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Festival flashbacks: Memories from the Vancouver Folk Music Festival

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is kicking off its 42nd weekend and fans young and old will start heading down Friday to Jericho Beach Park to check out the acts, the vendors and the vibes.

CBC fans share stories and photos of good times at annual folk fest

Bridgette Watson CBC News Posted: Jul 19, 2019 8:38 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 20, 2019

A couple of cool cats at the first Vancouver Folk Music Festival held at Jericho Beach in 1979. The first festival was held in 1978 in Stanley Park. (Submitted/Jen Wright)

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is kicking off its 42nd weekend and fans young and old will start heading down Friday to Jericho Beach Park to check out the acts, the vendors and the vibes.

To celebrate the last four decades of getting down,The Early Edition asked CBC listeners to share their photos and stories from past years and they started pouring in. They just mightinspire you to grab a blanket and a pair of Birkenstocksand see what all the fun is about.

The early years

Heather Lane sent inthis blast from the past:

This is my husband, Jason, at his first Folk Fest, wearing a great tan and I'm sure not a drop of sunscreen!

The '79 festival was his favourite as it was only the 2nd year. It was an idyllic summer day and the lineup included Shari Ulrich with Pied Pumkin,of whom he's still a fan. Like everyone who's been knows, the fabulous and varied music in that matchless setting makes for a memorable festival every single year.

Jason Lane sporting a tan and a smile at the 1979 Vancouver Folk Music Festival. (Heather Lane)

Vintage volunteer

Toni Serofingave us this gem:

This is my 30th year of volunteering at the amazing Vancouver Folk Music Festival.

Way before we were all available on our smart phones, the volunteer co-ordinator would take Polaroids of the committee leaders. The pics were posted backstage at the administration tent to help staff and other committees find us on site.

That's me in the middle, with my awesome curly 80s hair and baggy shorts!

Toni Serofin, middle, flanked by volunteers at a festival in the 1980s. (Submitted/Toni Serofin)

Broken strings and swear words

Jen Wright provided this pic of a classic Canadian folk musician:

First festival at Jericho Beach with Stan Rogers. He broke a string onstage and cursed!

Stan Rogers, middle, playing for folks at Jericho Beach in 1979. (Submitted/Jen Wright)

At the 1983 Folk Festival, shortly after Stan's death in June, the enormous crowd sang "The Mary Ellen Carter" in the twilight of a perfect summer night. Still gives me chills. #vancouverfolk I'd seen him perform in Victoria a few weeks earlier. "Rise again, Rise Again..."
—@ron_usher

Summer nights

Sandra Klompsent in this evening memory:

I'm sending you a sunset picture at Folk Fest several years ago. It is a picture with my neighbours and friends Rachel, Suzana and Me. We had just danced on the grass listening to the amazing bands on stage andwe took a little stroll to the beach to watch the sunset when a stranger asked to take our picture.

The result was this beauty shot! I framed it to remind me of summer nights at Folk Fest !

Friends enjoying the sunset from Jericho Beach with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in the background. (Submitted/Sandra Klomp)

Colourful characters

Dannielle Hayes submitted three great shots:

I was covering Folk Fest for Tourism Vancouver as a contract photographer in 2006.However, I had a stroke in 2010and am now disabled. I still shoot and write,albeit from a wheelchair perspective.