Calgary musician TAYLR performed to a sold-out audience during the Tongue on the Post Folk Music Festival's Headliners event, held Jan. 28 at Medalta.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
The first in-person Tongue on the Post Folk Musical Festival since the pandemic was a rousing success, say organizers and artists.
“It was an amazing festival,” Medicine Hat Folk Music Club executive director Rob Pape told the News. “We scaled it back somewhat this year just to make sure it was manageable both from a financial standpoint as well as from a manpower standpoint; so in one sense, it felt a little smaller, but we found everything came together with astounding success.”
Despite being smaller than years prior, Pape says this year’s festival, the 17th annual, was one of the most successful to date, with ticket sales hitting a record high.
Pape estimates 1,500 to 2,000 people attended this year’s TOP. And while those numbers are smaller than the past three years when the festival was live-streamed, Pape says the decision not to live-stream offered audiences a more personal experience.
“Everything was very personal, so everyone really seemed to find connections in the events,” said Pape. “I found that all (through) that week people were so attentive and invested in the shows.”
Local singer-songwriter Greg Herman feels similarly, highlighting that TOP provides performers and audiences a space to meet and bond over their shared love of music.
“At Tongue on the Post it’s really encouraged to play your own creations,” said Herman. “And that means everything to me (because) people are super receptive.”
Herman, whose music combines elements of folk and country, was one of 14 local musicians who performed during the festival’s public Singer-Songwriter Night.
“This year it was really special, just to be in the same room with that number of people again,” said Herman. “It was just really special.”
Pape thanks the community for its part in making this year’s festival a success, as well as other festival organizers and volunteers.
“We just want to keep building on all of the great things that the festival has done in the past and just continue to connect with our community and artists (in the future),” he said.
