Duet with Dylan in the cards?
Nathan Taylor
Monday, June 18, 2007 - 09:00
Local News - The Mariposa Folk Foundation has discussed and is considering beefing up security after they extended a formal invitation to Bob Dylan, welcoming him to visit or perhaps perform at this year's Mariposa Folk Festival.
Chris Mockler, executive director of the foundation, said the invitation "was for him to come and visit."
"But it wouldn't take us very long to allow him to play," he said.
Dylan's manager replied the same day, thanking the foundation and promising to pass the invitation to Dylan, who has gigs at Casino Rama Saturday and Sunday nights.
"That was significant, we thought," Mockler said.
The foundation and the festival organizing committee are hoping the friendship between Dylan and Sunday headliner Gordon Lightfoot, the most-recently announced performer, will better the chances of the two meeting up at the festival, which runs July 6-8 at Tudhope Park. Lightfoot told The Packet & Times yesterday there are "no plans to play together" at either the festival or Casino Rama.
Mockler hopes for a heads-up, should Dylan decide to attend.
Dylan's Saturday show at the casino begins at 9 p.m. On Sunday, he starts at 8 p.m., and Mockler hopes he'll be finished in time to wander into the Sunshine City for Lightfoot's 10 p.m. start.
Ticket sales for this year's festival are 30 per cent higher than they were at this point last year, Mockler said.
The list of scheduled performers includes Hawksley Workman, Don McLean, Susan Aglukark and Serena Ryder.
ntaylor@orilliapacket.com