VanRamblings got a late start to the day on Saturday, but finally wended our way onto the grounds of the 2008 Vancouver Folk Music Festival about four in the afternoon. Of course, this late start to our day represents a mighty change from years past, when we found ourselves in line with kids in tow at 8:30 a.m. (or even earlier in the morning), but time passes — even if enthusiasm doesn’t wane — and after 31 consecutive years of attendance at the Folk Fest we’re willing to cut ourselves a bit of a break.
All of the above said, VanRamblings will do much better on Sunday.
No sooner had we walked through the gates, on our way to lay our blanket down in front of the Main Stage, and who should we run into but old friend and comrade, Gary Cristall, one of the founding fathers of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and its first (and most successful) artistic director.
We chatted amiably for about 10 minutes, Gary agreeing that the Festival is in a year of transition. When it was suggested by VanRamblings that attendance was down on Friday night, he indicated that he’d heard reports of the same from friends who’d attended the Festival‘s opening night.
As to where the Festival is heading in future years, Gary agrees — albeit reluctantly — that change is in the air, that the Festival is moving inexorably in the direction of seeking corporate funding, a notion that is anathema to Cristall and anyone who was around at the inception of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. But with a debt of some $268,000, the Festival has to do something to address the financial shortfall if it is to prevail into the future.

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As might well be expected, the first evening of the 2008 Vancouver Folk Music Festival was spectacular, from the sun coming out in the late afternoon to the wonderful folk-jazz improvisational music of Lau, the Africa-infused delta blues of Markus James and Wassonrai, a rockin’ concert set by the incomparable Aimee Mann, and a get on your feet and move, dance and rock-into-the-night, evening-ending concert by Ozomatli.
For all the goods times at the Festival, and for however much the assembled masses enjoyed the first evening series of concert performances, VanRamblings was somewhat distressed by the shockingly low turnout, a crowd that we estimated at no more than 5,000, certainly less than what one would have imagined and expected in earlier years.
We’ll see what the turnout is like on Saturday, and report back tomorrow.
Perhaps, local performer Veda Hille was right when she suggested to Alex Varty that artists like Sufjan Stevens might bring a bigger audience to the Fest. Next year, when there’s a permanent artistic director in place, we’ll have a better idea as to where the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is going.
In the interim, we’ll leave you with our weekend photos of the Festival, and a link to the Festival’s Flickr site, where you’ll find hundreds more pics.
(Note should be made that there was a decided chill in the night air, so if you’re planning on attending Saturday evening, make sure to bring along a long-sleeved shirt and a sweater to provide succour against the elements.)
Julian W. has posted on the first day of the Festival here, and Brent Kane writes about the first day, too. The Canadian Encylopedia presents the history, if you click on the link. And now VanRamblings is off to the Festival!

Yes, twas the night before the 31st annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the creatures were (in fact) stirring and the volunteer staff of the Festival were hard at work putting the last-minute finishing touches on the 2008 edition of this most august and beautiful respite from the maddening world.
Over the course of the weekend, VanRamblings will post on the 31st annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival. In the interim, we’ll direct your attention to The Province’s Stuart Derdeyn’s introductory article on the Festival, the first ever directed by Linda Tanaka, the Festival‘s interim artistic director.
We’ll also point you toward this article in The Province about the “politically charged Michael Franti & Spearhead” and what he’ll bring to this year’s Fest. And, finally from The Province on the Thursday before the 2008 Festival commences, a reflection and an update on Spirit of the West, longtime folk favourites on the local scene in Vancouver and British Columbia.
The Georgia Straight’s Alex Varty finds his fine folk voice, once again, in a series of wonderfully written articles published in the July 17th edition of the Straight. In the Straight’s introductory article to the 2008 Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Varty interviews Kris Klaasen, a member of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival board that, earlier this year, dismissed longtime and much-missed Festival artistic director and Fest habitué, Dugg Simpson.

Continue reading Vancouver Folk Music Festival, 2008 →