In the past, the summer issue of the Broadside has come out just before the Festival to help promote the event. This year we thought that we'd make a change and offer you something from the wealth of stories that come out of the Festival itself. One of my favorite festival memories is of the time, late one night, that I sat in the old Grad House on the edge of the Bannerman Park and listened to John White and Pius Power Sr. as they exchanged songs. I saw the pleasure in their faces as each listened to the other's singing and I thought, "This is real - this is why we do this." On another night, at another Festival, I watched as the Punters delivered a rousing electric version of a traditional ballad that I had heard sung by Mr. Pius. The space in front of the stage was blocked with dancers from what I thought of as the "downtown crowd"--dyed hair, body piercings, black outfits, the whole bit--not at all what you would have expected at a Folk Festival. I remember thinking with relief that the music was safe as long as musicians could find new ways of letting it speak to new audiences. By giving space to both traditional performance styles and lively evolutions, our Festival is helping to ensure that the folk culture of Newfoundland and Labrador is kept alive and moving.

We are a Folk Festival family at my house. My late husband, Pius Power Jr. and his father, Mr. Pius, appear in the program for the third Festival in 1979 and were regular participants until their deaths. My first volunteer stint was at the 14th Festival in 1990. I sang that year as well--and met Pius for the first time on the stage! (Pius felt this to have been such a successful enterprise that, when he knew he was dying, he suggested that I put my name down to perform again just to see who else I might attract. Line forms to the left....) The Festival is part of the round of the year at our house--like Christmas and birthdays, it has a valued and privileged place in our calendar. A weekend of roaring good music is only one of the things it brings to us. It's a time to meet old friends amongst volunteers, performers and audience. It helps to give my children a stronger sense of a culture and tradition that their father loved and valued. And it's a showcase of some things about this province that are strong, vibrant, unique and evolving.

On another note--I am passing on the post of editor to Jean Knowles. A long-time member of the SJFAC, she is well qualified to see to it that all aspects of the Council's life and activities receive a thorough coverage (for one thing, she actually gets out of the house!). Best wishes to you, Jean - I know you'll do a great job!