Monday, 3 July — Port Hood to Whycocomagh¹

I started day three of KitchenFest! a bit past 9h on a lovely sunny, bright, mild (+22 (72)) day with a blue sky bestrewn with wispy white clouds. After tending to an errand in Port Hood, I drove the Shore Road to the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre, stopping for photos along the way.

¹ Posted on Saturday, 15 July, for Monday, 3 July.↩

This year, during KitchenFest! week, the lunchtime cèilidhs at the Centre, which remain without a cover change, feature established master fiddlers each day. I ordered and ate lunch (house salad and the Cape Bretoner’s lunch: chowder, fish cake, and haddock taco, all very fine). Promptly at 11h30, Hailee LeFort on fiddle and Joe MacMaster on keyboard, staff this year at the Centre, kicked off the cèilidh; it was my first chance to hear Joe live on keyboard for an extended time and I was delighted to discover he’s as proficient at keyboard accompaniment as he is playing on fiddle and pipes—is there nothing this talented lad can’t play well? Today’s featured fiddler was Andrea Beaton, accompanied by Allan Dewar on keyboard. Pure drop! Again, I was transported, as favourite tunes followed one another from her fiddle, rounded out by Allan’s great playing. Two of Alec and Minnie MacMaster’s young grandchildren, a granddaughter and a grandson, step danced during one of the sets. Joe on highland bagpipes with Allan accompanying gave Andrea a short break. After she returned, Hailee and Siobhan Beaton, also on staff at the Centre this year, step danced. I was blown away by a lovely slow air I’d heard before, but never so beautifully played; it was followed by another equally gorgeously done. Natalie MacMaster Leahy accompanied on keyboard Alex and Julia, two of her children, as they gave us a song. Joe on fiddle gave Andrea another break as he and Allan played a fine set. After Andrea returned, we heard another lovely, flowing slow air, along with many more and livelier tunes. When the cèilidh ended well past 15h, I was way beyond content. What a magical afternoon! A true KitchenFest! treat!

I drove over the backcountry to my motel room in Whycocomagh, where I relaxed with a cup of tea and a granola bar; I wasn’t hungry enough for a meal. While in the motel room, I drafted Wednesday’s account. I then drove to Brook Village; the sun was out on the way, but not blinding me like it had on last week’s drive. In the car, I edited and then posted Wednesday’s account.

By then, it was time to go in; I chatted with friends as the musicians, Kinnon Beaton and Glenn Graham on fiddles, Betty Lou Beaton and Joey Beaton on keyboards, and Paul MacDonald on guitar, got set up and sound checked. At 21h30 on the dot, when five couples were already patiently waiting on the floor, the five musicians began playing jigs and the first square set was immediately underway. The first figure grew to eight couples; nine couples danced the second figure, splitting into two groups; and eleven couples finished the third figure. For most of the evening, the musicians played in various combinations, but not all together at once. The second square set was played by Glenn, Joey, and Paul and danced by fourteen couples in two groups. The third square set had Glenn, Betty Lou, and Paul as musicians and 23 couples in four groups in two queues in its third figure; by then, so many folks were on the floor I couldn’t count accurately for the first and second figures and my counts for the third figure with two queues are likely to be off by one or two couples. Kinnon and Joey began the fourth square set and Paul returned for the second and third figures; its third figure was danced by twenty-five couples. Kinnon, Betty Lou, and Paul played for the fifth square set, danced by at least thirty couples. Glenn and Joey played the first figure of the sixth square set and Paul joined them for the second and third figures; I counted twenty-nine couples in the third figure. Kinnon and Betty Lou played for a waltz that brought out thirteen or more couples; with Paul back on guitar, they played The Fields of Athenry as a waltz, drawing fourteen or more couples. Kinnon, Betty Lou, and Paul played for the seventh square set with more than forty-one couples in its third figure. All five musicians returned to play for the step dancers: Hailee LeFort and Siobhan Beaton danced together to start it off; the rest of the dancers I don’t have names for, though I have seen most of them in the past. Mary Graham took Joey’s place on keyboard and the five then played Faded Love, drawing fifteen or more couples to the floor. The five finished off the night with the eighth square set, danced by thirty-five couples in its third figure. It was another fine Brook Village dance, with many avid and lively dancers including many young adults, a great way to end this third KitchenFest! day!

I bought a couple of sandwiches from the canteen and ate them in the car on the way back to Whycocomagh. I went immediately to bed, tired but very happy after a long day filled with music.