© 2002 Richard McGuire
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| Edmonton is very different culturally from the
rest of Alberta, tending toward a more cosmopolitan outlook and more
liberal attitudes. While rival city Calgary's biggest annual event is
a rodeo, Edmonton hosts an array of festivals that have given it the
name of "Festival City." Arguably the best folk music
festival in Canada is the Edmonton Folk Music Festival shown here.
(Rivals in Vancouver and Winnipeg may disagree). With the hill of
Gallagher Park forming a natural theatre, and with Edmonton's skyline
forming a backdrop, musicians from all over the world perform on a
main stage, and in smaller "workshops." Unlike some of the
narrower definitions of "folk" music found at other
festivals, Edmonton's is all-inclusive. African drummers play
alongside Cajun zydeco, Celtic, bluegrass, gospel, country, blues, and
of course more traditional singer-songwriter-style folk. In some of
the workshops, these diverse styles actually play together! Grab your
tickets early -- the Folkfest usually sells out in a few days. © 2002 Richard McGuire
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