Founded and run by the Dunedin Folk Club since 1975, the annual festival is now in its 41st year, and the latest series of concerts, workshops, entertainment and relaxation, with a folk flavour, began yesterday. Mike Moroney stepped down earlier this year after long serving as president of the folk club, and now has a lower-key role as a musician and mentor at the four-day event at the Waiora Scout Camp.
And his wife, Bernadette Berry, who was festival co-ordinator for the past 18 years, is also enjoying the "weird" experience of not being responsible for running the latest event.
Festival co-ordinator Anna Bowen said it had been "slightly nerve-racking" to have taken over from Ms Berry, but the latest festival featured "an amazing line-up" of talent.
The event had also been more strongly promoted, including via social media, and it was hoped that attendance would exceed the 500 who came last year.
Ms Berry said the friendliness of musicians and other participants had contributed to the festival’s success, and many new friendships had been made over the years.
"Everyone is friendly. Everybody mixes with everybody else," she said.
Mr Moroney said that folk music was "a music without boundaries", which had continued to change and grow and appeal to singer-songwriters and audiences.
His daughter, Siobhan Dillon, is deeply involved again this year as a member of the organising committee, and has also created a new festival internet site. Mrs Dillon joked that this was the 34th of the festivals she had attended in one way or another, the first occasion being when she was still in her mother’s womb and the second as a youngster not yet 1 year old.
"There’s no better place to usher in the new year," she said.
The three family members will perform together at the festival marquee at 2.30pm tomorrow.
