City Desk
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PNS - Monday, June 6, 2022 - Mayors discuss gun violence and mental health in the wake of more shootings, Trump's former advisor lashes out at the January 6th committee, and the 2022 primary season resumes after a two-week hiatus.
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By Diane Larson
Photo by Jim Larson
“2019 was probably one of the best festivals we ever held,” said George Everett of Mainstreet Uptown Butte, talking about the Montana Folk Festival (MFF). The work to organize and put on the next festival begins shortly after the finish of each festival. Reeling from the success of 2019, the festival’s organizers began gearing up for 2020. They hoped to make that one even more successful.
Then COVID-19 struck. In December of 2019, according to the CDC website, “a cluster of patients in Wuhan, Hubei Providence, China begins to experience shortness of breath and fever.” That was the beginning of the pandemic. Less than a month later the Center for Disease Control announced, “CDC confirms the first U.S. laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. from samples taken on January 18 in Washington state.”
Then it spread, rapidly.
In February COVID-19 had come to Butte. As the number of cases grew, the prospect of a 2020 festival was in jeopardy. By March of 2020, many businesses were having to close their doors and people were quarantined in their homes, the pandemic hit.
A decision had to be made about the 2020 festival, “we didn’t really have a choice in the matter, the health department just pretty much said you can’t do this,” said Everett. The 2020 Folk Festival was canceled. “We just had to shut it down. We had already, had a full lineup. We had contracts with 21 performers and were ready to go,” explained Everett. Everything had to be undone, the performers, the vendors, and everyone associated with the MFF. A loss for Butte, and a loss for them.
When something of this magnitude must be canceled the effects are far-reaching. “The loss to the community is about, eight to 10 million we estimate each year,” said Everett. There is also the personal loss to the thousands of people that plan their vacations to come to Butte for the festival.
Then in “2021, we just had to make the call ourselves as it got closer to the spring which is when we really have to make a decision,” explained Everett. The “we” Everett is referring to consists of the committee that organizes the Montana Folk Festival, and they partner with Butte-Silver Bow County and their executive committee as well as major sponsors. All of these members have a say and help to make the decision quickly. To wait would mean to jeopardize losing a lot, marketing begins, publicity begins as well as contracts to performers and vendors. Based on how the pandemic was still prevailing at that time it was evident that 2021 would not see a festival.
“We just had a lot of disappointed people, and a lot of people that anticipate this event and it is a big part of their year,” said Everett. Making the decision to cancel was not an easy one; so much must be considered.
Now, in 2022, it looks like we will see a festival. “We’re hoping that the festival that’s coming back this year will be part of the healing process for people that they can enjoy a festival,” explained Everett.
Photo by Jim Larson
The 2022 MFF is on track and gearing up for a great time this July. There are 21 performers who are signed up to come to Butte coming from all over. Blues/Soul from Los Angeles, Chinese Traditional from San Francisco, Native American Drumming from Harlem, MT, and Traditional Sephardic Ladino from Amsterdam, Netherlands and so much more.
Six stages with continuing music will be set up through Uptown Butte, starting at the Original Mine yard and spreading throughout the Uptown area. All new performers to look forward to and other new events as well.
One of the new things that may happen this year is a Haitian Herrera parade at the opening ceremony. In the upper area at the Original Mine yard there will be 4 teepees lit up in the colors of the Crow Nation. The lit-up teepees will be in honor of Michaelynn Hawk who organized the First Peoples market for more than 10 years. Cancer took Hawk from us in February of 2022. The market, this year, will be organized by her son Donavan Hawk. “This would be my second year since the last one was with my mom shadowing me,” explained Hawk.
Another new edition to the 2022 MFF will be a Native Fashion show. Featuring four Montana Indigenous Designers:
Carrie Moran McCleary, Little Shell Chippewa, Hardin MT of Plains Soul Designs
Rebekah Jarvey, Chippewa, Cree and Blackfeet, Havre, MT of Rebekah Jarvey Designs
Angela Howe-Parrish, Crow, Billings, MT of Choke Cherry Creek Designs
Yolanda Goodvoice, Crow, Missoula, MT or Sweet Sage Woman Designs
From 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Young Native American models will rule the runway at the Folklife Area Stage on Saturday, July 9. These designers will also have their goods at the First People’s Market.
“We’re hoping that the people who come, see it as an opportunity to get beyond what we’ve been through the last couple of years. Everyone has their reflections on this, you know as a society we’ve lost more than a million people and that doesn’t count all the lost time, effort, and mental anguish for so many people. We are hoping this is just one little way to take a step forward into getting back to the way we were before,” explained Everett.
For information on the Festival, First Peoples Market, Native Fashion Show, scheduled musicians and more you can go to https://montanafolkfestival.com/
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PNS - Friday, June 3, 2022 - A new report finds diesel engines are major air polluters in Illinois, the FDA's food-recall notices don't reach most consumers, and young people gather to save salmon with a call for dam removal.
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PNS - Friday, June 3, 2022 - Emotions run high as Congress debates new gun laws, the war in Ukraine marks its 100th day, OPEC agrees to increase its oil output, and COVID vaccines for kids under five could soon be available.
