Author of the article:
Mark Morris
Danielle McTaggart of Dear Rouge at the Pigeon Lake Music Festival on Friday, July 30, 2021. Photo by Mark Morris /Postmedia Alberta’s restriction-free festival scene erupted in style Friday night, not in one of the big metropolises, nor in one of the smaller cities, but in a hidden rural gem of a spot just north of Mulhurst Bay.
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The stage and Dear Rouge at the Pigeon Lake Music Festival on Friday, July 30, 2021. Photo by Mark Morris /Postmedia There the weekend-long Pigeon Lake Music Festival — studded with Juno-winning musicians — returned after a year’s absence to the Hilah Ayers Wilderness RV Park, an hour southwest of Edmonton.
It really did feel like a return to normality, too, in spite of an orange sun as smoke from B.C. wildfires drifted high overhead.
There were 3,000 weekend passes available, and 310 camping spots sold. This festival prides itself on being family-oriented, and that intention manifested in Friday evening’s enthusiastic crowd.
A masked child enjoys a special view at the Pigeon Lake Music Festival on Friday, July 30, 2021. Photo by Mark Morris /Postmedia The large audience included those of all ages, from the tiny toddler wearing a huge pair of earmuff protectors, through bevies of teenagers, via middle-aged fans bringing their extended families, to the grandmothers happily dancing in front of the stage.
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And if how one dresses suggests the music you like, there was the whole range here, too, from carefree echoes of hippie days to cowboy-hatted country-and-western fans.
Forget masks — I counted only one child and three adults wearing them, and I was one of those adults. Forget social distancing — there wasn’t any. There was, though, excellent organization, with free parking, golf cart shuttles to the main arena, food and merchandise areas, and very friendly and helpful staff.
Social distancing was a thing of the past at the Pigeon Lake Music Festival on Friday, July 30, 2021. Photo by Mark Morris /Postmedia Travel restrictions did not stop the festival from putting together a really strong lineup of some of the best of Canadian musicians, mostly from Alberta and B.C.
The festival was opened by country singer Julia Vos, who is actually from Mulhurst. She made her breakthrough as the 2016 Calgary Stampede Nashville North Star winner, and with her backing band, the set here merged touches of rock and pop with country.
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Country star Julia Vos opened the Pigeon Lake Music Festival on Friday, July 30, 2021. Photo by Mark Morris /Postmedia She was followed by Juno Award-winners Dear Rouge — Danielle and Drew McTaggart — ramping up the energy with their rawer sound. Then came another Juno winner — a throwback to 1977 — Canadian icons Sweeney Todd with frontman Nick Gilder.
The stars of Saturday’s lineup are singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman, and the rock band Streetheart. They are joined by another Juno winner, Dan Mangan, country artist Ryan Lindsay, singer-songwriter Jordan Klassen, and the self-styled “country infused dream-pop singer” Lucette.
Sunday will see the up-and-coming, such as pop group Jenesia and indie band The Crescent Sky, alongside country singer-songwriters JJ Shiplett and Mariel Buckley.
The finale wrapping up the festival Sunday night sees one more Juno winner, rock band Said the Whale, playing ahead of new Canadian country star, Jade Eagleson, whose February 2021 single All Night to Figure It Out was his second to hit No. 1 on the Canadian Country chart.
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The Pigeon Lake Music Festival has been running since 2017, and with lineups like this, and with the happy family atmosphere and facilities, and the excellent organization, it deserves to be far better known than it is.
Saturday and Sunday’s events start at 2 p.m., with headlining sets running from 9 p.m.-10: 30 p.m. Weekend passes are $135 and day passes $75, with children 12 and under getting in free.
2021 Pigeon Lake Music Festival
WhereHilah Ayers Wilderness RV Park, 473008 Range Road 10, Mulhurst
When Friday July 30, Saturday July 31, Sunday August 1
Ticketswww.plmf.ca/
yegarts@postmedia.com
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