'Best opening night ever’

Big crowds enjoy variety of musical acts as Mariposa Folk Festival kicks off at Tudhope Park

Nathan Taylor

Maybe there was more word of mouth than usual from previous festival-goers. Maybe it was all the speculation of a Bob Dylan appearance over the weekend.

Or maybe it was just the stellar lineup of performers that drew what seemed to be a record first-day audience to the 2007 Mariposa Folk Festival yesterday at Tudhope Park.

“This promises to be our best opening night ever, I’m sure of it,” Chris Lusty, president of the Mariposa Folk Foundation, said as he looked out at the impressive crowd basking in the sun on the grass in front of the stage. “There was only half of this on the first night (last year).”

Last night was geared more toward the younger crowd, Lusty said, with Hawksley Workman headlining the show after a performance by Serena Ryder and the Sadies.

“Anyone who... didn’t come and see Hawksley Workman is a putz, because even his sound check was awesome,” Lusty said.


The DiLuciano family of Orillia wasn’t missing a beat. Cindy and Flavio DiLuciano and their seven-year-old daughter, Corinna, were attending the festival for the second year.

“I like all the stations and stuff,” Corinna said, adding she especially likes the crafts and the variety of music. “It’s really cool.”

“We live in town and like to support anything going on in town,” Cindy DiLuciano said.

For those who missed out yesterday, “there’s still lots of show left,” Flavio DiLuciano added.

On tonight’s bill is Don McLean, a Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductee who penned the wildly popular “American Pie.” Susan Aglukark and the Good Brothers hit the stage before McLean.

Tomorrow, the festival closes to the live sounds of Orillia’s Gordon Lightfoot. The audience should expect to hear at least a couple of his best-known hits, including “Sundown,” “If You Could Read My Mind” and “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald.”

Talk of a possible appearance by international folk legend and Lightfoot chum Bob Dylan was in the air at Tudhope Park yesterday, especially after people noticed Dylan’s name on Page 6 of the festival program, peculiarly placed at the bottom of a “warm thank you” list.

Dylan is in the area for Casino Rama shows tonight and tomorrow night, and the folk foundation has invited him to attend.

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Cindy DiLuciano said. “We plan to be here.”

About 500 volunteers are making this weekend’s festivities possible.

“We know how much work goes on behind the scenes, and it’s been brilliant,” said Allistair Moore, who was travelling around the Maritimes with his wife, Lois, before the couple from Melbourne, Australia, stopped by the festival.

“We weren’t going to miss Mariposa again,” he said.

The couple is familiar with a few of the acts, including Workman, Lightfoot and David Celia.

“It’ll be good to see them live. You can’t really appreciate a performer until you see them live,” Allistair Moore said.

At the merchandise booth, the “Mariposa Emporium,” CDs and T-shirts were selling well for the first evening, said festival volunteers Linda Jacobs and Eric McCauley.

“There’s been a steady stream of people. They made a beeline for the shirts,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs lives in Dundas. This is her first year volunteering with and attending the festival.

“It just seemed neat,” the recent retiree said.

McCauley, a local musician, was just enjoying the festival atmosphere.

“I’ve got a feeling people are going to come out rain or shine,” he predicted.

---------------Orillia Packet & Times------------

Hawksley Workman, Serena Ryder and the Sadies are all pretty well known and play a lot of festivals/clubs etc. so the draw for the younger crowd was certainly there. The weather has been outstanding too so that helps.
Don Maclean tonight would be great to see. I haven't seen him since the early 80's..but tomorrow night is the big one..
I just hope those Lake Couchiching flying bugs don't try to eat the guys on stage as they entertain us.

and Dave Gunning did a set too..Today liiks like rain..I've packed rain ponchosand will head out in a couple of hours..We'll drive around Orillia town and walk the main street, go down by the lakefront and marina and into Tudhope Park where Mariposa is held.
Hopefully the weather gods will be kind and the evening will end in another superb concert with the return of the hometown boy..
have a good one folks!

enjoy! am hoping for better evening weather for you than we had here this morning (thunder & lightning)...but even if it all clears I'm sure there will be alot of electricity in the air you'll be breathing :)