Song in the woods: 12th annual Woodsong Arts and Music Festival
Published 1:58 pm Monday, July 26, 2010
Merrymakers gathered once again to share live indie music, make crafts and enjoy food together at the 12th annual Woodsong Arts and Music Festival.
So much more than a concert, the festival offers people a chance to dwell in community as the weekend unfolds. Musicians mingle, sharing tips and jam sessions, and everyone else enjoys rubbing elbows with them. Attendees share pancake and waffle breakfasts, camp out under the trees on the sprawling wooded property, and enjoy impromptu volleyball and soccer games.
During Saturday’s open mic session, a father and son climbed onstage. The five-year-old boy played the washtub bass and sang background vocals for his father on a Train song, said organizer Burke Thomas.
“That’s the essence of Woodsong to me, to see a father and son enjoying open mic together on stage,” said Thomas. He said next year they might put on a washtub bass craft session to help people make their own.
His wife, Barbara, concurs.
“That’s part of the whole thing about Woodsong. We eat together and play together and sing together, make breakfast together,” she said. “It’s fun to see all the people getting to know each other… (developing) some really good friendships, seeing all the people being so creative. I just love to watch all the people in the craft tent.”
One mom told Barbara that her 8-year-old son notes two events on his calendar year: Christmas and Woodsong.
Visiting artists this year included Joel Willoughby, Robert Deeble, Nancy Colton, Bill Mallonee, The Opiate Mass, Jan Krist, Uncle Bonsai, Hilary and Patrice, Dana Little, Sanoma, Jonathan Anderson, Austin Jenckes, In Mansions, Kate Phillips, Jason Harrod, Carolyn Cruso, Tim Lowly, Victoria Williams, Citizen Hands and many musicians who shared their talents on the open mic.
The community came together to share bring-your-own topping pancake and waffle breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Chicago artist and musician Tim Lowly led a drawing workshop and a get-together termed “The Fine Arts Struggle” offered artists a time to confer over coffee. A craft tent allowed participants to exercise their creativity putting together birdhouses, mosaics and more.
Last year, the festival didn’t happen due to economic constraints. So this year, Burke and Barbara’s 17-year old daughter Makenna made fundraising for the festival her senior project.
“I love the festival and it was really sad when it didn’t happen the year before,” said Makenna. “I wanted it to happen. I just like the fact that its free for everyone. I love watching all the families play.”
She asked friends to create art, trolled for sponsors, and then put together a brochure of drawings and photography showcasing the local businesses that supported Woodsong this year.
“It was a gigantic help,” said Barbara. “She managed to raise about half the amount needed for the festival before the festival even happened.”
Burke and Barbara say they’re grateful to the Orcas community for their support.
“The support this year was really fantastic,” said Burke. “All the businesses that helped to support Makenna, and Makenna’s hard work – that was really sweet this year. A lot of musicians came and didn’t charge a nickel. They just came to make the music happen for us.”
Barbara said Woodsong began small, a few years ago, when she and Burke invited 25 people to spend the weekend together. A musician pal sang for them, and the gathering created pottery. The next year each family invited more friends, and the gathering grew from there.
Now friends come from Portland, Seattle, British Columbia and Orcas Island to enjoy the music and community of Woodsong.
Will the festival happen again next year? They says it all depends.
“We take it year by year, and we hope to be able to do it again next year, but it is a big endeavor,” said Burke.
Barbara added, “If it’s supposed to happen it will happen. It’s always like walking on water; things start happening to make it work, and then it happens. It’s fun to watch the little miracles along the way.”
Woodsong Mailing List
The Woodsong mailing list was destroyed two years ago in a fire, and the Thomases are now rebuilding the list from scratch. To join the new mailing list, visit Woodsong Arts & Music Festival 2010 on Facebook.
For more information about the festival, or to donate, see www.woodsonginc.com or call Burke and Barbara Thomas at 376-2926.
Sponsors:
Burke, Barbara and Makenna would like to thank the following sponsors who helped to make Woodsong happen this year:
Orcas Island Hardware, Islanders Bank, San Juan Vision Source, Key Bank, David Vandervoort Architects, Troller Point Fisheries, the Doppenberg family, Steve Gropp of the Salamander Forge, Clyde and April Duke of Duke Contracting Services, Mia’s Cafe, Teezers, Orcas Septic Company, Joan Benham, Bernie and Ruth Sturing, Shafer Baile Mansion (of Capitol Hill, Seattle), the Howell family for housing musicians, Kathryn Henne, for donating craft supplies and a mosaic table for raffle, Late Tuesday, Ash Poon, Leaf and Anna Hansen, Mark and Anna Mayhle, Joel Willoughby, Nancy Colton, Bill Pritchard, David and Vlasta Booth, Margaret Burnett, Elaine Thomas, Shafer Baille Mansion, Steven and Deborah Mueller, Robert and Louise Tucker, Brenda Mallonee, Heather Applegate, Jessica Uhler, William Enns, Matthew Humphrey, Daytona Swarbrick, Daniel and Melissa Saxe, Christina and Jonathan Howell, Carissa and Rob Taylor, Nathan Marion, James and Julie Taylor, Brian Bauer, Patricia Everett, Andrew Danskin, Anna Tejada, Laura Hofman Watrous, Lowell and Kathie Hagan, Martin and Sarah Stillion, Rob and Joy Larsen, Greg and Alexia Gillespie, Heather Williams, Dave and Katie Parish, Scott and Katrina Karpes, Dwight and Trisha Gilmore, Stewart and Grace Miller, Neal and Baird Nuckolls, Dean Coffmann, Matt and Amy Saxe, Steve and Sunny Cairns, Tyler Shaw, Matthew Chasanoff and Lowell Hagan.
