What started as a summer weekend in the wilderness north of Kingston, Ontario, between friends, has become a unique cultural and musical microcosm active year-round. In early August 2023, the annual Blue Skies Music Festival will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, which is significant for a festival—or “a community of communities”—that is completely non-commercial, self-organized and volunteer-run. Host Johnny San sits down with festival co-founder Oskar Graf, organizer Kate Thomas and former Artistic Director, Dale Driver, to try and understand the formula for the festival's enduring magic, its lasting impact, and its multigenerational legacy.

Links:
Blue Skies Music Festival: web link
Blue Skies in the Community: web link
Blue Skies mailing list: [email protected]
Kingston live music and festival listings: web link
Production by Soundwise: web link Posted: May 30, 2023 Originally Published: May 31, 2023