MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

This year marks the seventh or eighth festival that I’ve served as a volunteer and/or board member and I still marvel at Bannerman Park’s transformation once the festival is set up. One would think that with all those tents, chairs, tables, stages, banners and people, it would look smaller. In fact, it looks a lot larger than the rest of the year.

I’m always amazed when the park physically and spiritually converts to the festival that all this is done by volunteers. The festival committee and the SJFAC board; all volunteers incidentally, and one seasonal employee, Erin McArthur, and one summer student, Maggie Meyer, plan and execute all of the activities of the SJFAC. The festival is a huge undertaking, and to not only pull it off every year, but also all the other activities that continue year-round, like our weekly Folk Night at the Ship Pub, Young Folk at the Hall, the St. John’s International Storytelling Festival, and assorted workshops, concerts and fundraiser; it really is a remarkable group.

Last year we attempted, and annihilated the Guinness World Record for the most accordions to gather and honk in one place by playing Mussels In the Corner in the key of G - all 989 of us! Incidentally, that’s the official Guinness number that we recorded and submitted. We all know it was actually closer to 1050 players. This year we are not breaking any zany world records or unveiling semi-nude musician calendars -- yes, we’ve done that too. There are still a few 2006 ‘Bags and little Whistles’ calendars in the merchandise tent. It will be a special time to remember as we celebrate 30 years of the festival and 40 years since the inception of the St. John’s Folk Arts Council.

This year’s line-up is fantastic. We’re delighted to bring so many gifted performers to appear, not only on the main Folk Festival stage, but to the Neil Murray and the morning workshop sessions. If you haven’t already missed the workshops on Saturday and Sunday morning, check them out! On a personal note, the workshops and The Ode to Newfoundland on Sunday night are my favorite parts of the festival.

Many thanks go to Erin, and to Jean Hewson and the rest of the programming committee for putting the lineup together again this year. Thanks to Rick West, our tireless webmaster and photographer, the Broadside newsletter committee and the stalwart festival committee. Thank you to the board of directors: Jeannie, Christina, Rob, Marnie, Caroline, Frank, Kathleen, Kelly, Randy, and Jay, and to the many hard-working and dependable festival volunteers.

Thanks to the many generous sponsors: The Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Recreation, City of St. John’s, the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, the Irish Newfoundland Partnership, Cultural Capitals Canada/St. John’s Time, VOCM / Newcap Radio, CBC, Exxon Mobil, Molson Canada, Provincial Airlines and the many more sponsors, organizations and businesses that you see listed in this program.

Finally, our most sincere thanks to all of you, for coming to this festival. It’s who we are. See you next year!

Dave Penny