Vancouver’s annual 46th Folk Music Festival made its return after a three-year pandemic hiatus. The three nights of the festival were each attended by three of our brilliant writers who eloquently put into words below what it was like to be in the crowd of this Vancouver’s summer staple of an outing. To find out more about the festival please visit their website.
Friday
The opening night of Vancouver’s 46th Folk Music Festival was a whimsically beautiful introduction to the local festival scene for this first time attendee. Nearly canceled a few short months ago, the festival was brought back from the brink of non-existence with a huge boost of local grass-roots support.
Not fully knowing what to expect, we strolled through into the park with an open mind. After passing a few painted camper-vans parked nearby, we were greeted by a sea of bicycles in the designated area which seemed to confirm my suspicions – the beatniks and the hippies had arrived en masse.
The muted music drifting through the perimeter trees at Jericho beach park was a tease of things to come as we wound our way through the myriad of friendly pink-shirted volunteers and vendor stalls on our way to the main stage.
After selecting a pair of wildly patterned wraparound pants from a merchant dressed like a character straight out of Alice in Wonderland, we were ready for the evening’s entertainment. The mellow vocals of Tiny Habits provided an early soundtrack as we picked our way through the crowd of colourful blankets, lawn chairs, and faded tye-dye shirts.
As we found a comfy spot to camp in the grass, it was apparent that the spirit of ‘peace and love’ was alive and well here on the west coast. Not only did a large banner strapped to the side of the busy beer garden proclaim it, but the easy smiles and laughter all around made the carefree energy feel abundant. At one point, BC’s own Dan Mangan gave his ode to the historic folk festival as the sea of sensible wide-brimmed hats clapped and cheered their approval.
Soothing harmonies lulled the crowd into a relaxed calm midway through the evening’s lineup, and it took the Latin-inspired horn blasts of the next band, Calexico, to reinvigorate the crowd. At one point, frontman Joey Burns coaxed some more life from the audience with an urgent ‘wake up, Vancouver!’ hollered into the mic. It seemed to work, as folks clapped and gyrated once more.
Calexico’s dusty southern sounds stirred up memories of spaghetti westerns and desert landscapes, while bringing an upbeat latin flare mixed with surf-rock that was irresistible. The gray-haired crowd simply couldn’t resist tapping their Birkenstock-with-socks clad toes to the rhythm.
As the evening drew on, the last rays of summer sunshine reflected off the downtown Vancouver skyline, providing a downright beautiful backdrop to an already incredible outdoor venue.
The sun eventually set behind the mountains, and for a brief moment just beforehand, the entire park glowed with an enchanting energy. The scene was magical as Cameroon’s Blick Bassy took the spotlight of the darkened stage, accompanied with just his guitar and melodic voice. We couldn’t decipher the language or lyrics, but the emotion that was infused into each song translated without any confusion.
Temperatures dropped a few degrees along with the sun, and couples moved closer to stay warm under the fresh cover of darkness. Folks danced freely in groups and by themselves as children raced around with glow sticks.
The final act of the night hit the stage at 10pm as a long parade of illuminated paper lanterns slowly snaked their way through the crowd to the fast paced sitar, rhythmic chanting, and heavy drumbeat of The Medicine Singers. The complicated instrument setup for the group took a few extra minutes but was well worth the wait when their introductory song kicked off and slowly built to a trance-like crescendo.
It turns out that the original counter-culture movement of the 60’s and 70’s is alive and well, albeit with some aching knees and graying ponytails. Many of them brought along the grandkids, exposing them to new worldly influences and encouraging the next generation of young people to embrace their own fledgling musical and social movements.
The evening was less ‘folksy’ than anticipated, with a strong international flavour and diverse mix of musical artists – and artists they were, continuously captivating the audience with their incredible talents.
This first-timer was quickly converted to a fan, and will be looking forward to next summer’s festival lineup. Until then, I’ll work on figuring out the complicated new pants and start breaking in a hacky-sack for next time. Power to the people for keeping this festival alive for yet another year, and bringing it one step closer to its landmark 50th birthday.
– Ryan Schwartz
Saturday
My goal this summer was to enjoy everything Vancouver has to offer in the summertime, and the Vancouver Folk Fest is certainly one of them. Eager to listen to live music, we went in with zero expectations. My only knowledge of the event was that it was one that my partner attended numerous times with his family growing up, so I knew to expect that it was a family event.
Saturday of the festival seemed to be the hottest for the attendees and performers. We arrived once some overcast rolled through, protecting us from the unrelenting sun. As we explored the festival grounds, I could feel the positive energy in the air. I had been advised to bring a blanket and folding chairs, and I now understand why. Majority of the concert goers were seated, lounged, or even sprawled across their blankets. Those with more energy could find space to dance along the wings of the seated crowd. I really loved it. Each stage had the same seating layout, which catered to the wide variety of people who attended. At the main stage, they even had a courtesy viewing platform for viewers with disabilities. The whole festival was very accessible.
Since we arrived later in the afternoon, we aimed to enjoy the main stage in its entirety. Low and behold once we got there, the entire field was covered and reserved with blankets. We managed to find a spot stage right, nestled in between 2 families with children. The ambience was relaxed, the weather was warm and dewy.
Throughout the night, three performances stood to us: William Prince, American Beauties, True Loves.
– Maya Prasasto
Sunday
Being a relative newcomer to Vancouver, I wasn’t sure what to expect at the Vancouver Folk Fest. I arrived at the venue on Sunday – it was an idyllic afternoon, kind of perfect for musical reveries in a park. The eastern edge of the event grounds, a residential street that was lined by pop up shops selling everything from incense to jerry-rigged guitar pedals, was a welcoming sight. Sauntering through the main entrance on 4th Ave, I entered the south stage area. The enchanting sound of Kayhan Kalhor’s kamancheh drew me into a happy daze, accompanied by the afternoon breeze. Then a path lined with tents, hammocks and thoughtfully placed and volunteer-staffed watering stations took me to the East stage starring Samantha Parton’s band. The audience was spread out, a comfortable density allowing the hungry ones to walk back with plates from among the many options in the food truck area. Featuring guests Suzie Undergleider and Sarah Jane Scouten, the closing song – The Littlest Birds – left a mark in my memory.
Sunday’s lineup included a full day of performances and workshops at the three stages, running in parallel. At six o’clock, the crowd from these stages made their way to the final day’s Main Stage performances. We couldn’t help making many stops on the way at artisan stalls selling everything from vintage fabrics and tie-dye bandanas to henna designs, handmade jewelry and crystals. Set in a scenic backdrop of North Shore Mountains, fair weather clouds and the deep blue waters of the inlet lining the unceded lands of Squamish, Musqueam and the Tsleil-Waututh nations, the main stage unravels the full size of the festival attendees.
Eloquent storyteller Joe Henry was followed by the legendary guitarist Albert Lee, setting a wonderful tone for the evening. As the crowd found their way from the lively beergarten to the sides of the stage, impromptu dance pits inevitably came to life, fueled by my highlight of the evening: the Las Cafeteras. This East LA band brought forth their political ethos into their music – raising slogans for universal healthcare, Black and Indigenous resistance and a special song dedication to immigrants in the audience. Non-Spanish speakers (including me) were educated on the origin of their band name – a surprising feminization of Los Cafeteros – by invoking the legendary Tupac’s words – “Since we all came from a woman, got our name from a woman, and our game from a woman. I wonder why we take from women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women?” The vast repertoire of the band members was evident in the variety of songs (“Oaxaca Love Song 2″, “Luna Loves”, “La Bamba Rebelde”) and the energy with which they were performed. While their music addressed the politics without mincing words, their lively foot-stomping zapateado-laced performance drummed up an impassioned crowd in full dancing force. A thin cover of dust lingered as proof of the musical energy: a dessert for the gentle feast that was the Sunday.
After an enchanting performance by Kalascima ft. Andrea Ramolo, and three days and nights of music festivities, this year’s Vancouver folk music festival came to a close with all the artists coming together on stage to sing Gordon Lightfoot’s “In the early morning rain”. Suitably complementing the musical good-bye was a parade of quaint lanterns interspersed amongst the people in the crowd, as is now tradition. The audience followed their favourite lantern – mushrooms, seals, boats, chickadees amongst others – out of the park, away from this shady oasis, as we found our way to a bus stop right outside. We reflected on how well organized this event was, and little details like guided and meticulous waste disposal on site, full-fledged bike parking spaces on site, lights that blended in with nature and coordinated wooden cutlery for biodegradability all stood out. This festival felt like a warm hug, and I’ll no doubt look forward to this festival every year.
– Siddhartha Thota