Opportunity rang yesterday around 2 pm with an invitation to the Vancouver Folk Festival. I used to be a volunteer at the festival but in the last couple of years my life accelerated to a pace that made it impossible to volunteer the number of hours required.
One of my favourite folk fest memories is working Sunday morning and standing on the main stage when the gates open. The William Tell Overature plays on the main stage speakers and folk fest fans storm the seating area in front of the stage to stake their claim of space for the day. There are coordinated efforts with mom and dad each hanging onto a tarp corner and taking flying leaps to spread the tarp in warp speed. Sons and daughters in tow, coolers bouncing off legs. Flags and marker posts go up. And in 2 minutes the entire area is covered with a patchwork quilt of blanket squares.
Admist the bizarre, multi-tie-dyed, misguided fashionists, you catch glimpses of beauty itself. Yesterday there was the red-haired girl and this princepessa.