http://www.orilliapacket.com/2016/07...riposa-moments
ORILLIA - The crowning achievement for just about any Canadian folk musician is to get the seal of approval from Gordon Lightfoot.
The artists who made up the bill at the 2016 Mariposa Folk Festival this weekend got just that, as they impressed one of the finest musicians in Canadian history.
"(There was) a real feel to the festival this year," Lightfoot said Sunday. "I've heard some of the best damn talent."
While there are so many reasons to come to Mariposa each year, the talent on stage is always paramount. What makes the festival so unique is how unfamiliar some of the musicians may be to the festival goers at the start of the weekend. Those foreign sounds become fast favourites to many by the time the sun sets Sunday.
"To me, the highlight of Mariposa is the discovery," said Pam Carter, president of the Mariposa Folk Foundation. "So, when you look at the lineup, you may think, 'Well, gee, I don't know who that is.' You go and see them -- like the group playing in front of us, Shred Kelly -- incredible."
Shred Kelly, a Fernie, B.C., collective, wowed the audiences throughout the weekend with their high-energy performances. They shined the brightest in the workshops, where they collaborated with other musicians, creating "Mariposa Moments" that were talked about throughout the festival grounds the entire weekend.
Stef Paquette -- who, after his main-stage set Sunday night, said the festival was a great way to cap his career -- shared the stage with the band both Saturday and Sunday. He said the experience was something he'll never forget.
"Honestly, it had to be the best spur-of-the-moment show I've ever done in my life," Paquette said. "We could do no wrong ... It's one of those moments where I walked off stage and went ... 'I wish somebody would have filmed that, because you can't reproduce that.'"
"Only at Mariposa," Carter said. "It's (because of) the magic and the beauty of Mariposa and the family of folk artists that they can orchestrate that kind of collaboration."
That such collaborations got to occur after Friday night's storm makes them all the more magical. The festival shut down for about an hour and a half Friday, when a major thunderstorm plowed through Orillia, squarely striking Tudhope Park. Thousands of festival goers raced to the safety of their vehicles -- and, soon, to the exits -- ending their first day earlier than anticipated.
The night brought back memories of a decade ago, when a similar kind of storm wiped out tents in the artisan village and made the main stage waterlogged and unsafe. Where Sarah Harmer treated the crowd in the pub tent to an intimate headlining set then, Rita Coolidge stunned the capacity crowd in the pub who stuck it out through the rain.
"We had an emergency plan on paper (and) we executed it," Carter said. "I think it went really, really well, under the circumstances ... Everyone was safe and as we worked through it, we were able to save the night."
The crowds returned Saturday, and despite the smattering of rain, the overall enjoyment of the weekend was not impacted.
A special dedication by her favourite artist made Bella Francis's day at this year's festival.
"When I was little, my mom and I used to dance to Saltwater Hearts by Dave Gunning," said the 13-year-old, who was attending the second day of the 56th annual festival."My mom had told him yesterday about how much I loved the song, and when he saw me sitting in the front row, he asked me if I wanted him to play that, and he did."
The variety of music was what got Kingston resident Nancy Christie hooked on Mariposa, but the positive atmosphere helps, too.
"It's well organized and thoughtful of people attending ... taking in the whole water-by-the-park theme," she said. "And there's good choice of food."
There was even a wedding this year at Mariposa. Damon and Cara McLean roamed the festival grounds after exchanging vows at the park earlier in the morning.
"We came here last year, together, and we decided it was beautiful, so we decided to get married here," Cara said, adding they were hoping to find "their song" by attending the festival for the rest of the day.
Sunday was the only day without rain during the weekend, and the stellar weather was matched by incredible performances by the likes of Catherine MacLellan and a surprise set by Mariposa favourite Irish Mythen. Earlier in the day, the latest commemorative leaf honouring the songs of Orillia native Gordon Lightfoot was unveiled along the trail in the park.
Lightfoot -- who actually didn't pass his first audition for Mariposa -- has become a staple of the festival in the past few years, almost always treating the crowd to an impromptu set sometime during the weekend. This year was no different.
After a brief but heavy rain storm early Saturday evening brought back memories from the downpour from the night before, the clouds parted and the sun shone. Lightfoot soon emerged to huge applause on the Mariposa main stage. Sunday, he was able to reflect on his connection to the festival synonymous with his hometown.
"I've gotten more involved in the last two or three years, just by feeling I should take more interest in the event," Lightfoot said. "I always enjoyed it when I would come here."