Durant Illusions Gallery of Artists: Mission Folk Festival Saturday and Sunday 2009

Saturday 's Festival was going strong with happy people listening to the music that surrounded Fraser River Heritage park. We had a choice of three day stages. Stage 1 Art Market, Stage 2 Rio Vista, Stage 3 Shady Grove, all named in relation to location. All of the stages had trees and shade. Sometimes it was hard to find a shady spot to sit in with people congregating in the available shade. The daytime stages had themes and workshops, such as High Noon Blues, Sounds Beyond Words and Voices of a New Song, to name a few. It seamed to come upon us suddenly, just about 5:00, lightning and thunder. It was scary and exciting. The weather report as I recall had called for hot, hot, hot. People were told to get out from under the trees that were sheltering them from the unexpected rain. Lightning and thunder surrounded the park. with each strike came shouts of excitement and surprise. We placed a blanket on the ground to mark our spot at the main stage thinking it would pass and we would come back for the evening concert. We like others headed to the car for safe shelter. The concert was cancelled. The blanket was left in the rain keeping watch as we disappointed headed home.

Jammin with Wrays guitars.

Wrays Guitars, Custom guitars hand built by Thomas J. Wray, BC. http://www.wrayguitars.ca/

Bead and Image, Antoinette. The most fabulous necklace.

Tamara Nile, BC

Kevin Fox, Ontario

Colin Linden, Ontario

Steve had the mango and I had the banana cherry frozen on the stick.

Hat switch.

Gallus Brothers and Tamara Nile

Hangin out in the Smart. wishing I could get a lightning strike on film.

Sunday was hot, hot, hot, and humid. And the music was hot, hot, hot! Francis Xavier Edwards (Artistic Director) and his team of volunteers had a daytime concert on the main stage for the Artists who were able to stay, I think it was a first. The statement "Schedules are subject to change without notice" was all taken in stride, we were grateful to be back and all in one piece! Thank you to all that worked so had to put on this festival!

Wringing out the blanket we left Saturday afternoon.

Here I am grooving in the shade.(photo by Chantal Caren)

Tom Paxton and Ken Whiteley, Connie Kaldor

Tom Paxton, USA. Grammy lifetime achievement award winner.

Tamara Nile BC. Sunrises beautiful

Stimmhorn Switzerland.

Mother and son working hard to keep the sound at shady Grove!

Amazing tree.

Les Tireux d"Raches (The rock throwers) Quebec.

In memory, you can see how hard the rain fell in the patterns it made in the sand.

The Outside Track, Ireland, Scotland, Canada.

Canefire, Canada, Cuba and Trinida

Tim Williams Alberta, Tim was the entertainment between sets, and played a different instrument each time. After the amplified guitar (from the late 1920's early 30's) came the mandolin.