Weekend Re-Cap…Feelin’ Groovy

Monday. Monday. Always waiting for me at the end of a perfect weekend.

This past weekend was something else…and we will definitely be repeating it again next year. We kicked it off at The Edmonton Folk Music Festival on Friday evening.  For decades Edmonton has hosted a four-day long folk music-infused extravaganza.  Tons of great bands and solo acts have played over the years and they continue to show up in droves.  It is an annual event filled to the brim with tons of happy, loving people (including a small contingent of hippies) dancing around at a beautiful venue equipped with a natural, sloping amphitheater facing the spectacular downtown city skyline.  Fantastic it is.

 The truth is, Erik and I seriously lucked out with these tickets.  We learned the hard way that this event sells out fast…as in a few hours after the box office opens.  After attending it, we now know why. It is probably the best event Edmonton hosts all year long. To avoid intense Craigslist prowling, next year I plan to wake up at the crack of dawn to score some weekend passes.

Hanging with my ‘cuz.

  And yes, I did go shoe-less…because that’s what hippies do.  There were a total of seven stages featuring many bands, singers and songwriters. Check out the entire line up HERE. Our ultimate favorite, favorite, favorite musical acts were Bahamas (Caught Me Thinking is one of my favs) and The Barr Brothers. Straight up goooooood stuff. As folk-festival virgins, we had a lot to learn. For example, arrive with a tarp, not a blanket. Bring a bum pad, because tailbones do not like to rest on the hard ground for long periods of time. Bring loads of water for hydration and a lighter for the lanterns and candles.

 The view at night is breathtaking; a hand-made paper lantern parade kicks off the evening’s main stage performances as a tribute to the hundreds of volunteers that help put on the event. And after it gets dark the hillside becomes illuminated by all of the candle lanterns dispersed over the hillside.