Okay, so that’s a little bit untrue. I actually care a lot. Too much, even.

That’s why I lament the terrible things in the world that people cause and the very few things that still exist that everyone of all ages can enjoy. (Shoot me, I’m a cynic…) Anyhoo, the truth is, there are a few things that everyone can enjoy- and music is one of them.

Music is as music does, and Vancouver does music as well as anyone. This weekend, the West Coast is gettin’ Folk’d up. The Vancouver Folk Festival kicks off on the 17^th of July and runs till the 19^th (on Jericho Beach). The thing is, folk festivals, and festivals of this kind, are popping up all over Canada- and are a relatively affordable way for family and friends to have fun, no matter what age.

The Vancouver Folk Festival has been around for almost 30 years. Children 12 and under get in free, but all you young’uns don’t worry- it’s a hip place to be. Check out Iron and Wine, for example- they will be playing at the Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, and even Philadelphia Folk Festivals. Add the Ottawa Bluesfest (Hellloooo Capital City!), and it’s a veritable fruit folk punch.

If you can’t catch this festival- I know this is short notice- there are a lot of other festivals, be they music-related or not, that one can catch over the next month or two.

So, a synopsis of the West Coast Action to come (in Festival-Land, not Never-Land)(RIP King of Pop):

1. Next Wednesday, the much-anticipated, almost-lost pyro-musical fireworks festival begins at English Bay (aka the HSBC Celebration of Light), and runs through till August 1^st. Free! All ages! Amazing!

2. The 10^th Annual Vancouver Chinatown Festival. Begins Saturday August 8^th, ends Sunday August 9^th on Keefer and Columbia Street. Make sure you get in on the chocolate fountain, then make sure you wash your hands.

3. Chinatown, Wake Up! Chinatown is stepping it up: the Chinatown Arts & Cultural Festival runs every Saturday in July from 1pm to 4pm at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Courtyard at 50 E Pender Street, Chinatown will be rocking it out. From “Brazil Day” to “Drums Around the World”, this is one festival to check out.

4. Formerly called Festival Vancouver, MusicFest runs for two weeks in August where concert venues throughout Vancouver play host to unforgettable musical experiences that bring enthusiastic and adventurous music lovers together with some of the most talented artists in the world. Whether you’re a knowledgeable and demanding consumer of musical performance, or a relative newcomer to a particular musical scene, the festival opens its doors and its heart to you and draws you into its crazy scene.

Anyhoo, kids, there is much more to hear about and much more going on. Just stay tuned in- and keep it going. Folk this, everybody- we don’t need a ton of cash to have fun.

Makes Cents (2)

This entry was posted on Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Arts, Going Out, Green, How Do You Screw The Recession?, Living, Money. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Tags: Add new tag, Budget, Budgeting, Chinatown Arts & Culture Festival, Entertainment, Iron and Wine, Melissa Janke Oliver, Music, Recession, Screw You Recession, Vancouver Folk Festival, Virgin Mobile