It may not be three days, but a new music festival is succeeding in bringing a day of peace and music to the West Coast.
For its inaugural year, it would be hard to imagine a stronger start for the Victoria Folk Music Festival. The all-day concert was sold out ahead of its debut on July 5 and welcomed 12 acts to perform for a packed crowd – 1,500 people strong – at Royal Athletic Park.
“This is a pretty exciting first year. There’s also a lot that we’re figuring out as we go – it’s been a great learning experience,” said volunteer co-ordinator Becky Prokova. “It’s kind of crazy what we were able to throw together in a relatively short amount of time, honestly. It’s an amazing turnout, it's totally sold out and so many people have come together to help out.”
While the festival is off to a strong start, there were challenges along the way, from organizing volunteers to having enough vendor passes. But ultimately, things came together, and Prokova is excited to see improvements when the festival returns next year.
For Prokova, the lineup was the most exciting part of the day.
“I am stoked about Frazey Ford and Joel Plaskett – those are two artists I’m a big fan of,” she said.
The idea to host the festival came when organizers realized Victoria was lacking a folk music festival, despite many being held elsewhere on the Island.
“We needed one,” said Prokova. “It was such a clear gap that we were missing in our city.”
In addition to the music, the festival welcomed a number of food vendors, along with local artisans, craftspeople and vintage sellers, giving attendees something to browse between sets.
Also between sets on the main stage, small groups like the Clover Point Drifters took to a smaller stage, marked as the “Pickin’ Shack,” to perform music of their own. In classic folk style, these sets featured acoustic instrumentation, with groups gathered around a single microphone to sing authentic folk classics.
Attendees seemed to enjoy all the festivities.
“Overall, it’s a really good, fun energy,” said Andrew Paquin.
Frazey Ford was a highlight of the day for many, including Sara Armstrong.
“I heard Frazey Ford’s song at the end of a movie called 'Jane Austen Ruined My Life,'” said Armstrong, who travelled from Seattle to enjoy the show with her husband, Scott.
“I didn’t expect this many people,” he said. “It seems like it’s been a much bigger hit than I expected, and people seem to be having a good time. I expect they’ll be coming back again next year.”
