At dusk on Saturday, Caracol’s folky accoustic-pop tunes mingled with the last of the day’s sunshine. I’d had a very shit day, so when she announced her next song was for anyone who had had a bad day, I sat back, took a few swigs of my amber beverage and let the Ukulele do it’s magic. This was the sentiment of the folk festival for me: letting go of my stresses, inhibitions, distractions etc… and engaging with the performers, the art and the community of people around me, who i discovered to my delight were doing the same thing.
I have an outsiders perspective of the folk festival, as it is my first one here. Coming from Sydney, I have missed the eclectic, diverse and vibrant cultural exchange that comes with living in a big, cosmopolitan city. Almost every weekend over the summer there was a festival or celebration of some sort to attend. So the folk festival was important in proving to me that a small city in the midwest of Canada is not without these things and reminded me that the challenge is to tap into this energy and community on a day to day level instead of waiting for ‘events to attend’. It is the role of festivals like this one to draw out these qualities in a place and this was the essence of my experience over the weekend.
The Dandy Warhol’s once said that “every day should be a holiday”. I After seeing how much the Folk Festival brings out the best in people and creates a sense of community, I declare that every day should be a festival. WIth the energy, vibrancy, declaration of unity and celebration of life that acts such as Aterciopelados, Calexico, and D.J Dolores (my favourites) and others brought to this festival through their music and message, I’m sure they would agree.
