More on the Ottawa Folk Festival.
As I mentioned on January 18, Ottawa Bluesfest’s Mark Monahan and his team “obviously know how to put on the big concerts that have come to dominate the evening concerts at folk festivals. I remain optimistic that he’ll maintain and develop the creative daytime workshop programming that I believe is the heart and soul of great folk festivals.”
Well, I’m happy to report that he’s assigned curatorship of the daytime workshop programming to the Ottawa Folklore Centre. That is the best news I’ve heard about the festival in a very long time. I think this is a great move that will ensure that the 2011 Ottawa Folk Festival’s daytime programming will continue to be the heart and soul of the festival.
Ottawa Folklore Centre owner Arthur McGregor has been involved in the folk music scene for a very long time and he has a deep understanding of the kind of programming I’ve been referring to. He’s already talked about continuing the kind of participatory workshops the Folklore Centre has coordinated in past years for the festival (excellent move) and depending on the selection of artists he’ll have to work with, I think there is the potential for this to be a great festival.
Pictured: Dan Frechette, Riley Baugus, Dirk Powell, Courtney Granger, Martha Scanlan, Robert Michaels & bass player, and Mike Regenstreif at the Ottawa Folk Festival (2006).
--Mike Regenstreif
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