2021 Festival Recap

It was a Ragtime Rising out of the Covid Blues.  A well-attended festival with the great music, an abundance of wonderful festival attendees, local food and drink choices and some summer heat to add to the mix. Everyone was on their best behavior. Best said in comments by Ray O:

“One other thing pleased me. While the people in attendance varied a bit in how they behaved with respect to covid-related issues, mainly about masks, I did not see any of the "mask wars" I read and hear about in other settings. It was a pure relief to be in a setting where we could all make our own decisions without complaint of criticism from others whose personal judgments differed.”

A great time for all.  Enjoy the pictures.

“My wife and I were both very happy with the entire weekend, both of us having a consistently great time at the festival. Due to covid concerns, we spent almost the entire time in the Civic Auditorium, and that forced me to abandon my usual practice of picking and choosing who I wanted to hear in favor of taking potluck with the performers you scheduled there. Fortunately, everyone was so good that doing this left me enjoying every set I heard, with the bonus that I heard people I like but sometimes miss out on when I pick and choose (I may try this approach more in the future).
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Please pass on my compliments on the selection of performers. I'm sure financial concerns placed some limits on what you and he felt able to do, but you kept enough "headliner" acts (Brian & Danny, Sonny, Frederick) on the program to satisfy on that score. Others, including. John Remmers, Kylan, Elliott, and Michael himself added to the fun. 

Matt Tolentino was a wonderful addition to the lineup (and the number he did with Patrick Skeffington was an even nicer surprise), and I can't think of enough good things to say about the late addition of Kevin Gunia, a find who I really hope to hear again. Hearing Jared di Bartolomeo play (alone and with Kylan) in an open piano slot was another surprise treat, as was that 13-year-old who played two nice Joplin numbers.
​(Have you ever heard Maple Leaf Rag played as slowly as he did the B part? I haven't, or if I have I can't remember when, and I found it very interesting.)”
–​Ray O.