Well, that just might have been the best Edmonton Folk Fest, I’ve ever been to! (Though Hozier in the 2019 lineup is hard to beat!)

“My cup is full, but my tank is empty,” I tell my friends in full reflection mode as we taxied away from the 2025 Edmonton Folk Music Festival on the Sunday night.

Exhausted, swollen, dirt-stained feet. Uplifted, swollen, joy-filled hearts.

There is just nothing like spending three days in the outdoors listening to music. (We missed Thursday due to the rain and experience telling us to save our energy and dry, warm bodies for the endurance of the following three days.)

This fest was particularly special and exciting for me. Ever since I started coming to this event I have been saying Kíla, my absolute all-time favourite trad (but fusion) band from Ireland, should come to Edmonton Folk Fest.

And finally, finally, this year’s list of performers drops, and eyes hone in immediately on their name, Kíla, in black and white (or whatever colour the Instagram post was in, I forget).

“YES!!! OMG! KÍLA ARE COMING TO EDMONTON!” I whooped and hollered at the empty space around me.

Though I had already arranged to go, no matter the lineup, with my usual folk fest suspects, I texted them my excitement and immediately called my sister to get her to join as well.

My sis and I have been going to Kíla concerts since we lived in Ireland many years ago and in some of our many return visits to what can probably be called our second home. (Sometimes, I think I know the layout of Dublin better than I know Edmonton, even though I’ve lived here longer.)

She enthusiastically jumped on board for the Saturday for Kíla.

Already promising to give that Hozier fest year a run for best lineup just knowing Kíla was coming, the performer list was not even close to done with me. Reading on, I saw Allison Russell and Madi Diaz in the schedule.

OMG! I fell madly (Madily??? :P) in love with both of them when I saw them open and play at other concerts; Madi as opener for Harry Styles , and in his band; and Allison as opener for Hozier (not at Fest but on his own tour) and as guest singer with him.

This gets better and better, I’m so excited and tickets haven’t even dropped yet! But wait, there’s more! Danielle Ponder, De Temps Antan, and Dervish, all of whom won my heart in previous Edmonton Folk Fests.

What a killer (or should I say ‘Kíla’?) lineup this year!!!

I told my fest friends and my sister that I would be going to ALL the Kíla, Madi, and Allison sessions and concerts. No way was I going to miss any of them!

And to my absolute thrill, my Friday began with Madi and Allison on the same stage! With them, the equally incredible Aysanabee and Māmā Mihirangi and the Māreikura.

The second I sat down for this first session and heard the tunings of instruments and voices, all my work, life, and weather stress evaporated and I could feel my ‘cup’ instantly filling to the top.

Music does that. Live music does that even more. Live music with a backdrop of the beautiful Edmonton skyline and the warmth of the sun beating down and your bare feet in the grass… My cup was overflowing.

Māmā Mihirangi and the Māreikura opened the session and wowed us all with their amazing Māori sounds and traditional performances, blended with live looping. They had us up on our feet at one point to teach us a haka. What a way to begin!

Somewhere during the set, a hawk caught the eyes of the performers and the crowd as it soared and hovered over us. A sign, perhaps, of the beauty and how deeply moving this fest would be.

This session was entitled ‘Imagine’ and Allison Russell, who hosted it, led us all in a beautiful rendition of John Lennon’s song of the same name. I mean, come on! How much more magic can you fit into one session, the first session!?!?

As I’ve said few times in this blog, my favourite thing about the folk fest are these sessions. This structure of placing multiple artists together on one stage under a theme and having them take turns performing, but everyone on stage is welcome to join in with each other , yes, magic. Pure magic.

It is incredibly moving to see artists vibe off each other, be overwhelmed by each others’ talents, and just fall again and again in love with music right before your eyes.

This first session was all that. Though maybe a little light on the joining in, you could see the magic in all their eyes, and the camaraderie of musicianship.

And oh wow! This first session made me all the more excited for Kíla. The idea of them playing these sessions, seeing them engage with others and others engage with them! I could not wait!

I can not tell you how deeply I love celtic music in general, but of Kíla in particular! It helps that they include a bohran and the uilleann pipes – my two favourite trad instruments. But the uniqueness of Rónán Ó Snodaigh’s voice, the music, just everything… I love it to my bones.

And this is a band to see live. That energy! Palpable. Addictive. Contagious.

Their first session was with Burnstick and Māmā Mihirangi and the Māreikura. And engage, they did! I feel like the idea behind the sessions, that workshop/jamming thing, is just second nature to most Celtic trad artists.

Perhaps, because, at least in my experience as an audience member in various pubs in Ireland, there is a tradition of whichever musicians come in to the pub for the night jamming together. Maybe sometimes its scheduled, but sometimes it isn’t.

I would imagine many Irish trad musician grow up in this culture. I imagine doing so teaches one the ability to intuit how to add your instrument to a song, even if you’ve never heard or played that song before.

And so it went on Saturday. High energy, jamming, all the things I love, by the band I’ve wanted here most. My cup overfloweth more and more. And while all is not right with the world at the moment, all is right in the moment we are in.

The day filled our cups with every second, every session. There’s music, the sun is shining hotly, and soon there’s the Kíla concert – them by themselves.

As happy as I am to have them here – it is a bit strange. Everyone is sitting down as we watch them, as per folk fest style. But it’s an anomaly for Kíla shows. Such high energy music, it feels weird to not be up and dancing.

A behaviour noticed by Kíla early on, “why are you not up and dancing if able, are you not allowed to stand!?”

“You have to tell us to stand!” an audience member says. It’s mostly true, and they catch on, later proclaiming, “Get up! Get out of your seats! You are too nice and don’t want to get in the way of each other, but stand up if you can!”

And we do!

A command we need again, and I am grateful for, throughout the fest. Especially for Sunday’s session with Kíla, Talisk, and De Temps Antan, and later Talisk, Dervish, Calvin Vollrath, and Dry Bones.

I saw a video once, maybe one of those dvd extras back in the day. It was for the movie Grease where one of the actors explained the filming of the scene where they are at the high school dance and they say something like “That scene wasn’t sped up – we really were all moving that fast.”

And that’s the thought that strikes me when I think of the Kíla, Talisk, and De Temps Antan session. I was there. I know it wasn’t sped up, but wow – all 3 bands were playing like the devil was chasing them. Speedy, fingers flying, foot stomping music. It was insane!

And I cannot thank the trad fan I sat next to for the first Kíla session on Sunday for telling me I should go to the Talisk concert later on. I have me a new trad band to love.

Anyways, these trad session were unreal in meeting that thing I adore about these sessions so much. Music is a language, and if you know it, you can probably jump into the conversation.

It’s fascinating as a non-musician to watch. A mesh of knowing the language (and the basic sentence / song structures within it) and having that level of intuition to understand what is likely to happen next and how to add your instrument in a way that benefits the song.

The trad sessions epitomized this sensation. But, from the looks of bafflement on the other musicians’ faces, and the quiet “She’s soooo intuitive!” from Madi Diaz, Yasmin Williams might just be amongst the best.

This session with Yasmin, Madi, AHI, and Goldie Boutilier knocked all our socks off! As did the chemistry between Madi and Yasmin. I feel a duet between the two may come our way in the future (same with Madi and Allison from the night before!)

Magic happens here. Amongst the artists, the festival goers. Amongst the burning sun, the cooling rain. Even the threatening storm that paused the music while it passed overhead on Sunday.

Damp, sunstruck, drained of all energy and facing more rain and storms, and work the next day, my friends and I left before the Sunday evening shows began.

Exhausted, worn out bodies. Happy, music (and magic)-filled souls.

Our tanks were very empty. But our cups overflowed.

A List of Things to Bring

One of my other blogs about the Edmonton Folk Fest contains a guide of sorts of things to bring and stories of why these are good ideas. And I love that blog (It’s the Hozier Fest Blog – what’s not to love), but I keep forgetting how to fest and what to bring. So, here is my updated, abbreviated (except for the first two items) checklist:

• Tarp (or reasonable facsimile (blanket, towel, piece of fabric)).  This is what you drop down on the main hill when you first arrive to designate your space for the main stage shows. 
  • Tip: if you are using a fairly common looking tarp/blanket, do something to it to individualize it so you know which of the hundreds of blue tarps all next to each other is yours (and so others know it isn’t theirs). Duct tape a design, stick a colorful bag on top, etc.
  • Fest rule #1, most absolute important rule (other than be kind and courteous):  DO NOT MOVE OTHER PEOPLE’S TARPS!!!!  It happens. It shouldn’t.  It’s hugely rude and unacceptable. Don’t move it without their permission even if you think you are giving them a better space or you want to be next to your friends so it’ll be ok.  Just don’t do it. Ok – if it looks like the wind blew their tarp, you can straighten it back.  But don’t shorten their space so you can squeeze in while you do it. (Yes, this happened to us this year. pinned down, bag on top and still moved. I’m still irked about it.)
• Tent pegs, tarp pins or something to secure your tarp/blanket to the ground.  Do it well.  The wind can be strong and the more secure your tarp, the least likely people or the wind can steal your space. (All of that said, also don’t take more space than you need, if you end up needing less than you took, share it.) (That space that was stolen from us – the culprits stacked all their excess blankets, clothes, supplies so they could lounge in their already very large space.  Meanwhile we were folded up like sardines next to them… (Still irked… I told you.)
• The low chair!  I stand by my argument in that Hozier blog, buy the chair, bring the chair. 6 years later, it is still THE best fest purchase I have ever made (other than the tickets themselves :P).
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Refillable bottle for water
• Rain poncho/jacket (I even saw people bring out rain pants)
  • If you bring an umbrella just be aware of its space and don’t block peoples’ view. Close it when the music starts if there are people around you.  You might think its ok if its resting on the ground, open behind your back – but this still impedes the view of those behind you…
• Sunglasses
• Sunhat (see above for umbrella, though – please don’t wear a huge brimmed hat unless you plan to take it off when the music starts)
• Hand-wipes, antibacterial stuff (Trust me, the portapotty stations can run out of water and soap for handwashing)
• Kleenex (bring the little pack.  Trust me – the portapotties can run out of toilet paper…)
• Those travel style sets of utensils (not needed – the food vendors have the disposable ones, but nice if you have it)
• Snacks (just maybe not things that shouldn’t stay out in the weather for hours :D)
• Camera
  • Extra batteries and cards
• Ear plugs (esp for your kids)
• phone battery portable charger / power banks

If you are staying for the evening main stage shows, also bring:

• Warm clothes – e.g., sweater; longer, warmer pants
  • And/or an extra blanket – it gets chilly in the August evenings
  • Toques and mittens aren’t a bad idea…
  • socks if you wore sandals
• An extra weather-proof bag to put this stuff in and leave at your main stage tarp – no one wants to carry all this stuff all day long 😀
  • Tip: I keep my sunscreen, bug spray, evening snacks, and anything else I don’t need all day in this bag. I also zip it up and attach it to the tent pegs so it doesn’t get blown away.

What am I forgetting?

Well, most of all: Have fun!