By David Newland
Ask what “folk” means as a musical genre, and the conversation could go on for weeks. One thing we can all agree on is that the “folk” in “folk festival” means people. At Summerfolk, that includes little people — in a big way. Kids, in fact, are in many ways at the heart of the festival.
I’ll be honest: I never thought a lot about the family-friendly aspect of folk festivals when I first started attending them. Why would I have? I was a teenager at the time. If anything, I was there to get away from my family! Even when I started to play festivals and to help organize them, my main thought was for the main stage.
It took becoming a parent myself to help me realize that not only are festivals great for kids — kids are also great for festivals. The past few years at Summerfolk have shown me just how vital the family experience is to the whole feeling of the festival itself.
Any performer with family -– indeed any festival patron with family -– will tell you that the whole experience changes with kids in the picture. The late nights are gone, replaced with early mornings. Camping is no longer just a matter of crashing in a tent; it’s all about logistics and meal planning and such. The main stage in the evening may or may not be doable– and by and large, the beer tent fades a bit as little ones come into the picture — an adjustment, to be sure.
The good news, though, is that it’s not that hard of an adjustment to make at Summerfolk. In fact, having kids along makes the whole experience richer and more interesting in a number of ways –- for everyone!
Think of the site itself. An adult might see it as a place for both healthy and junk food and for shopping for that special piece in the artisan village. The adult may be looking for that opportunity to discover some lesser-known performers along with the well-known ones and have an opportunity to purchase a CD or two in the General Store.
From the child’s point of view, it’s a village –- a world unto itself, really, with its own rules and feelings and textures. At night, it looks magical with the special lighting in the trees, in the Amphitheatre and under the tents. To see a folk festival through a child’s eyes is also to see a small community that honours creativity, the arts, and the environment as if that were the most ordinary thing in the world. Plus, it’s just plain fun.
Like a village it has it’s pathways as well. This year the wildly popular Storywalk returns. The Storywalk is an initiative of the Owen Sound Public Library. Starting at the front gate and leading to the children’s area this year’s selection, The Man with the Violin, gives the children insight into the world of music and provides an interactive reading experience. The book is available at the retail store and last year’s selection sold out in a matter of hours.
Summerfolk, in fact, is the kind of world many of us are hoping to help create for our kids. And even if you don’t have kids, or your kids have grown, seeing this temporary village operate the way it does—for the young, and the young at heart alike—is good for the soul.
Action speaks louder than words when it comes to understanding how important kids are to Summerfolk. In Children’s Area, there is a list of activities available –- making a beaded bracelet, making a costume for the parade, designing a mask, building your own drum as well as a spaghetti sensory workshop from 11 am to 2 pm each day. There is also the usual playdoh and face painting by professionals and more.
For peace of mind you can have have your children registered as you come through the main gate at the First Aid trailer on the right. No one wants to see a child lose sight of a parent but if this happens, the job of reconnecting you and your kids is is made easier.
There are some very cool workshops going on during the festival that kids and their parents won’t want to miss that include learning how to walk on stilts, juggling and spinning thanks to Lookup Theatre and Vita Twirlin’ Diva.
Consider the kids’ parade that snakes through the site on Sunday afternoon. Led by the Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, they’ll be costumed, masked, and in full voice when they arrive at main stage! Banging and blowing and honking and marching like a combination of a mamba snake and a mambo line, the Summerfolk parade is like a Dr. Seuss Book come to life.
Like all of us at age 41, Summerfolk is enjoying its maturity, in part by passing on the excitement to the next generation. Sure, Down By the Bay is still one of the greatest beer tents anywhere, but if your late nights with the gang have turned to early mornings with the kids, there’s a lot worth waking up for. Elephant Thoughts Educational Outreach is bringing a dino dig — complete with a 25-foot dinosaur!
Folk, of course, means music too. Summerfolk’s kids’ performers are some of the very best — Magoo, for example. The legendary madcap songster with his winged helmet, roller skates, ukulele and sprawling wacky wardrobe is second only to Santa in the esteem of children across the folk scene.
Folk music often addresses the challenges of our times. Enter Ben Spencer with his Songs for Terrible Children. Born on the prairies, resident in Montreal, Ben’s clever satire tackles body image, diversity, bullying, and environmental concerns in a way that is both topical –- and hilarious.
Even the food is kid-friendly. Who doesn’t love the usual hamburgers, hotdogs, angel fries, pizza, lemonade, kettle corn, deep-fried mars bars, cotton candy and more to discover.
And the best part? Children under 12 accompanied by an adult get in FREE at Summerfolk. That’s a price anyone can afford, for an event everyone can enjoy. You won’t want to miss the 41st annual Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival on August 19, 20, and 21st at Kelso Beach Park. There’s more info at summerfolk.org.
We have been coming to Summerfolk for many years–at least 33. Before children, with children and after children. We loved bringing the kids because it felt so safe for them. We gave them lots of independence , and they had wonderful experiences. I asked my 27 year old daughter yesterday if she enjoyed going to Summerfolk and she said she and the others loved it….so much to do , lots of space….lots of great music. Perfect festival for families.
I returned to Summerfolk after missing the last few years and was not disappointed. Loved the music and the positive, friendly atmosphere The variety of music style was refreshing. The beer tent smell, however, was not. The addition of sand to the base, replacing previous year’s mulch, was not a good decision, as an awful odor hung stagnant in front of the stage (coming from the wet sand). Hopefully this is remedied next year.
Rob, thanks for the comments. Rest assured the sand was not our decision, it was the city that wanted the sand after the downpour on Tuesday. Glad you enjoyed the music, though. See you next year.