Friday, 7 July — Whycocomagh to Margaree Forks

Today is the seventh day of KitchenFest! and, alas, the last. I got up just after 8h45 to a bright day, but one with big puffy white clouds, some lined with grey, +21 (70) and a bit humid feeling. I took care of an errand at the pharmacy in Whycocomagh and experienced a huge delay getting back on the Trans-Canada Highway: traffic was backed up to the north all the way to the provincial park, because one-lane of the bridge over the Skye River remained closed to vehicles.

I arrived at the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre at 11h after another lovely drive across the backcountry and caught up on my notes, worked on my post for last Friday, and ordered lunch (orange juice, salad, a cup of chowder, a fish cake, and a haddock taco, all excellent) as I waited for the cèilidh to start at 11h30. Hailee LeFort on fiddle and Joe MacMaster on keyboard started it off promptly and played for the first thirty-five minutes, familiar tunes beautifully played. Mike Hall on fiddle and Allan Dewar on keyboard then took over and gave us some fantastic sets—simply superb playing and I was again, as so often during KitchenFest!, transported into a magic place. Joe MacMaster on highland bagpipes and Allan Dewar on keyboard gave us a great set to spell Mike a bit, after which he returned to the stage. My notes record only one couple up dancing for a waltz, but there were jigs and reels aplenty and strathspeys and reels for step dancing as well, which Hailee took advantage of to give us some steps a couple of times during the cèilidh. Tove de Fries (from Denmark) was in the audience and, to making dual fiddles, joined Mike and Allan to play some Jerry Holland tunes—a goodly contingent of Danish fiddlers have become Cape Breton music devotees and players thanks to the evangelizing of the late Jerry Holland in years past. Mike and Allan then continued without Tove and finished out the cèilidh. Amazing afternoon!

Today, celebrations marking the fiftieth wedding anniversary of good friends took place at the Frolic and Folk Pub in Iona, so I drove there after the cèilidh, stopping along the way for a few backcountry photos—I never can get enough of those beautiful views! I experienced another long, long delay on the Trans-Canada Highway—at least a hundred vehicles passed me heading north while I was waiting to make the left turn onto the Orangedale Road. It is highly unusual to see so much traffic in Cape Breton—high summer is on its way! The reception at the pub was fine, with lots of conversation and an amazing spread of food.

I came back by the ferry and drove to Margaree Forks, taking the Yankee Line Road off the Trans-Canada Highway in Nyanza and stopping for photos along the way. I was too full from the reception to even consider supper, so I checked into the motel, where I completed and posted Friday’s account before the dance started at the Southwest Margaree Parish Hall.

The music for tonight’s KitchenFest! dance was by Ian MacDougall, Dawn Beaton, Joël Chiasson, and Gélas Larade, who substituted for Sandy MacDonald. Dawn started off and Ian and Dawn alternated thereafter. The first square set started off at 22h15 with five couples, growing to six in its third figure. More people arrived, so the second square set had fourteen couples in three groups in its third figure. Dawn played a waltz that brought two couples to the floor and then the third square set, again danced by fourteen couples in three groups in its third figure. The temperature in the hall was noticeable, a hot and humid summer night in Cape Breton to which the body heat of the dancers also contributed. Ian’s fourth square set also had fourteen couples in three groups in its third figure. The hall then begin to lose folks, so Dawn’s fifth square set was danced by nine couples in two groups. Ian played a waltz that brought out three couples, one with a 92-year old lady dancing happily to the fine music, and continued with the sixth square set, which started with five couples and was down to four in its third figure. Dawn and Ian on dual fiddles then played a set of jigs to start the seventh square set, but got no takers, so they switched to strathspeys for step dancers, but only Jimmy MacIsaac got up to share his fine steps. By then, only thirteen people were left in the hall. It was a fine dance, with great music beautifully played, and a great way to end off this year’s KitchenFest!.

After thanking the musicians, I drove back to the motel and was in bed at 1h20.

What a wonderful festival KitchenFest! has been this year, as it has been every year since its inception, full of the music I love so much! Its calendar is jam packed every day with events all over the Island, played by the very best of the Island’s musicians and without distracting outside influences; it is hands down the time of the year to be in Cape Breton if you can only be there once a year. While the fall colours do definitely add to the attractions of the Celtic Colours festival, the late spring and early summer greens are spectacular as well in their own way and the weather was fantastic to boot. My sincerest thanks to all those who worked so hard to organize this marvellous festival and to keep it running smoothly and, of course, to the musicians who played their hearts out, keeping our toes a-tapping, elating our spirits, and filling our souls with joy overflowing. Long may this amazing festival continue! And great news! In 2018, the festival will be two days longer, running from 29 June to 7 July! Whooeee!