The Ottawa Folk Festival was great. There was lots of amazing music, the food was excellent, the site was beautiful, the volunteers were welcoming and the new emphasis on enviornmentalism was much appreciated.

Among my favorite artists were Odetta, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Colin Linden, Michael Jerome Browne, Tao Rodriguez Seeger, Finest Kind, Radoslav Lorkovic and the Duhks.

The highlight of the whole festival had to have been Odetta's incredible mainstage performance and the "How Can I Keep From Singing" workshop animated by Mike Regenstreif with Odetta, Finest Kind and Tao Rodriguez Seeger. Singing from her wheelchair, Odetta doesn't play guitar anymore, but had a wonderful pianist named David keys to back her up.

The workshop, in front of hundreds of fans jammed into the indoor hall, was a 2 hour tour de force, originally scheduled for 1 hour. It started on time at 2:45 with Mike announcing that Odetta was delayed due to a dental emergency. He said that she still wanted to be part ofthe workshop and would try and make it. Mike and Finest Kind and Tao began without Odetta and rose to the occasion with great songs, lots of artist participation and astute commentary and questions from Mike to the artists.

At one point, while Tao was singing, Mike was called off the stage by festival officials. He came back and called a brief time-out for a quick huddle with Tao and Finest Kind. Then Mike announced that Odetta would only be able to make it for 4:00, 15 minutes after the workshop was scheduled to end.

Then came the good news.

Mike said that what was scheduled from 4:00-5:00 in the hall would be moved elesewhere and that the workshop would continue until 3:45 as scheduled, there'd be a short break, and would then continue with everyone including Odetta.

And that's what happened. At 4:00, the hall was still packed. I don't think anyone left. Mike, Tao and Finest Kind took their places and Odetta was brought out to a standing ovation. Then they carried on for another hour with more of the same quality of performance from all.

When it was time for the last go-round, Mike made a special request of the artists that they each choose a song that everyone on stage, and everyone in the audience could all sing together. Finest Kind led us in "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," the old rock and roll song, Tao led us in "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and Odetta was the finale leading us in "Rock Island Line." It ended with a well deserved, long standing ovation. An amazing 2 hours.

Later that night, Odetta was simply amazing earning encores and more standing ovations. As she was wheeled off the stage following the encore we (the thousands of us in the audience) kept on singing the chorus to "This Little Light Of Mine" to her. A perfect folk festival moment.