No more performer applications please. We are full!
Hello Folks
What an awesome festival! I actually got to see some of it this year thanks to my wife Heather, daughter Erin and her partner Adam, all the slaves in the kitchen and Feral and Linda in the "shop".
I must apologize if things were a bit of a shambles, La Palias de la Joie was only nearly finished on Thursday afternoon. Congratulations to the Uranquinty Progress Association, Wagga Wagga City Council and Origin Energy who are to be commended for a great effort in getting together to provide a truly awesome venue. Matt Campbell the builder and his subbies and Ron & Kable Tye for a great effort in getting it ready under difficult circumstances. A big thank you to Ron and his helpers for moving all the tables, chairs, fridge, kitchen paraphernalia and Bede for cleaning the hall, Andrew Lang only hours out of hospital and with only one good arm who supplied all the wood and 100&1 other jobs that even I don't know about.
Ah the La Palias (sic) de la Joie. What a venue! It is truly a palace of pleasure. It wasn't until Sunday that we realised what a gem we had, when we discovered that amplification wasn't necessary. The sound is awesome and we then ran most of Sunday's concerts acoustically. This was a "win-win-win" as the performers loved it, the audience loved it and Jack The Magnificent Sound Man put his feet up. Acoustic concerts will be a feature of Quinty in the future. All that and nice amenities, showers with demand hot water so we never run out of hot water. It was sad to say bye-bye to the old hall but everybody has taken to the Palias and it is loved already.
The performers did a magnificent job, an awesome lineup. The Stiff Gins knocked 'em out and you could hear a pin drop at every performance. Tom Richardson and Kobya are past masters at the audience participation lurk, a joy to behold. And a special thanks to The Blues Brothers and Sisters Big Band. I threw 7 musicians on stage together who had never played together before or even rehearsed, and they played a magnificent set that had the almost the whole crowd up dancing, what a finale, such fun!
I would also like to acknowledge those who preceded me: Noel Raynes, Ted Simpson, Bev Stewart, Dave Upton, Tracey Harris, Peter O'Dea and many others who did their bit to make Quinty the fantastic festival it is today.
Finally I wish to thank all who participated to make Quinty a success. Although our numbers were down this year, we will be back next year. I won't say bigger and better because I think it is great now but it will be different (a little bit), and thanks to all the volunteers, committee, webmaster, sound, sponsors and anybody else who contributed.
Quinty is a remarkable festival that has a certain charm characterized by sessions around the campfire, friendly folk who love music and life and who welcome strangers into their midst without question or judgment. This a wonderful quality, unique to Quinty in as much that is rare to find in a festival with a formal program of concerts, workshops etc, and with a willingness from performer and amateur to engage.
Col Pike, our webmaster, sent me his thoughts on Quinty this morning. This is my reply:
"Oh Col, that was the most moving thing I have ever read about Quinty, or just about anything, you just threw a big bucket of dust in my eye! It is beautiful. Reading that makes it all worthwhile. I am so proud and happy, it's what every festival organiser worth her/his salt would love to read. And I don't have to write a review now. Phew!"
Click here to read Col's notes on Quinty2009 - "Newbies at Quinty"
Alan Hunter,
Uranquinty Folk Festival President.
If anybody else has posted photos you'd like to share, just send me (Col) the public link to them (make sure anybody can view) and I'll happily add it to the list, cheers - col@spiritoftheglen.net
Tickets are available at the Uranquinty Hotel on Friday night or at the Sportsground on Saturday and Sunday.
Uranquinty Folk Festival is a small family orientated festival, 12 kilometres south of Wagga Wagga southern NSW. Formed in 1970 by the Wagga Wagga Folk society it is one of Australia’s oldest folk festivals.
At Quinty the emphasis is on participation, campfire & pub sessions, workshops, dances and blackboards. Concerts at the Uranquinty Hotel and the Oval, where we encourage new and or unknown artists as well as old friends. Kids Festival at the Quoz _ activities and workshops daily.
"The Uranquinty Folk Festival reminds us that there are still many decent people around. Families and friends who can enjoy a simple experience in a beautiful spot, where you make your own entertainment with like minded folk. Relaxing and rejuvenating, 'Quinty' can revive your soul and your faith in humanity". Danny Spooner - Patron
Website by Col Pike SpiritoftheGlen.net .....Email: col@spiritoftheglen.net