Calgary's Folk Fest kicks off with distanced Summer Serenades

Just as Calgarians put away theircowboy boots, another music festival is taking over the city.

The CalgaryFolk Festival'sconcert series "Summer Serenades"started Thursday and goes until the following Wednesday on Prince's Island Park.

Normally, there would be a lineup of hundreds of peoplewaiting to get the best spot for their tarps, but things are a bit different this year.

What used to be a mix-n-mingling event will have some extra precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, artistic directorKerryClarke says it is heartwarming to have a festival at all.

"Ithink we're one of the first festivals in the country to be doing something live and we called it Summer Serenades just to alter people's perceptions of what they might expect," she said.

Ticket buyersfor the concert are assigned to aspace for their tarps and blankets that are sixby eightfeet (roughly twoby 2.5 metres) big enough tohost up to four adults andtwo kids.

"We've really utilized our culture, which already has people sort of sitting in a certain area," said Clarke."So people are sitting with their parties."

When moving around the site, attendees are encouraged to wear their masks but can be completely unmasked to enjoy food and drinks in their space.

There was fivefood venuesto choose from this year, which is quite scaled down from years past,as well as the option to buy a cold one from the beer gardensto bring back to your tarp.

• Calgary Folk Music Festival to return this summer as COVID-aware concert series, officials announce

The festival is put together by hundreds of volunteers, and this year is no different.

Despite only having 600 helping hands rather than the usual 2,000, volunteer Diana Borak says the smaller setup is manageable.

"I feel like we're well-staffed for the tasks that we do have to do," she said.

She adds that organizers have worked hard to make the event feel safeboth as an attendee and volunteer

"There's a lot of precaution and I think the mood overall is a lot of excitement," she said.

"My favourite thingabout the folk festival is the community that comes together so to be able to get back tothat even in a slightly different way is just amazing."