The environmental core

What first drew me to the Ottawa Folk Festival as a volunteer were the musical acts but the things that define the festival in my eyes now is its devotion to the environment with the festival's setting, greening initiatives and the core community values.

The Green team at the festival goes through everything people throw out. Not a single piece of refuse goes to the landfill before a volunteer checks to make sure it can't be recycled or composted.

Volunteers pull out cans from the trash, collect them and then bring then to collect money to give back to the festival. Things like this are great examples of reducing, recycling and reusing.

I talked to Green Team crew leaders Jane Stallabrass and Alyssa Gladish who explained to me that going through all the garbage is the reason why the festival is able to have 60-75% diversion from the landfill. Ottawa has a 40% diversion rate.

The Green Team also refills the water station which has eliminated plastic bottles ever since the festival became the first water bottle- free festival in Ottawa
 
Envirodish is without a doubt one of the biggest factors in the festival being able to reduce its landfill waste. There are no disposable dishes at the festival, each plate, knife, fork and spoon is washed by hand by the Envirodish crew.

Cleaning dishes and lugging around 30-pound bags of compost is a dirty job but it's worth it to clean the planet. At the folk festival it's more than a title, greenwashing or catering to environmentally friendly trends, its about the Ottawa folk community's devotion to making a difference once compostable beer cup at a time.

Juanita

"Food is music to the body and music is food to the heart"

Anyone who knows me personally is sure of two things: I have an obscure taste in music and I love food. Luckily, attending the Folk Fest allows me to fulfill both of these tastes.

The Ottawa Folk Festival has a variety of food vendors to satisfy a plethora of appetites, tastes, and dietary concerns.

Do you dig West Indian food? If so, why not try Mugena? Their goat roti and jerk chicken will give you a taste of the islands right here at home. For those who may like more traditional Ottawa fare, Fadi’s has the fries, hot dogs, and shwarma to satiate your craving!

Stone Soup Foodworks has also diversified their menu this summer, serving up fresh and tasty tacos (a personal favourite). Hot Potato Company also offers up flavorsome, baked potatoes, which hit the spot after an evening of dancing in the Falls tent.

If a pulled-pork sandwich sounds appetizing to you, I’ve heard some great feedback from The Piggy Market’s customers. Strata Pizza often draws large crowds, and if you try their margherita pizza, you’ll find out why (they even have a cheeseless option).

Personally, after a nice summer dinner, I like to enjoy a sweet treat. Fortunately, there are a few scrumptious options at Hog’s Back Park: The Chocolate Fondue with Fresh Fruit offers up fruity treats and smoothies that make the mouth water when fellow-folkers walk by with them, and Iceco has frozen treats that can cool you down in the heat.

Another favourite of mine is B. Good’s Bakery. As someone that tries to stay away from dairy (lactose and I have parted ways many moons ago), B.Goods has vegan and gluten free options, which can lighten the heart of many festival-goers. Oh, and be sure to try their coffee cake.

It only seems fitting that my favourite music festival in Ottawa should offer up some of the most appetizing culinary options. It's just as Gregory David Roberts said, "Food is music to the body and music is food to the heart." 

Michelle N

A family festival

The Ottawa Folk Festival is a family festival in the very best way. I make that specification because the term “family” often describes events geared only towards children but this festival is a place where I could see myself spending time with each member of my family.

Big Brother: My bigger brother is the one who first got me into music other than what played on the radio so we would go see Thurston Moore to relive our angsty teenage years spent listening to Sonic Youth.  Moore is completely different as a solo artist but equally inspirational and still one of my brother’s favourite guitarists.

Little brother: He is 7 so naturally he has a lot of energy. This is not the best for sitting and watching a concert but great for the Kidzone, the mural and hands-on workshops. He would love fiddling around with kazoos, harmonicas and definitely a noseflute.

Mom: She never misses her Zumba exercise dance class. She always tries to get me to go with her because a) it would be healthy for me and b) she knows I can’t dance. For these same reasons I know she would love taking Cajun Dance lessons together at the Falls Stage.

Dad:He is pretty laid back at festivals so there is nothing I would like more than to sit around in the sun with him listening to a few jam sessions while sipping on cold beers.

Sister: She has an affinity for all things cute so, at the festival that translates to eating vendor ice cream, taking part in ukulele workshops and being serenaded by a dreamy musician.

Grandma:The Little Stevies set is what first got me thinking about family as I listened to the band which includes sisters Sybilla and Bethany Stevens. While their stage banter reminded me of my own back-and-forth with my sister what got through to me the most was their song “Grandma.” The song is dedicated to their Grandma who suffered from Alzheimer’s and tells the story of how their grandparents met so that it would never be forgotten. It reminded me of my own grandma and, if it were possible, I would love to have had her there with me.


Juanita

Putting bugs in a jar

There should be a word to describe the specific joy that comes from breaking the little rules: Colouring outside the lines, driving longer than you should with the gas light on or substituting apple sauce for butter in your muffin recipe.

With or without its own noun, the feeling is universal, and may be the best way to describe why the Ottawa Folk Festival Workshops are so special. The workshops break the regular concert rules in two important ways: removing the barrier between artists and audiences, and throwing together un-tried, un-tested, and un-ever-seen-before combinations of musical talent on stage.

"We're just going to improvise," said the Juno-nominated Orchid Ensemble during their afternoon workshop at the Heron Stage, before kicking off a gorgeous and haunting tune that was soon rounded into an impromptu blend of guitars, percussion and on-the-spot vocals from a collection of artists who shared a stage but had met a matter of minutes earlier.

Jeremy Fischer, who played a Workshop at the Bluebird North Stage earlier in the day, described the sessions something like this: it is like putting bugs in a jar and waiting to see what happens.

Another band simply said, "We have no idea what the workshops are all about ― we just turn up on stage where we're told!"

When you have a formula where even the performers are not sure what is expected of them on stage, you open the door to creating magic. And certainly to creating music that you can't buy on iTunes.

The intimacy of the workshops alone changes the artist-audience dynamic beautifully, but there are multiple sessions throughout the weekend where aspiring folk stars can learn, share, and shine. Thundering from the Legacy Stage this evening, Don Gibbons led a Rhythm Workshop for a crowd of drummers, explaining the technique, some history and even inventing a song at the request of his audience.  

If all that wasn't enough, the workshops stages curated by the Ottawa Folklore Centre are located on the point, a hunk of festival ground so perfect you almost feel it would look naked without the tents and the crowds.

Whether you are a folk legend in the making or just enjoy indulging in truly unique music, check out the Workshops on tomorrow starting noon @ottawafolk.

Andrea Petruzella

You’re never alone at the Folk fest

Have you ever been one those people who would love to attend the Ottawa Folk Festival, but didn’t because you couldn’t find someone who would like to come along with you? If so, truth-be-told, at one point of time I was just like you. 

Surprisingly, it can sometimes be hard to find a friend who is free to enjoy some great music during a nice weekend.Year after year, I would sit at home, drooling over the Folk Fest lineup. One year I decided that enough was enough: I jumped right in and volunteered for the festival. 

I was a bit nervous at first, but the atmosphere at the OFF is welcoming and relaxed, so working with a new crew and attending shows was easy and comfortable. I almost started preferring watching concerts on my own, as most show-goers are friendly and chatty. I even made great friends with one of my fellow crewmembers, and we continue to get together to watch performances this year!

My close pals also started following my example and came along to the festival (likely due to my excessive bragging about the shows I attended). I also ran into more friends at the festival.

After a few years of volunteering and attending the festival, I now find it difficult to go very far without running into someone that I know. And to think, I used to be afraid of having no one to come to the shows with me!

Ottawa Folk Festival: a great place to run into friends and strangers — friends you just haven’t met yet.

Michelle N

OFF Artists: Always New Favourites

The great thing about the Ottawa Folk Festival is that you will always discover new artists that will soon become your favourites.

Thursday, I came to Hog’s Back Park with the intention of only watching Hawksley Workman’s performance. Having grown up in the same hometown, I have been listening to his great body of work since I was old enough to craftily steal my sister’s CDs without her noticing (or so I thought).

Although I probably shouldn’t admit it for fear of destroying my folky reputation, other than Hawksley Workman (who delivered a ridiculously amazing show, by the way), I was unfamiliar with the remainder of the performers that evening. However, by the end of the night, all of the performers had gained at least one more fan in me. 

The evening kicked off with a performance by Megan Jerome. Her personal style and spot-on vocals absolutely blew me away. She sang about local subjects and themes, which made the concert even more endearing. By the end of her performance, I called my sister and exclaimed that I had found a new favourite! I was going to buy her CD!

After Hawksley Workman, I moved over to the Falls Stage and caught Justin Townes Earle’s show. He made playing the guitar look as easy as breathing. His harmonies and accompanying vocals were practically perfect, and anything with a string bass makes me weak in the knees. I turned to my friend and declared that this was my new obsession! I needed to buy his CD!

After Justin, we wandered down to the RavenLaw Stage to watch the Punch Brothers round off their set. Hearing their tight string performances, their effortless time-changes, and flawless vocals, I thought, “These guys are amazing! I need to get their CD!”

And this was only after the first night of shows. I can only imagine the damage that I’m about to do in the General Store and Merch Tent tonight.

Now I’m in the market for some inexpensive CD storage. Any suggestions?


Michelle N.

Some things will never change

To borrow loosely from this afternoon's CBC radio interview with Bruce Hornsby, to succeed in creating magic on stage is to willfully abandon the fear of messing up.

Even for a beloved musician, trying something new for a crowd can feel a bit (okay a lot) risky. 

The same goes for a beloved music festival, with a 17-year history, 17-million reasons to be nostalgic, and a crowd forced to face an awful lot of new: new year, new venue, new direction. 

If opening night is anything to go by, the Folkers are embracing the change. But to be honest, it all looks pretty familiar.

After all, where other than the Ottawa Folk Festival would you find cowboy hats grooving alongside Bandanas and baby slings? Where else would you find yourself engaged in friendly conversation with a stranger about artisan belt buckles, while pondering the musings of Mother Teresa, Shakespeare, and Arundhati Roy on display just one stall over?

Plastic cups, cold beer, mint chocolate cookies (they are as good as they sound).

And oh - la musique!

One of the best bits of a festival is being treated to the unexpected. Either old favourites turned upsidedown, or new favourites in the making. Tonight’s performances delivered both.

Bruce Hornsby performed a beautifully unique Mandolin Rain that somehow managed to fill the entire festival grounds and just possibly the whole night sky.

No one would ever complain about seeing five incredibly stylish men on stage (@punchbrothers), but when you hear them called the Beatles of bluegrass, singing about all-too-relatable truths like we’re just two people who aren’t in love right now (but don’t get married without me), it's impossible not to want more. 

To quote a fellow festival-goer, Justin Townes Earle (@JustinTEarle) was incredible, and just made you want to dance. 

All of this, and somehow we even managed to keep the tornadoes at bay.

So doo do doo doo do doo doo do doo that's just the way it is, some things will never change.

Thanks for a great opening night #ottawafolk .

Andrea Petruzella

Mixing tradition with the new

The first 14 Ottawa Folk Festivals I attended were purely a one-way affair. I was basking in great music, (mostly) lovely summer weather, and the festival vibe. 

Last year, I was there as a board member. You might guess the experience was somewhat different. 

Let me tell you what I think of when I think of the Ottawa Folk Festival:

Laura Smith singing “Armistice Day,” and the utter silence of the audience when she finished. Don Ross creating musical sparks on his guitar and echoed in the sky as the Perseids meteor shower flashed overhead. Drooling over beautiful musical instruments that I cannot afford in the artisan village. Being proud to know we were the first water bottle-free festival in Ottawa. Buffy Sainte-Marie raising the hairs on the back of my neck as she whooped through “Starwalker.” Bruce Cockburn wandering the site and enjoying the festival just like me. Seeing musical friends like Meredith Luce and David Ross MacDonald onstage impressing the hell out of thousands of people.  

I don’t quite know what the festival will bring this year. To paraphrase Lynn Miles “Unravel” ― I’ve watched a lotta festivals come and go, and this is what I know:

There are some great musicians booked. The new site will not have the sunsets on the river but, I suspect it may have its own charms. I REALLY don’t want it to rain. I hope we can mix the best of the traditions we’ve set over the last 17 years with some new things. 

This festival is mine and it’s yours too, if you want it. Take part. Listen. Dance. Pick up a harmonica and make a tune. Sing along. Eat. Drink. Celebrate that a world of music has come to our doorstep and that in this too-brief season of summer we get to hear it in a beautiful outdoor site. 

See you at the festival.

Bob LeDrew

Meet the Social Media Crew

Hi Everyone!


There are a lot of exciting things going on at the festival this year including the addition of a social media team. Before you head down to the festival tonight, allow us to introduce ourselves as we are the volunteers who will be writing entries here in the Ottawa Folk Festival Diaries, updating our friends on Facebook and tweeting @ottawafolk (the initial beside our names will be used to identify us on twitter):

Michelle (M)

I am a local Ottawan, and I enjoy folk and food. My daytime government gig can be a bit dry so, I spend my spare time in jazz-vocal training, singing in bands and in the kitchen. I firmly believe that wine and ukuleles are essential ingredients to life, and that my neighbours may be sick of hearing me belt out showtunes. I love blogging and oversharing, so I can’t wait for this year’s Ottawa Folk Festival to get underway.

Andrea (A)

My first musical crush was Michael Jackson. I learned how to play Rock Band over the weekend. I can play three chords on the guitar.  With this long-standing passion for music, I am volunteering for the second consecutive year with the Ottawa Folk Festival, having moved from media relations into the social media team. I’m looking forward to tweeting and re-tweeting everything folk over the next few days.

Juanita (J)

As a journalism student and arts editor, I’m excited to connect the festival with its community through social media. During my 3 years volunteering, my best memories have included big name acts like the Jim Cuddy Band’s set on the springboard stage that was literally jumping as well as discovering artists like Tanya Davis who blew me away softly with her poetry. I can’t wait to create and share new memories at this year’s Ottawa Folk Festival!

Keep a look out for us around the festival and if you can't find us you know how to get a hold us. We'll be blogging throughout the festival so stay tuned for more posts, including some from our surprise guest bloggers.

Enjoy the festival!

The Social Media Team