Julie Doiron and Steve Lambke look back on SappyFest and the swamp magic of Sackville, N.B.

Every year over the August long weekend, approximately 2,000 people from all over Canada flock to the small town of Sackville, N.B. to attend SappyFest, a three-day independent music and arts festival.

SappyFest has no corporate sponsorship, flashy VIP areas or barriers separating artist and audience, but it's played host to some unbelievable performances by arena-level bands.

Two people who are preparing for this year's festival joined us to share a couple highlights from SappyFest's legendary history. Julie Doiron is a musician and long-time resident of Sackville who came up as a member of the band Eric's Trip in the '90s. Steven Lambke is the creative director of SappyFest as well as a vocalist and guitarist for the band the Constantines.

SappyFest 2019 starts today with a lineup that includes Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Tim Baker, Haviah Mighty and more. 

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— Produced by ​Frank Palmer