Take in a one-of-a-kind live music experience in a picturesque spot outside of the city this August with the BIGLAKE EVOLUTION Festival. 

BIGLAKE Arts is dedicated to bringing unique and intimate musical experiences to the Prince Edward County region. Their annual festival runs this year from August 23-31, with 11 unique concerts in and around the lakeside town of Wellington, all exploring the theme EVOLUTION. 

Artists from around the world will perform at the festival, all exploring how various instruments, musical forms, composers and language have changed over time.

Each concert is matched to a unique location in Prince Edward County— a music hall, a gallery, a distillery, a church, an inn, a candle-lit estate—all intimate settings with charming ambiance. If you’re looking for an art-filled getaway before the summer winds down, this is the place to be.

We caught up with Elissa Lee, JUNO award-winning artist and co-founder of BIGLAKE Arts, to hear more about her vision, what she loves about Prince Edward County, and the lovely community feel of this festival.

How would you describe the atmosphere at the BIGLAKE festival?

We strive to create a festival where one could go to every single concert and you never get bored. We offer a variety of types music, often include unexpected surprises, and deliver quality that we 100% stand behind. Our concerts, in a way, release classical music from its golden cage, and we invite everyone to come and feel the joy of music in an intimate and unique setting!

Can you tell us about the artists you’re most excited for people to see this year?

I am especially excited to hear Timothy and Nikki Chooi perform violin duos together at Wild Lot Distillery on August 26th. The combination of a very beautiful barn setting and some incredibly virtuosic and expressive playing will for sure be a highlight for me.

The Beethoven Marathon concert is 3 concerts with 9 performers collectively performing all 10 violin sonatas, each one a masterpiece. I think hearing all of these sonatas in one day will be a very special journey after which one will come a little closer to understanding Beethoven’s genius mind and soul. 

What is some feedback you’ve received from festival attendees or community members?

The resonance from the community has been tremendous. We see it in ticket sales as they are stronger than ever. One of the biggest compliments is from people who come to us and say they were never really into classical music but after coming to BIGLAKE concerts, they start to really appreciate it and enjoy it. One person who came to one of our jazz concerts said “I never knew I had a jazz bone in me!” 

For our readers outside of the area, what makes Prince Edward County special?

For me, it is all of the people who operate the small businesses in PEC that make it so special, including all of the many arts festivals in the area. We are so blessed to have so many passionate people who believe in what they do and deliver incredible products to the public, whether it is accommodation, food, drink, art or music. Each small business is a unique place with a lot of heart and that is exactly what PEC is for me.

What does an ideal day in PEC look like for you?

For some strange reason, I always wake up very early in the morning in PEC, around 5 or 6 am. I feel like there is a spirit in the area that invigorates the soul and feeds you with good energy. I love the quiet the early mornings offer and I enjoy strolling through Wellington or sitting by the water sipping a hot caffeinated drink before the village wakes up. During the day I work and I love ending the day by trying out one of the many incredible restaurants PEC has to offer with friends and drinking a super cold dry local beer or wine.

What are some memorable moments you’ve had since co-founding BIGLAKE?

The highlight was definitely bringing a 48-piece symphony orchestra for a Joni Mitchel Tribute concert featuring Sarah Slean, which we co-produced with Base31 (pictured above). The logistics, organization and budget required to bring an orchestra to PEC was larger than anything we have ever done before and I remember listening to the concert still in disbelief that the dream of presenting a symphony orchestra came true. 

Another memorable moment was our 2021 season during the pandemic. Upon hearing music, so many people broke into tears at our concerts, out of joy and sadness. It struck me how music truly is a reflection of the human soul and how important it is — witnessing that really solidified for me why we created BIGLAKE.

What are your hopes for the future of the festival and BIGLAKE?

My hopes are to continue to establish PEC as a destination not only for beaches, food and wine but also for the arts. It is also my hope to engage more with youth and the younger generations of musicians. I would love to find a creative way to engage children and young adults in the incredible world of music.

Tickets for the BIGLAKE Festival are available now.

Photo of Sarah Slean by Deb Walters.