The 5th annual Hot Blizzard Folk Festival takes place today at Trinity United Church from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

The festival features a variety of music with genres including blues, folk, jazz and much more. Coordinated artistic director Linda Omichinski explains the line-up features local artists such as Chris Messytone and Winnipeg band The Project as well as talent from across Canada with Montreal duo Asteur.

"The line-up starts with Beth Martens [who is] more of a spiritual singer/songwriter. Yoza, Chief Dennis Meeches, is our indigenous component. After Yoza we have Asteur and Asteur is a Montreal duo, they have a Celtic-jazz-folky feel. Following that is Leaf Rapids and their unique component, it's more country-folk, is the theremin which will resonate throughout the church beautifully with those acoustics. Following that is The Perpetrators from Winnipeg, they hit the stage with their blues-rock."

The festival will also feature a musician workshop put on by Leaf Rapids and the Perpetrators as well as local musicians Chris Messytone and Suzanne Bird.

Omichinski notes there will additionally be a public jam session in the evening.

"There's the Open Circle Fun Jam that starts after we have Tracy K Blues Duo going on. The Project will lead that, they're from various parts of Manitoba, [they're] a young folk-rock group. We invite you to bring your instrument, that will go from 7:30 to 10:00 or beyond."

Omichinski says the goal of the festival is to bring the joy of live music to the area.

Tickets are $20 for students and $25 for adults at the door and children under 12 get in free.