As one who has performed at Canadian and U.S. folk festivals for over 30 years, I feel unusually - some would say uncharacteristically - moved to offer public congratulations and personal thanks to the St. John's Folk Arts Council (SJFAC), its festival coordinator Bridget Noonan, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival committee and volunteers, for showing the rest of the world what a folk festival should be all about.

Rich program

The richness and uniqueness of the program put together by Jean Hewson and her program committee, celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador's musical traditions and exploring their roots and common ground elsewhere, is a model from which many folk festivals in mainland Canada and the U.S. could learn a great deal. The enduring relevance and appeal of fiddle and accordion music, set dancing and ballad singing was clearly stated in the rapt attention of the audience and in the abundance of young players, singers, dancers and listeners at the festival, in the face of significant competition from other events.

The 'feature artist' trap

Elsewhere on the continent, it has become increasingly and ironically difficult to find traditional music at folk festivals. This may be because there is no thriving local musical tradition, or because it is easier to hire a few high-profile singer-songwriters with guaranteed drawing power, than to do the work required to create a truly interesting and inspiring cultural event which does more than sell entertainment.

That the SJFAC has resisted the temptation to fall into that trap shows integrity and commitment to an important vision. It was reaffirmed to me last weekend that strongly nurtured musical traditions can be the focus for much that is good and co-operative in a community or society, and the good-humoured and hospitable folks of St. John's are a clear testament to that.

Simply best

Your folk festival is more than a presentation of some of the best traditional music to be heard anywhere, more than a potentially huge tourist draw, more than a fine place to spend a summer's evening. It's a celebration of yourselves and your quality of life.


Be proud of it and look after it.


- Ian Robb (member of the group Finest Kind, Ottawa, Ontario)