Have you seen the Manitoba Homecoming 2010 commercials featuring Winnipeg radio staple Ace Burpee on TV? I can’t shake that catchy lyric “this is gonna be a good year…” out of my head!

For those of you who haven’t seen the Homecoming 2010 commercials, Ace asks Winnipeggers the important questions: Who they’re inviting back in 2010 and why. Children’s entertainer Fred Penner says he’s going to invite his daughter back so she can rediscover her Mennonite roots. Comedian and BT host Jon Ljungberg says he’s going to invite his dad back home for some Lovey’s BBQ (I couldn’t agree more), to take him to Gimli, as well as to a Goldeyes game. Local legend and voice of Kern-Hill Furniture Co-op (“c’moooon down!”) says he’s going to invite a friend back and take him to beautiful Grand Beach.

I’m no local celebrity, but if Ace were to ask me why I’m inviting friends and family home in 2010, my number one reason would be to accompany me to the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Folk Fest is a perfect time to enjoy music, art, community and experience Manitoba’s great outdoors. There’s nothing like being surrounded by friends while listening to the likes of the Weakerthans (Winnipeggers!) and Loreena McKennitt (Manitoban!) as the sun goes down on the Main Stage. Then there’s the camp grounds where the music and the party continues right through the next morning.

This year, Folk Fest will take place July 7 to 11 and early-bird tickets go on sale on Valentine’s Day. Despite prodding my friend who works for the Folk Fest to give me the inside scoop on who will be performing this year, all she told me was, “it’s going to be big.”

- Kelly