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Festival History
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How It All Began!!
The idea for a summer folk festival came after local graphic
artist Michael Vincent attended the 1977 Bow Valley Folk and Arts Faire at the
Lacombe Centre outside Calgary. Afterward, sitting around Pat Farrand's kitchen table,
he suggested, "why not do something like that here?" The Canmore Folk
and Blues Club, which had been putting on concerts in small halls in the community
since mid 70's, took up the idea.
July 1st, Canada Day was the original proposed
day for the festival but because there had been trouble with a rock festival held
at Yamnuska the previous year, the Canada Day Committee was not supportive. It
was decided to tie the festival into Heritage Day, the August holiday that
had just been proclaimed by the Alberta Government. The Festival became a
celebration of our cultural heritage.
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That first year - on Monday August 7th 1978 - between 1500 and 2000 people
paid $1.50 each to watch acts like the Dumptrucks, Paul Finkelman,
Connie Kaldor, Robert Hubele, Sid Marty, Trout Creek Pickers,
Back Up & Push, Dick Howe and Pauline Morgan, and the Harvey
Heights Scottish Dance Troup perform. The stage was a flatbed truck set up on
the grounds of the Red Barn - the present day children's day care centre. Local craftsmen
and entrepreneurs set up booths and everyone wanted to help. When the books were balanced
the organizers were delighted to find they were $87 in the black.
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The First Stage - A Flatbed Truck
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The Festival remained a one-day celebration of our cultural heritage until
1990, when a Sunday evening concert was added. In 1992 the Festival became a two-day event;
in 2002 Saturday night was added.
In 1982, the festival moved from the Red Barn to Centennial Park where, once again, the flat
bed truck was used as a stage. Over the fall/winter of 1982/1983 The Folk and Blues Club
took on a Centennial project; they built and donated to the town a permanent stage in Centennial
Park. In May of 1983, this permanent stage was christened the Stan Rogers Memorial Stage
in memory of the Canadian folk singer-songwriter who had died in a plane accident that month.
Stan Rogers had performed at the festival the previous year.
The Stan Rogers Stage
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The Stan Rogers Stage was originally constructed in a 'post and beam' fashion.
A series of peeled spruce/pine posts were planted into the clay subsoil to a depth of 5'
to carry the perimeter bearing logs in a 'v' shape to carry the open trusses. The main
king pin bearing truss was made from 10" x10" dimensional rough sawn fir stock
engineered to span the 60' and carried the purlins, ridge and intermediate beam.
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Open-air ventilation allowed timbers to breath while the hand split shakes protected and weathered
the elements of the stage. The floor system was floated on surface pads that carried what
proved to be inadequate 2"x 6" joists and ½" plywood sheathing. This floor
system witnessed the many performances and experienced the beat for many years until it became
unsafe and very 'spongy'. The code required a foundation of sono tubes to bear the weight and
the standard 2"x10" joists and 4 ply laminated beams. The glued and screwed 5/8" ply sub floor
completed the deck. This floor system was tied into the posts and projected beyond the king
pin truss to provide an extended performance area. A skirting of 6"x 6" pressure treated
timbers was used to reduce the height of the stage so a railing wasn't needed. |
Over the course of the next few years, the Canmore Folk and Blues Club had several additions to
the stage built that allowed for a better festival production. A wing on each side was
added to provide a storage area and act as both monitor sound area, and stage manager and sound
crew area. A back stage deck area and roof were added to provide a preparation area for performers.
In 2001, a major upgrade of the Stan Rogers Stage replaced the original well-used 'living' floor
system that bounced and squeaked with each performance. A number of concrete sono tubes were
strategically located to bring the floor structure up to today's standard. As well as installing
architectural security features fitting for the stage that has been the central focus of many folk
festivals. The unique massive timber truss received a complement of many heave timbers for
reinforcing as well as to secure the enclosure and to prevent vandalism to the band stand that has
been the venue for many internationally famous and popular bands over the years.
The 'rise again, rise again' notes taken from Stan Rogers's song 'Mary Ellen Carter'
is fitting for the enhancement project as security bars. These artistic musical features
complement and reflect the talent of the performers who 'rise up' to entertain the thousands of
folkies each year. The shape and size of the stage has brought out the best of many musicians
who have commented on how relaxed they have felt on the Stan Rogers Stage.
The huge swinging doors specifically designed with a 'central ballast weighted balancing pivot'
is independent of the stage and very unique in its engineering. Designed, constructed, machined
and installed, this project is a tribute to the talented craftsmen living in the valley and who
truly enjoyed committing their time and energy.
As with all unique structures, the spirit and history of the people who work in and on this
stage will feel the special qualities that it owns.
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