My impressions of this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival (my eighth year in a row)…
After this many years, folk fest feels like home. I feel 100% comfortable and safe, surrounded by good folkie souls. Sunday always comes with mixed emotions — on the one hand, I’m missing my husband and dog and kind of want to go home, and on the other hand, I wish it could go on for a few more days. It’s all part of the cycle though and now we get to look forward to next year! This wasn’t my favourite year for music, but I still had a wonderful time and based on my list below, have lots of artists to check out and enjoy further.
Best evening at Main Stage: Thursday night by far
Best band: A tie between K’Naan and Elliot Brood
Most fun to dance to: Ozomatli
Favourite song: Adam Cohen’s “What Other Guy”
Bands I wish I hadn’t missed: Emmanual Jal, E.S.L.
Bands I plan to check out further: Adam Cohen, Dry Bones, Elliott Brood, Emmanual Jal, Feist, James Vincent McMorrow, K’Naan, Kim Churchill, Pharis & Jason Romero, Royal Wood, Sarah and Christian Dugas
Best thing about camping: my camping buddies (a mix of old and new friends)
Most fun had in festival camping: wandering around randomly on Friday night (and into the wee hours of Saturday morning—until 4:30 am to be exact)
Exercise feat: going for a 6 km/45 min run on Thursday morning
Hand-Made Village vendor that had me most intrigued: Lennard Taylor
Favourite service: solar powered phone charging station
Things that would make folk fest even better: more shade, more access to water
Both bad & good: the freezing cold showers (horrible in the morning, wonderful in the afternoon after getting to much crazy hot sun)
Most moody moment: Sunday afternoon after too little sleep all weekend and a little too much alone time
YAY FOLK FEST!!!
Until next year…