Folk Festival - Saturday.

We got a last minute call from my in-laws about babysitting Dexter on one of these weekend festival days. Although the baby is welcome at the festival, there is no doubt that it's more straightforward and easier to navigate without him. So Dexter enjoyed a day of recuperation with his grandparents while Don and I carried on with our festival activities.

Amsterdam has been a wonderful bike to me over the course of the festival. It's just so light and incredibly leisurely to ride.

But before the festival, we made a quick round at the market to collect provisions.

There was a marimba guy there today!





There was also a shih tzu/bichon.





Don had his first Eva Sweet waffle and was in line for his second one before the first was done. While Don was feeding Dexter waffle, Brent stopped by.


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Went home (train), dropped of the baby, grabbed the bikes and took off.

Don is such a gentleman. He continues to ride his old mountain bike and tow a trailer full of our gear so that I can just cruise around with nothing but a little bag in my basket. Thanks Don!





Once we arrived and locked up at the bike parking, we wandered over to our tarp (thanks to Kris and Kris!) to enjoy a little bit of Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys. Way more classic rock than I was expecting.

Then it was time to indulge my time honoured folk festival tradition of holding court at the beer gardens.





Don and I love our baby, but we also love having a little reprieve from time to time.





Kris and I were thick as thieves today. We positioned ourselves appropriately so we could listen to Amos Garrett & the House Band.





In time, other Kris arrived with Michelle. This is Michelle's first folk fest and I think she is enjoying herself immensely so far.





The Scouts. That is what I call these three dudes. Don grew up with these guys (they were all in scouts together) and although they now all live in different cities, folk fest is a time when everybody comes back to town and hangs out for the weekend.





The Don.





The Ben. Actually, recently he just graduated from med school so I can call him Dr. Ben!





The Kris.





When you're enjoying time with your friends on a grassy patch, sometimes a shoe is the best place to put your drink.





New to Edmonton friend, Karen, came by to say hi and after chatting with her for a few minutes I noticed this handsome man a few picnic tables away.

Hi Phil!





And cowboy Wade.





Too bad I didn't have too much time to speak to Mike. He came by just as I had to get going for a session at stage 7.





Byeee beer gardens! I have to go see Debashish Bhattacharya.





The session was excellent. Bhattacharya was so super sweet and friendly. Like a surrogate East Indian daddy. And his skills on his personally modified guitars? Holy. Wow.

Afterward we found ourselves at the gardens once again. What can I say? This time we were strategically positioned to listen to Amanda Martinez and Aurelio Martinez.

It was very busy.





We got some dinner and brought it back up to the tarps to enjoy with Vieux Farka Toure.

And then the rain came!





Luckily Don has super scout skills. With some direction, repositioning of the tarp, and the help of several umbrellas, we were able to create the almost-impermeable rain protection turtle. We had five people huddled under the fortress.





You could catch glimpses of Sarah Harmer through the gaps. I enjoyed the crooning.





Have to occasionally divert the runoff.





Sunset and rain.





This guy fashioned a rain poncho out of a garbage bag. Industrious!





I stayed warm with a hot chocolate.





The power of umbrellas.







And despite the rain, the hill remained well populated.





We stayed for most of Brandi Carlile and had to miss Colin Hay in order to get home and relieve our babysitters. So much music. So much fun.

Postscript:

saturday sessions and mainstage from fella on Vimeo.