by Michelle Singer
Walking into the premiere of At Fest was like walking into a family reunion. The documentary, directed by James Wallace, made it’s premiere at the Trocadero Theatre this past Wednesday. It’s about the Philadelphia Folk Festival, coming up next weekend, and the people who make it special.
This documentary is an intimate portrayal of the 50th anniversary of Folk Fest and takes you from a marriage proposal to an epic water balloon fight to a terrible hailstorm and more. It also follows Hog Maw and The Philadelphia Jug Band as they make it from playing the campgrounds to the sacred main stage. It is a collage of stories that are so human it had the crowd laughing hysterically and at other times holding back tears.
Watching the film, I was amazed at how many people had met their husbands, wives, and lifelong best friends at the festival. I was even more amazed at the number of those who had been going for over 20 years, some starting as early as the age of one. One thing for certain is, there is something beautiful about Folk Fest, and that beauty and realness is captured perfectly by James Wallace.
As the documentary ended, the screen lifted to reveal Colin Reeves of Hog Maw soloing on the mandolin. Members of Philadelphia’s Jug Band joined in and James Wallace and his wife, Jennifer, were the first to take to the dance floor. Leaving the premiere of At Fest made me feel like I could not wait to go home to a place I had never actually been to. And I cannot wait to experience it for myself next weekend.
Make sure to stop by That Mag’s table at the Philadelphia Folk Fest to pick up your copy of our first print issue of 2013. Many of the artists performing at the fest this year are interviewed in the issue as well as bands from our Liberty Music Festival. For more information on At Folk, check out our interview with James Wallace here.
