聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The 8th annual All Folk'd Up Music Festival was held this past weekend in Montmartre - Paris of the Prairies showcasing an incredible lineup of musicians and artists from bluegrass to rock and roll, soul to country.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 AFU Co-ordinator Dakota Jackson has her dream job promoting this festival. It has some of the most important values to her 鈥� Saskatchewan Arts. 鈥淲e are putting out such incredible artists and entrepreneurs so the opportunity to promote them is incredible. It's fantastic. The fact that it is in rural Saskatchewan has always been very dear to me. We have to show the power of rural Saskatchewan and the incredible determination and passion of the people here. I love festivals!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The All Folk'd Up Festival has seen many changes over the past eight years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's definitely been a matter of progress,鈥� states Jackson. 鈥淚n terms of location we've definitely done a transition 鈥� we have everything together creating a little bit more of a festival environment. It's been a huge benefit to not only the people camping at Kemoca Park but to the artists and everyone attending as well. We're gaining a reputation and putting Montmartre on the map over the years by proving this wonderful balance between staying true to the roots of what the festival is about.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's about families, about diverse music, it's about small town rural Saskatchewan showcasing the passion that lives within it,鈥� says Jackson and adds 鈥渁t the same time we're ensuring that we're bringing Saskatchewan and western Canadian artists that are at such a calibre 鈥� some of those artists that have really blown up over the past few years and the fact that we're still able to bring them in. For many of them who have come before this it is like coming home for them. That really drives home that we're doing it right. We're still keeping it like home. That's important!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jackson hopes everyone who attends feels the same way. 鈥淭his is a home environment. You come as you are. You're accepted as you are. We hope everyone has a good time all together.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There's always a few changes to each year's festival, some new things added, things done a different way, but at the same time they are always ensuring they stick to those roots. That's always a balancing act but they're doing it well!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This year's festival showcased many well-known bands including Brad Johner and The Johner Boys, Andino Suns, The Dead South, Punch Drunk Cabaret, Hunter Brothers and Jaecy Bells to name a few.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jackson sees this folk festival going on for many years yet as she says 鈥淚 have full plans on my children being the ones doing the tye-dye station and they're only 2陆 right now so this is a long term goal.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e're still in the development stage in terms of the festival so any profits from the festival each year goes back into the festival,鈥� Jackson explains. 鈥淲e recognize that there still needs to be improvements in certain areas. We want to bring a certain calibre to the festival and right now much of that is our focus. Supporting the community is really a big thing as much as we can in terms of supporting them in other ways. It's promoting the businesses around us.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The businesses all around Montmartre and surrounding areas are a bit busier on festival weekend with festival goers checking out to see what their town has to offer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淩ural Saskatchewan has so much to offer people and if we can get people to go off the beaten path a little bit I think lots of people are amazed by what a community of 800 has to offer,鈥� Jackson states.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 People have come to the festival from across Canada including some from Ontario, Alberta and there was even a couple from the East Coast and of course all across Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So if you're going through Saskatchewan make plans to stop in at the All Folk'd Up Festival in Montmartre.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淓ach individual's experience reflects back on us and we have to make sure that all of those individuals have a good experience and we do everything that we can in order to make that happen,鈥� says Jackson.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There have been many positive comments made throughout the weekend. People have really enjoyed the children's pavilion which included so much to keep the kids entertained throughout the weekend including Tot Time with Tyler, Mr. Circus Performance featuring juggling, comedy and more, Balloon Animals, Face Painting and a workshop teaching the kids and some adults to spin props to music and incorporating rhythmic movement and dance.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he children's pavilion has always been a priority and something that we're going to continue to develop,鈥� says Jackson and adds 鈥渢hings are flowing better and better with each festival that we have. We find things that we can improve on each year.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Of course the All Folk'd Up Music Festival doesn't just happen on its own. Altogether there's nearly 100 volunteers who help with not only the organizing and planning leading up to the festival; but, also the set-up and tear down crew, the front gate workers, merchandise tent team, 50/50 sellers, MC's, cooks, VIP tent and sound crew, tie-dye station workers, children's pavilion supervisors, there is honestly too many names to mention, but that does not mean they don't deserve the greatest and humblest of thank you's! AFU is also indebted to the numerous sponsors who believe in the importance of this Festival.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have lots of people who have been supporters from the very beginning,鈥� says Jackson. 鈥淭hese people keep coming back and they keep volunteering. It's incredible! They're a great resource for us.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Plans have already been started for next year's festival.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have some artists that have already said 'Hey if you want us back again next year...we're coming...just ask!,鈥� explains Jackson. 鈥淭hat's always a feather in our cap for sure!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e're about diverse music, it's all about a balance. There's always those up-and-coming groups that we try to bring in. Those bands may someday be the big headliners and the festival favourite,鈥� says Jackson.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Committee members and volunteers were exhausted by the end of this year's event and by Sunday evening festival goers commented they were 'All Folk'd Out'!
