York, and they consist of soprano Ruth Moody, mezzo Nicky Mehta and alto Heather Masse. In previous years, the Jennys have also toured with fiddler and mandolinist Jeremy Penner, who is from Ruth's...

, Carolyn Mark

Carolyn Mark

Carolyn Mark is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. She has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the duo The Corn Sisters with American colleague Neko Case, as well as with the bands the Vinaigrettes, Jr. Gone Wild, Showbusiness Giants, the Fixin's and the Metronome Cowboys...

, Luke Doucet

Luke Doucet

Luke Doucet is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He writes and performs both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock band Veal....

, The Cash Brothers

The Cash Brothers

The Cash Brothers are a Canadian alternative country/folk rock duo, consisting of brothers Andrew and Peter Cash.-Career:Prior to the creation of The Cash Brothers, Andrew and Peter Cash both had established careers as songwriters and musicians. Andrew was a member of the bands L'Étranger and...

, Plaid Tongued Devils

Plaid Tongued Devils

The Plaid Tongued Devils are a Canadian musical group. It started as an alternative country duet with singer Ty Semaka and guitarist Alan Kolodziejzyk in 1990 and has been a 5 piece since 1992. Since 1998, their music has combined Roma, Klezmer, Ska, Rock and Jazz music, dubbed romaklezkarock by...

, Captain Tractor

Captain Tractor

Captain Tractor is a Canadian folk rock band, based in Edmonton, Alberta. They play a punk-influenced variant of Celtic folk music, similar to such bands as Great Big Sea, The Pogues or Spirit of the West...

 and Corb Lund.