A stormy weekend packed with one of the best lighting storms I’ve ever witnessed, hail and torrential downpours could not keep us away form this years Festival of Friends at Gage park in Hamilton Ontario. After-all this was the very same festival that I met Caron all those years ago. It was our anniversary and I just had to go relive that amazing day. This time however we went as a family and not two youngsters looking for summer love.

The weather was horrible the entire 3 days of the festival, but as the skies cleared up on the Sunday we made our way down. There was the normal search for parking in the surrounding streets for the “cheapos” like us, but there was also paid parking within the park itself.

The festival, though well organized from the outside (looking in), seemed to have lost something. Maybe it’s because we’re older now and we’re looking at things differently, but it didn’t have that once lively vibe to it. I couldn’t but a handle to it, but it did seem a bit commercial.

Food, music, beer and tons of crafty type shopping were abundant and “pricey”. Maybe it was the heat or the fact that we’ve had a crappy summer so far, but people didn’t seem to be in a good mood. No smiles, no groups of people just chatting and the few who were taking in the live performers seemed to be disassociated from the performers. The performers hardly ever got a reaction from the crowd when they tried to get them involved.

Some pics, followed by some additional info about the event itself and the record they were trying to break.

Besides the obvious spiritless mood of the people at the festival this day, the vendors were full of vigor and willing to accommodate you to close in on that sale. From jewelery to carvings, sketches and an assortment of crafts on sale, you did have a wide selection to choose from. The kids all seem to be enjoying themselves at the rides and at the many ice cream trucks that were there. Same could be said for the adults at the beer tent that was to the right side of the main stage/bandshell.

Gage park is also widely known for it’s amazing rose garden, so you also had the option of strolling though and taking some pics with your family. I must say though that the roses were not as vibrant as they normally are and I suspect that this is due to the strange weather we’ve had this summer.

The bench that Caron and I sat on that memorable night is now gone and the festival may have lost it’s appeal to me/us, but it’s still an integral part of life in this wonderful city we call home. Though I won’t list it as a “must-do”, it’s still a good option for a summers evening to take in some live performances and enjoy the sights!

Some of the live performer included:

David Wilcox
The Road Hammers
Steven Page
Finger 11
Crystal Shawanda
Kim Mitchell
Leon Redbone
The Wilkinsons

Festival of Friends, place and time:

Gage Park, Hamilton Ontario.
Noon – 11 pm
August 7, 8 and 9th.

World Record Attemptt – Largest Guitar Ensemble. Germany – 1802 playing “smoke on the water” simultaneously. It was the goal of the organizers to try and beat the Guinness record set in Germany, but they fell short after the final tally.

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