The Canmore Folk Music Festival is fast approaching – it’s always a fabulous weekend of music and community, chaos and events. This year make sure you check out the Canada 150 choir led by Coco Love Alcorn on Friday night; a celebration of our country’s landmark year in the joining of voices.
For the first time in all my years in Canmore we are going to be around and not attending the festival. There are lots of reasons but the primary one is this: I am so inspired and filled up by all the music-making that is happening through Whistling Duck and at the local community level that right now I am just not that interested in the big stage scene (even though Canmore’s stage isn’t that big).
Over the years I have found some of the greatest artists and music of my heart at the Canmore Folk Music Festival, most noteably Eric Bibb, and I have no doubt some wonderful experiences are there to be had next weekend. But a night of Guitar Mama Showcase impresses and inspires me more than the Main Stage performances, and jamming with the Brotherhood of Strings brings me as much joy as watching the workshops. (OK – I will miss the workshop stages – magic happens there).
If I’m paying to go see music right now, it will be a Chamber Choir, or Jazz, or some type of ensemble that the Whistling Duck Community isn’t covering right now. AND that’s just me. Just me in this moment. I’ll probably go to Folk Fest next year.
If you are attending this year’s Fest though, ENJOY. I hope you get inspired and encouraged and filled up, as I have done most years. In the meantime, I can’t wait to jam with you all soon and I’m looking forward to Showcase resuming in September.
