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Saturday at the Lowell Folk Festival
Weather-wise, this was one of the nicest Folk Festival days I recall. Not a cloud in the sky and the warmth of the sun was tempered by a cooling breeze. It was crowded and most folks seemed to congregate at the respective stages. All that I visited were crowded (Bill Kirchen above and the Quebe Sisters below) and as soon as an act was done, there would be a mass migration towards another stage. The ethnic food booths all seemed to be doing a good business with the Filipino and Polish booths having the longest lines. The forecast is for more excellent weather tomorrow. See you at the Festival.
Quebe Sisters and Dervish (sp?) were great. Had a good time all day at the festival and agree the weather was fantastic. Walking over the Bridge Street bridge on the way home I was amazed at how great the city looked, the diversity of the crowd, the music, the incredible food. A day like today is one of the best possible advertisements there could be on the value of an urban National Park and the care the Park and city have taken valuing the immigrant stories that make Lowell such a compelling place.
I also spent considerable time last evening and today at the UMass Lowell table located in a great spot by Boarding House Park. This time spent made me realize the impact of the University on the region. So, so many alums rolled by, stopped, wanted to hear what was going on and went away with some swag with the UMass Lowell brand stamped on it! Too bad (while I was there at least-last night and all aft today) some of the University’s biggest cheeses couldn’t have made an appearance. I must admit as a faculty member I was disappointed that the top folks in alumni relations, university giving, admissions, and the Allen House crowd couldn’t make it to one of the city’s most impt. cultural happenings. After all there was an audience in the thousands they could have talked to!
But then – why let this misstep rain on what was truly a beautiful day to be a Lowellian, blow in or otherwise:)
Sunday at the folk festival: Just walked home from the last gasp at Mack Plaza where at the end of Le Vent du Nord’s set the Irish band Dervish, which seemed like a whirling dervish appearing everywhere all weekend, jumped on stage. They played three songs together and for me it was the absolute highlight of the party. Two bands, two homelands in history that disliked the British for always and forever, having a great old time singing and playing as though they had always done so together. Their collaboration, for me, symbolizes all that is great about the Folk Festival and the National Park’s impact on the city of Lowell.
And, wow, didn’t the weather cooperate and I did not have to walk home over the Bridge Street bridge in the pouring rain on Sunday aft as it seems I have from quite a few recent festivals. Truly a great showcase for the best of the city and its rich, rich history and diversity!