Annual event celebrates the folk roots of Christmas

In many cultural traditions, the longest night of the year is a cause for celebration with music and dance.
                                             

Cape Ann has a tradition of its own, which started with Rose Sheehan four years ago when she wanted to bring the tales and songs from faraway lands to her new city of Gloucester.

A former resident of Greenfield, Sheehan planted a seed for a holiday tradition that has been going for more than 30 years in the western part of the state.

Her experiment here with “Welcome Yule! A Midwinter Celebration” found an eager audience, and she is now bringing her fourth annual event to the Gloucester Meetinghouse on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. This is a free event where families and all are welcome, she said.

She explained that “yule” is the name for the pre-Christian winter solstice festivals celebrated throughout northern Europe.

Sheehan, founder of Folk Life Studio, said this program “Welcome Yule!” highlights symbols and festivities associated with those older festivals, including wassailing, holly and ivy, yule logs, candles as well as some Christmas lore that blends the old customs with the newer festival.

Songs include “The Wren Boys’ Song,” “Green Grow the Rushes, O,” “Rise Up Jock” and “The Wexford Lullaby.” This year’s featured story will be the “Legend of La Befana,” a tale of Italy’s beloved bringer of gifts on the eve of the Epiphany.

A yule log procession, in which the audience is invited to touch the log with a holly leaf and make a wish for the new year, takes place, along with songs that invite the audience to sing along.

Martin Del Vecchio of Gloucester and his family have attended these events in years past and look forward to each new iteration.

Del Vecchio said he enjoys the lively and communal nature of the event.

The performers also feel the camaraderie that is apparent in this production.

Sheehan has seen a growing interest in this winter production.

“But the challenge is trying to build a core company of adults who want to participate and have time to rehearse,” she said. “However, I will continue to work to create these kinds of productions that help people feel connected.”

Thanksgiving: An American Tradition

The American holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday is during autumn -- the main season for harvesting crops. Thanksgiving is an autumn harvest festival like those found in many cultures around the world.
                                               

On this day, most Americans gather with friends and family. Many take time to think about what they are thankful for, cook up a storm, and eat.

The turkey is cooked in an oven for many hours, often with a mix of celery, bread, onions and spices inside the bird. This mix becomes stuffing -- another star of the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Anna Matteo here at Learning English says the smell of turkey and stuffing roasting together is the quintessential smell of Thanksgiving. “Quintessential” means the perfect example of something.

Thanksgiving Travel

Some Americans must travel long distances to be with their families. In fact, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the entire year. This is usually when people return home from family gatherings.

Not everyone can make the return home each Thanksgiving. So, young people living in cities away from their hometowns sometimes celebrate “Friendsgiving” -- a Thanksgiving meal with their friends instead of their family. They gather at someone’s apartment or house and have a “potluck.” This is a meal where everyone who is invited brings food to share with others.

Beyond the Table

Thanksgiving is a big day for television, games and other entertainment.

One tradition is the television broadcast of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It takes place each year in New York City. Workers of the Macy’s store on Herald Square organized the first parade in 1924. Many of the workers were immigrants and wanted to hold a big parade like the ones in Europe. So, they dressed in costumes and borrowed some animals from the zoo. They also carried small balloons that floated just overhead.

Quebec Will Host Its First-Ever Legal Marijuana Festival This Summer

A cannabis festival will be held in Bas-Saint-Laurent on the weekend of July 1, 2018, when the pot will be legalized.
                                         

The group behind this initiative announced its colors by creating a Facebook page, but without revealing the exact location of the festival or programming.

Certainly, it will take place in the Bas-Saint-Laurent.

The organization wants to reserve the dates from June 30 to July 2, 2018 to offer the first cannabis festival in Quebec, which aims to educate and educate the population on the benefits of the plant for both human health and that of the planet.

One of the festival's missions will also be educating the public about the medicinal properties of cannabis and raising awareness about the responsible use of recreational cannabis.

The Trudeau government's scheduled date for legalization is July 1, 2018. This means that it will happen during the Saturday to Sunday night of the festival, which will be announced next spring.

The co-founder of the ÉchoFête de Trois-Pistoles environmental festival, activist Mikael Rioux is among others behind this initiative.
"We are here because this plant has therapeutic as well as the health of the planet. We will not even talk about everything that is recreational. We know that there will be "hot" who will come to the festival, but this is really not what we want to put forward, "says Mikael Rioux.

If there are kiosks on recreational cannabis, they will focus on the responsible way to consume, especially for the first time.

There will also be some political elements. "We would like to promote the fact that the way in which development is taking shape, with mega giant greenhouses, is not the best, we find rather that the best model would be that of cooperatives in the regions of Quebec," adds Mikael Rioux.

Pick up a festival bargain

ONLY in Airlie Beach can you see 74 legendary bands for the modest price of $3 each.
                                                   

And with the annual Airlie Beach Festival of Music set to feature big names like Leo Sayer, Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols), The Baby Animals, Sneaky Sound System, Kate Ceberano and Shannon Noll - it doesn't get any better.

The best way to snap up this bargain is to book one and three day passes to the Airlie Beach Festival music before October 1 when the early bird special expires.

Tickets will cost $245 for full three days passes and $130 for a single day until the special ends.

Festival of Music founder Gavin Butlin said the deal was too good to miss.

"Let's just say you went to Brisbane and you saw the Baby Animals on Friday night, Leo Sayer on Saturday and Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols on Sunday, you'd probably spend hundreds of dollars in tickets just to see those three, let alone the other 71 bands.

With 2017 marking the fifth Airlie Beach Festival of Music, it is already establishing a reputation as one of Australia's most popular boutique music festivals.

For festival fans across Australia wondering what the Whitsunday accommodation situation was looking like in the lead up to the big three day event, there is no need to fear.

One of the festival's accommodation partners is the recently refurbished Mantra Club Croc.

General manager Luke Harley said one third of the hotel's rooms have already been reserved for the festival's all-inclusive package deals.

Who’s in the Reading and Leeds Festivals 2017 line-up?

THE READING and Leeds Festival team have have been teasing fans with what - and who - to expect at this year's musical extravaganza.
                                                 

So who's on the line-up? And how long do we have to wait for the festival? Here's everything you need to know...

As the band hit their 20th year, Kasabian became the second group to announce their headlining slot at Reading and Leeds.

On February 24 it was confirmed that controversial rapper Eminem will be making a comeback to music with an appearance at Reading and Leeds.

It will be the first time the rapper has played the festival since 2013.

His hits include Lose Yourself, My Name Is, and Without Me - and his set-list could well include new material.

Stadium rockers Muse lead the first line-up announcement for this year's festivities.

This will be the band's third time headlining the festival, and promise to be a sight to be seen after becoming known for their iconic and grand stage performances.

Matt Bellamy, the lead singer of the band, has promised that there will also be "more news" about their plans for 2017 on top of their slot

They have been billed as a European exclusive for the show - meaning this performance will be a must-see for all die hard fans of the band.

After an incredible year hitting the charts with tracks including Lean On feat. MO, Cold Water feat. Justin Bieber and Light It Up feat Fuse ODG, Major Lazer are now bringing their dance anthems to this year's Reading and Leeds.

The American trio have been known as much loved artists for high A-Listers - with Beyonce sampling their track Pon De Floor for her feminist anthem Girls.

They have also become known for their light shows during performances - so it will be a spectacle to be seen.

The future of festivals

By their very nature, festivals take us outside of our everyday lives and actions. The combination of unique events and audiences looking for the unexpected becomes a catalyst for the extraordinary.
                                               

‘Why is it that we’re happy to sit in a room for 12 hours with some strange installation – which we would only do in a festival? There is something about the context that a festival creates that actually changes our behaviour,’ said Simon Abrahams, Creative Director & CEO of Melbourne Fringe at last month’s Creative State Summit in Melbourne.

Will the crowded arts calendar force some festivals out of the market? How will festivals adapt to the social-media accelerated fracturing of audiences into smaller and small sub-groups, and what impact will the ‘festivalisation’ of arts centres have on the festival landscape?

Georgie Meagher, Director/CEO of Next Wave, said the future of festivals was ‘de-colonial and anti-racist – a future of equality and inclusion, and a future where it’s not old, white, straight men in charge.’

Shaun Hossack, director of the street art festival Wall to Wall, held in the regional centre of Horsham, said the future of festivals was in ‘creating an entirely new audience in a regional area who never even knew that they were interested in art ... That’s the future of what Wall to Wall is – creating audiences and creating art lovers that never even knew they might be into [festival-going],’ he said.

A festival in a smaller town or city has the added benefit of changing the relationship between audience and artist away from the consumer model to one that positively impacts on the community’s lives, Hossack added.

Grass is Greener festival told to keep watch on foul language

POLICE will crack down on swear words at a popular dance music festival in October, ­according to internal Cairns Regional Council emails.
                                   

Melanie Selman and Gracie McArdle enjoy the music at The Grass is Greener Dance Festival Fogarty Park.
Correspondence to councillors from cultural services general manager Linda Kirchner stated the master of ceremonies at last year’s The Grass is Greener festival “clearly had inappropriate language usage for this site” and police would monitor language this time around.

The email, sent in May, also stated the number of punters allowed to attend the event at Fogarty Park was “a QFRS call”.

The statement seemed to fly in the face of Mayor Bob Manning’s recent statement to the Cairns Post that it was police who deemed the event could not expand from 5000 to 7000 attendees. But the council CEO John Andrejic explained that was not the case.

“QFRS was initially approached, and while they did not indicate any specific concerns relating to an increased crowd, they advised that, being an outdoor venue, police would be the determining authority,” he said.

Festival organisers earlier this week announced a venue change to the Cairns Showground.

Mr Andrejic said the former venue was close to the CBD and family-friendly areas so “appropriately, it is a condition of the use of Fogarty Park that language and general conduct is suitable for a family environment”.

Launched on Monday, the children's expression festival continues until June 2

Two novelties this year in the program of the children's expression festival: street performances and the regrouping of shows Schools in chorus at the Stables.
The festival of childish expression already filled the theater for two weeks, each spring. This year, he will also invest the Stables.

The ever-increasing success of the appointment with the schools led the Federation of Secular Associations (Fal) du Cantal to seek a second site to successfully program the shows proposed by some sixty schools and social centers. Especially since the bridge of the Ascension reduces the usual schedule of two days.

It is therefore in the Garden of the Carmelites that all the performances of Schools in chorus, the device that federates classes around the choral song for ten years, will be concentrated, starting from Monday. The theater, this week, entered this festival of arts which brings together more than a thousand students of Cantal around singing, dance, theater and performing arts. The performances will resume on Monday at the rhythm of the creations, starting with Danse à l'école, with the six schools, the two colleges and the lycée that have been accompanied all year round by professional companies. Far from being out of breath, the festival of childish expression should easily exceed the usual bar of 10,000 entries for its 27th edition. With some 60 schools registered, it should reach a level of participants never reached before. "The strength of this festival is to highlight child labor under professional conditions," analyzes Paul Dufour, head of the organization at Fal du Cantal. The actors are welcomed in a professional place, with professional technicians, and they are very sensitive.

The most beautiful festivals on Kings Day

We start with one of the pearls of the Kings Day festivals: The Life I Live. This festival is held in three different locations in The Hague and it is free. On Kings Day and Tonight you can see performances of Kraak & Taste, My Baby and CUT_ among others. In addition to music there is also a vinyl market and a fairground. Already in the mood? Check above the trailer, or look at the website.

Whether you come from the northernmost or southernmost tip of the Netherlands, it does not matter. There is also a Kingsland Festival in your area. At least five different locations in the country are the best Dutch DJs. Here you should think of Tiësto, Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, Fedde Le Grand and more. These Dutch heroes, you almost forget, are just ordinary people and can not be present at any festival venue. The Groningse writer of this piece has outlined the Groningen lineup at random, but especially look at Kingsland Festival site to check the lineup, timetable and prices of all cities.

Oranjepop takes place in the Hunnerpark in Nijmegen. For € 7.50 you can watch all day performances by Navarone, Indian Askin and Faces On TV. In addition to the many shows and eateries, you can also enjoy a hammock or a sack. There is also no pre-sale of the festival, tickets can only be purchased at the entrance of the festival on the day itself. The aftermath of last year promises to be a lot of good for the coming edition! Already see the full program or block diagram? Then check the website!

With five different stages, Kralingse Bos Festival is one of the larger festivals on Kings Day. At the Rotterdam festival you will find mainly electronic and hip hop names. The lineup promises a lot of good: the program includes names like Fritz Kalkbrenner and The Youth of Today, but Vengaboys and Trafassi are also part of the party. Tickets are available for € 30, -. Knowing more? Then look at the website!

Festival dishes up foodie fun

When you’re digging into the boat-load of crabs on offer this weekend, spare a thought for fishmonger Brendon Watts.
                                             
                        

For 17 years, Mr Watts’ family business Wattsies Place has been supplying the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest.
The crustacean enthusiast said he would be extremely busy this year, with a record turnout expected when the festival opens on Saturday.
“We’re going to be working seven days straight in the lead-up with 3.30am starts and 5pm finishes,” he said.
“And that’s if everything goes to plan. There’ll be a lot of cleaning and getting them ready, so we really hope people savour them and not just smash them down.”
Mr Watts said conditions had not been ideal leading up to the weekend with imported stock needed to fill the large quota.
While the crab enthusiast said he would be avoiding the festivities because he “hates big crowds”, he said he loved knowing that people were enjoying the product. The entertainment is also expected to boost crowd numbers, with Australian music icons Thirsty Merc and Justice Crew headlining. There will also be more than 40 hours of free, live entertainment on the weekend including the popular Australian Army Band, Mandurah’s own Jonny Taylor, Moorditj Brothers and African Music Circles.
A range of food experiences are on offer with four ticketed events as well as market stalls, cooking demonstrations, licensed bar areas, water activities and a fireworks display.
A special cookbook, The Fish Trap, will be available to purchase at a custom-made booth for $20 with part proceeds donated to Mandurah Foodbank.
Mayor Vergone said the weekend was a celebration of local produce and flavours, in particular the popular blue manna crabs.

Sydney’s Tomato Festival returns in 2017

Whether they're reduced in a ragù, sliced and served with a ball of burrata, or in a sauce for pizza, tomatoes are at their peak right now, in late-summer. Celebrate this versatile vegetable at Sydney's two-day Tomato Festival, which returns for the fourth year to the Royal Botanic Gardens on 18-19 February, with a program filled with cooking demonstrations, talks, produce stalls and a communal banquet.
                             

While last year's theme was chilli-infused cooking, this year it's about pairing ruby ripe tomatoes with herbs. Learn how to make proper passata in Italian chef Luca Ciano's masterclass, find out Cornersmith's top tips and tricks for pickling, or pop by the produce market for tomato relishes, chutneys and more from local producers like Donna Does and Pepe Saya.

The jewel of the festival, however, will be the annual Longest Tomato Lunch, held across a 70-metre long communal table. Held on both the Saturday and Sunday, expect gazpacho, tomato-braised chicken with chilli and eggplant, as well as a slightly confusing coconut quinoa cream and salsa dessert.

Or, if your love for oxheart knows no bounds, the festival's debut Pomme D'Amour Lovers' Dinner on Friday 17 February is one to book. A candle-lit, three-course, tomato-driven meal will be served overlooking the harbour.

While entry to the festival is free, the Longest Tomato Lunch is $94 for two people, and the Lovers' Dinner begins at $185 for two, with additional romantic extras.

Childish Gambino, Violent Soho, The Avalanches light it up at Falls Festival

FALLS Festival celebrated its 24th year with a star-studded line-up — and it was spectacular.
         

Word on the ground was that Childish Gambino was the act to see, followed closely by Violent Soho and The Avalanches.

Client Liaison, comprised of Melbourne duo Harvey Miller and Monte Morgan, dutifully played into their blend of 80s dance pop with a Savage Garden vibe, with a rendition of I Want You. Miller, completed his image of swagger with a snow leopard print fur coat while playing latest single, Off White Limousine.

The back-to-back pairing of Grandmaster Flash and Hot Dub Time Machine provided a blast from the past, playing everything from 80s pub rock to Justin Bieber.

On day two, indie darling Gretta Rae crooned her way into the hearts of bleary-eyed punters on the Valley Stage. The talented 18-year-old coyly admitted Falls was her first festival and her banter with the crowd created an incredibly intimate experience. Unwind and Unexpected Feeling were her standout tracks.

Aussie rapper Illy entertained the crowd in the afternoon, while Golden Features got the party vibes started, warming the crowd up for dub and reggae legends, Fat Freddy’s Drop. With one of the longer sets of the festival, there wasn’t a single foot that wasn’t tapping to their heavy beats and the 15-minute jam of their first single Wandering Eye, was a highlight.

The New Year’s Eve, line-up was exhaustingly good, with Wollongong rockers Hockey Dad one of the standout acts. The Rubens and Jamie T. Pond entertained the crowd while they waited for Welsh rockers Catfish and the Bottlemen, who blew their fans away. The New Year was hailed in by The Avalanches, rocking tracks such as Frontier Psychiatrist, Frankie Sinatra and, following the understated New Year countdown, Since I Left You.