I was just looking through the Northwest Folklife Festival guide that came in this week’s Seattle Weekly, when I had an idea. “Self,” I says, “I bet there’ll be a few of the local Dopers at this here festival. After all, it is the biggest free folk music festival around.”
I know that there are preliminary plans for a real DopeFest sometime in July, to welcome new Puget Sounders AudreyK and KKBattousai, as well as to celebrate the visit of silent_rob. But I’m not proposing that anyone alter their plans for this. I just think that if a bunch of us are at the Center anyway, we could plan to meet up.
I’m sort of a loner, myself, and I’ve never managed to show up at a local Doper gathering, so I’m a might apprehensive about becoming the organizer of one. But I try not to let fear control me, and I’m pretty sure this is a good idea. I’m right, aren’t I?
So, we’ve got a week to figure out if we’re doing this, and how we’ll go about it. Personally, I’ll be at Folklife almost every day of its run, so the timing isn’t too important to me. Perhaps in the second half of the afternoon, when the sun isn’t too direct (assuming there is sun), but well before dark? We could pick a spot to meet up, and everyone could grab something to eat on their way there. We’d munch and talk, and then drift away in our own time. Or stick together for hours. Whatever.
I considered suggesting the meeting place be the Northwest Court beer garden (since the Celtic stuff at that stage is what I love), but that would exclude those with families, and the place is so packed all the time anyway. It would be better to go for one of the lawns, either by the fountain or one of the ones with a stage. I’ll leave that with the day and time: open for discussion.
If you don’t have your own printed festival schedule, there’s one online at the www.nwfolklife.org website. It’s a PDF file.
So, what does everyone think?
PS AudreyK and KKBattousai, I know you’ll have just gotten here (if you’re still following the schedule you mentioned in your Lynnwood thread), but you should plan on coming to Folklife for at least part of one day. It is an event you’ll regret missing if you wait for next year. You can always finish unpacking after the big weekend. I just wish I’d thought of this sooner, since you may not see this while you’re in transit and getting settled.