Picaroons Guy Reports: Folly Fest

(Photo Credit: Lindsay Maynard)

Hippies, musicians, artists and beer…oh, and don’t forget the freak’n donkeys. Folly Fest, the 2nd annual Feels Good Music Festival, kick started the 2010 summer beer season July 9 & 10 in Gagetown, NB. And Picaroons was there to ensure that all you beautiful children of the sun remained hydrated and establishment free.

The weekend started in true Picaroons style: no plan and no worries. Esty (he’s the Head Brewer) and I (I’m new) fired up the Beermobile late Friday afternoon – about an hour later than we probably should have – and set off. It was so hot our teeth were sweating. Oh well, we’d be soaking up those cool, tasty suds soon enough.

Little did we know, Gagetown can be a tricky little place to find, mainly because there are two of them. Our confusion would prove costly. After Esty finished arm wrestling what seemed like the 100th beer-craved soldier, we escaped with what was left of our beer and headed towards the actual Folly Fest location—the Village of Gagetown.

We rumbled towards the fair ground entrance at our top speed of 47 km/hour. As we neared the gate we noticed a crowd of wild, screaming flower children racing towards us, consumed by euphoric anticipation and thirst. Two hours late and half our precious cargo pillaged, and yet we were met only by smiles, love and offerings of oil of oregano and hemp seeds. No anger, no discontent. Everything was unfolding as it should. Clearly we were in the right place.

We parked near the makeshift beer hall, a long, open-faced, wooden building not too far from the main stage—a perfect view. We quickly began hooking up the kegs and icing the coolers. The music was already playing, people were dancing and the smell of barbecue filled the air.

Our boss, Sean (he’s the owner and original brewmaster) arrived shortly after we set up. Esty and I decided to keep the CFB Gagetown incident between us. Besides being a brewmaster, Sean’s also a master of mind control and the Chinese art of Feng Shui. He immediately asked, and then convinced Esty to stand under the large tree next to the grandstand for the remainder of the festival. “Balance, the scene needs balance,” he said. I was now on my own; my first test.

Well, Friday night soon turned into Saturday morning, which soon turned into Saturday night. Timed seemed to slip past faster than one can drink a bottle of Feels Good. 40 hours, 30 bands and 3000 pints later it was time to hit the hay in the barn that had been my home since Friday.

Thanks to Paul & Mumbles and the whole Feels Good gang for creating this fantastic festival, Sean and the Picaroons team, the fabulous group of beautiful bartenders and helpful volunteers, the sweet sounds and creativity of so many talented musicians & artists, the terrific group of energetic and free-spirited revelers, the Gagetown Fire Department, who kindly stored our beer in their fire hall – not to mention the moral support of Esty from across the way – for helping to make Folly Fest 2010 a huge success.

As I began drifting off to sleep I noticed the moonlight sprinkling through the cracks in the barn wall. I could hear groups of people playing guitars and singing in the camping area next to the festival grounds. I remember thinking how great it is when a group of individuals join together for a communal celebration. Good music, good beer, good times…

Peace & love,

The Picaroons Guy