Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival celebrates talent
This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival. Earning the title of the longest-running music festival in Nova Scotia, both the indoor and outdoor venues lend themselves well to hosting the hundreds of folk music fans who flock to this UNESCO Heritage Site town every year.
Taking place Aug. 10 – 13, the original festival dates back to 1986. After venturing down to Gloucester, Mass., local musicians Bill Plaskett and Jim Pittman were inspired to take home the opportunity to celebrate folk music.
“They teamed up with a couple of local businesspeople and were the impetus for getting it off the ground,” said Deborah Watring-Ellis, Folk Harbour Society president.
“And with some very dedicated volunteers, we have continued to make it happen every year since.”
This year the festival will have a complementary backdrop of the Tall Ships. With this set to be a “tremendous year for the festival,” Watring-Ellis says, it’s even more important to celebrate both local and international music talent.
Representing the local talent will be Jamie Junger. He’ll be joined by East Coast artists Lennie Gallant, David Myles and Heather Rankin.
Returning to the festival for his second year, Junger is the epitomy of a musician for the whole family.
“I’m doing two shows, one for kids, one for adults,” said Junger, who wrote and released both a collection of rock music in his younger days in addition to working with his then five-yearold daughter to create children’s album “Fishin’ for Pickles,” which was nominated for an East Coast Music Award in 2013. With much thanks from parents around the world “for writing a CD that my kid loves, and I don’t hate,” Junger says he’s excited to return to the festival.
“I really perform the same (to both adults and children). I go in, have a good time and if the audience has a good time then you’re awesome.”
As a local music teacher, Junger brings a mentoring quality to the festival community. “As our mission, we want to nurture folk traditions and musicians in this community,” said Watring-Ellis.
Having launched and found success with a scholarship program for young students, Watring-Ellis hopes musicians like Junger will become a local mentor for aspiring musicians.
From the brand building annual bandstand festival came the desire for year-round community concerts, which then help to fund the scholarship programs that inspire musicians to be matched with professional mentors. Following this momentum, Watring-Ellis sets her sights on being the engine that keeps local folk music afloat one year, one student and one mentor at a time.
For more information on Jamie Junger: http://www.jamiejunger.com For more information on The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival: http://www.folkharbour.com.