Extra tents are being erected to keep music lovers dry from the drizzle when the Central Music Festival kicks off today at 5 p.m.
Saturday’s forecast is slightly more promising than today’s rain — there’s a 60 per cent chance of showers in the morning and early afternoon with skies clearing later in the day. Saturday’s high will be 17C.
Producer Mike Bradford jokes that this year’s festival, with its 40th anniversary of Woodstock tribute, could very well be as muddy as the seminal ‘60s festival was — but the extra tents should provide a drier option for more fastidious festival-goers.
“Don’t let a little rain scare you. We’re Albertans — we’re supposed to be a hardy bunch,” said Bradford, who has 26 local, national and international musicians lined up for the two-day festival, which starts today on private property just north of Red Deer.
Among them is the Amos Garrett Trio, Mississippi bluesman Honeyboy Edwards, Mongolian musicians Altai-Khangai, Cajun singer Crystal Plamondon, Calgary band Steve Coffey and the Lokels, Vancouver blues and roots singer Ndidi Onukwulu, and local band Oldbury.
Bentley country singer Dick Damron, who is one of the festival headliners, will have a crew filming his Saturday night performance for a documentary on his 51 years in show business. Damron has written over 500 songs, won a slew of awards, and was inducted in the international Country Music Hall of Fame. The documentary is to air on CBC TV later this year.
Because this year’s festival theme is Woodstock, Bradford said a contest will be held for the best hippy costume. The winner will win passes to next year’s festival.
For more information, including ticket prices and directions to the site, go on-line to www.centralmusicfest.com.