Electronic Music Fest back after two years

By Lethbridge Herald on August 8, 2025.

Joe Manio
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative

After a two-year hiatus, the Lethbridge Electronic Music Festival (LEMF) “Reunion” will power up again at Galt Gardens on Saturday at 4 p.m. 

The highly-anticipated relaunch will feature high-level talent from both near and far, in a free, family-friendly evening of electronic dance music (EDM) put on by the community and for the community. 

“There’s really something to do for everyone,” says organizer David Fritz. “Even if you’re not necessarily into the music, it’s a great opportunity to see something for free that you don’t get to regularly be a part of. We always hear that ‘Lethbridge is boring,’ and we disagree.”

 Fritz says traditionally EDM festivals are not geared towards families. However, one of the LEFM’s mandates is to be 100 per cent family-friendly, because they see an opportunity to inspire the next generation of EDM artists through an accessible festival for families and all ages. 

There will be kid-friendly activities, including a bouncy castle, a “synth petting zoo” from Oscillate Calgary (where kids can try their hand at making music) and New West Theatre will be hosting a mask-making and puppet event. 

Then there’s the main draw: the music.

“Many of our artists are playing major festivals this year, and our level of production is very good, for a free party,” says Fritz. “Our beer garden is fairly priced compared to major festivals as well.”

Another LEMF mandate requires the lineup to be at least 50 per cent local talent. This festival’s lineup has nine local established DJs and six out-of-town headliners.

“We are the Lethbridge Electronic Music Festival after all, and we have so much great talent in this city. A lot of our local DJs have been a part of it since LEMF’s inception in 2012 with the original BassWorks crew.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the local live music scene hard and across the board, from individual venues, specific genres (like the hip hop scene) and of course music festivals. For the LEMF, even though it’s only been two years since the last festival, it’s been a long road back.

“For me, it was extremely tough mentally,” says Fritz. “I enjoy creating spaces for people to gather and celebrate community, so having that taken away was tough. We all crave connection, and having that disappear was a shock to the system,” says Fritz.

For everyone involved with the LEMF at the time, the experience was both frustrating and draining.

“Having to cancel one year entirely and move that event, artists, vendors, etc, a year down the road and then move the date again that same year was really a big factor in the original crew deciding to step away.

That said, they were excited to get back to work on the revival, says Fritz.

“Working on LEMF again with this crew has been an incredibly joyful and rewarding experience. We’re having the most fun we’ve had putting this one together.”

The festival is locally crowdfunded, which makes it truly a community event. Crowdfunding Alberta is a government program that matches 50 per cent of money raised to a maximum of $10,000. LEMF was also one of the recipients of the City of Lethbridge’s Re-Imagine Downtown Activation Grant for 2025.

Fritz profusely praises and thanks the community for their support since the beginning of the LEMF’s relaunch, for both their financial contributions and for volunteering. 

“The volunteers are the backbone of this party,” he says. “It simply wouldn’t exist without them.”