Musical Interlude: Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2014

Four days of fantastic music on a hill that forms a natural amphitheatre: that's the Edmonton Folk Fest and I love it! Didn't do much reading, but I heard many stories in song. There were other book lovers in evidence; some of them using the live music as background for their reading.

Strangers sitting nearby, reading while Mokoomba was onstage. Since they weren't watching,
they missed out on the Zimbabwe band's great dance moves.

Folk fest tradition is to mark one's tarp with something distinctive. In addition to the Dr Who police box seen in the photo above, I spotted characters like Winnie the Pooh, the Grinch and Harry Potter.

Some celebrities disguise themselves with glasses. Harry
only needs to remove his to make me uncertain of his identity.

This is me, not in disguise, just protected from the sun.

The story tent is another long-standing tradition at the festival.
Apprentice storytellers occasionally step in, having learned their craft by coming
to this tent every year, and listening to Merle Harris and Gail de Vos.

Dancers add another layer of storytelling to the Masters of Hawaiian Music.

I heard a talented young ukulele musician, Jake Shimabukuro, at another stage. It was thrilling to hear his solo rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. It ranks right up there with the Muppets version in my estimation! (Compare Shimabukuro to the Muppets on YouTube.)

Mortal Coil stilt troupe add their special magic to the weekend.

Another highlight was DakhaBrakha from Ukraine. I didn't get a photo but check out their great hats here.

This woman's tattoo proclaims her passion.
("Life without books is death")

Bless the Privy People for making the porta potty experience fun!
The Police Box-themed unit included an episode of Dr Who
playing on an iPad screen inside. 

One last photo: the early evening view from the top of the hill.