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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2009 > July > 06 > Entry
Cityfolk Festival wrap up
It didn’t take long for Cityfolk Executive Director John Harris to find words to describe the 2009 Cityfolk Festival which took place Friday through Sunday, July 3 - 5.
“It was great,” Harris said. “It came off very well.”
The festival got off with a bang on Friday July 3 with what Harris called the largest crowd on RiverScape MetroPark ever at one time.
But on Saturday, Mother Nature held sway.
“Saturday was a little disappointing,” Harris said. “The rains came and it drizzled all day. But we did get good crowds on Saturday night and I think some of the performances were the best of any festival we’ve hosted.”
The highlight of Saturday’s lineup was a performance by banjo artist Bela Fleck and Malian singer Oumou Sangare.
“It was just amazing,” Harris said. “It was unbelievable. By the time they performed the drizzle had kind of tapered off. But the moment they walked off stage it started raining again. It was a huge crowd and I don’t think it affected them too much. The Family Stage and the Dance Stage are always completely enclosed. We do that for the very reason of rain.”
The Sunday must-see was Bluegrass artist, Ralph Stanley.
“He’s a legend,” Harris said. “He still has it and his band is still great. Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper is a much younger band but I think everyone is convinced that they are one of the top Bluegrass bands in the business.”
The Dance Stage featured the propulsive rhythms of Afromotive and Chicago Samba.
“There was great stuff on the dance stage,” Harris said. “The festival was a great success. Now we have to get about the work of planning next years Cityfolk Festival.”
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By curious onlooker
July 6, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this
Wife and I stayed home this year. Without shuttle busses and somewhere to park, it’s just to much to walk so far. Glad you had a good crowd though.By Goodfoodlover
July 6, 2009 3:35 PM | Link to this
Great festival, I went all three days, and glad I did. Visited the Samba and Salsa bands as well as 9/8s Irish, Ralph Stanley, Anumpama Bhagwat, Oumou Sangare, & Bela Fleck. Thumbs up to the Cityfolk organization and volunteers for a wonderful job. Attend one of these festivals and you won’t be thinking Dayton’s a dead town.