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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2017)
24 Wednesday, September 13, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Pop-up concerts soothed impact of festival cancellation By Cody Rheault Correspondent The cancellation of the annual Sisters Folk Festival dealt yet another economic blow to the community. But with the effort displayed by locals and the generosity of visiting musicians, there was hope. Members of the Sisters Folk Festival board announced in a statement last Wednesday that the smoke was hazardous leading up to the weekend. Air quality con- ditions — both outside and inside — were predicted to remain at an unhealthy level throughout the weekend as well, forcing them to reach the difficult decision. The safety of attendees and artists were a priority. The news hit the com- munity hard. After weeks of smoke affecting our local economy, many were looking forward to a busy and enter- taining weekend. An event many locals describe as their favorite. Musicians from all over the country and Canada were invited as first-timers or encore performers to the folk festival. And at the announce- ment of the cancellation, many were already in town. Chuck Cannon, a song writer from Nashville and a first-timer at the Sisters Folk Festival, expressed his reac- tion to the news. “When I heard about the cancellation, it was a real spir- itual bummer,” he said. Chuck is an experienced performing artist with songs written and performed by leg- ends such as Dolly Parton and Toby Keith. His invitation to perform at the festival was something he was looking forward to. “I’ve always wanted to come to the Sisters Folk Festival,” he said, after describing his love for the West and how the Sisters area is his new favorite part of the country. The musical community refused to give up hope, how- ever, at the news of the can- cellation. With many perform- ing artists still in town and venues laying vacant, they saw an opportunity where oth- ers saw failure. That’s when a group of artists came together and pitched the idea of an impromptu performance. All they needed was a location to do it. By Friday afternoon, The Belfry started receiving calls asking about performance space. Originally scheduled to have all-day events through- out the weekend, The Belfry now laid vacant. With limited time, vol- unteers and members of the community turned The Belfry into a performance-ready space. Some moved chairs, others hung lights, and The Belfry staff changed their weekend plans to accommo- date the last-minute show. “The musician commu- nity was instrumental to mak- ing the show happen,” said Angeline Rhett, owner of The UN-CHAINED…one dog at a time Fences for Fido is an award-winning, nonprofi t that builds fences free of charge for families who keep their dogs on chains, tethers, or in small enclosures. We also provide: • A warm, insulated dog house • Spay/neuter services To volunteer or request a fence visit our website. Anyone can confi dentially request a fence for a dog. WWW.FENCESFORFIDO.ORG Belfry. “I was just a small piece who helped make it hap- pen. It was a group effort.” Friday night included per- formances by Martha Scanlan, Scott Cook, Chuck Cannon, and Amy Helm. Presenting artists on Saturday night included Kristin Andreassen, Robbie Fulks, Chuck Cannon, and The East Pointers. Each show reached max capacity and forced some to listen from outside The Belfry. Throughout the nights, the crowd was gleeful at the entertainment. Laughter and joy echoed off the walls. The floor bounced with the tapping of their feet. Others danced to the beat. And for a couple hours, everyone forgot the Sisters Folk Festival was ever cancelled. “I’m thankful to have offered two shows and recover from what could have been zero,” said Rhett. “To see all the musicians up there, it made me feel better.” The Sisters community and visiting artists pulled what was left of the Sisters Folk Festival from the ashes and presented to those attending a show worthy of any folk fes- tival. The community worked together and refused to give up, showing that even through PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT Chuck Cannon performed at The Belfry in a pop-up concert that salvaged a bit of the traditional folk festival experience. the smoke and economy, there was hope after all. “A lot of people focus on the financial impact,” Angeline said. “But it was emotional, too. This weekend we dealt with the emotional.” Outdoor Seating Serving Lunch Noon to 5 p.m. Dinner 5 p.m. to Close Tasty Thursday: Sept. 14 DEERCREEK Vineyards, 5 -7 p.m. Live Music Sat., Sept. 16 Doc Ryan and Whychus Creek Band Open Tuesday-Saturday O d S d 1 12-8 pm 391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675 corkcellarswinebistro.com
