49 years ago Jim Griffith, folklorist extraordinaire, founded the Tucson Meet Yourself folk festival. Sadly, he passed away in 2020, the year TMY was cancelled because of Covid. The 2021 festival felt somewhat skimpy and I wondered if the event would survive without him. The anwer: this year it was back with large crowds–almost uncomfortably crowded at the food booths at times–and more multi-cultural than ever.
The huge variety of musical entertainment is the big draw for me. Others seems to come with the intent of eating their way around the world. And, I’m sure, some–not too many–come to see the tricked-out cars.
Music, dance and lots of tasty food
My first stop was at a tent I’d been to last year where mariachis performed and–surprise–it had changed to being a Movement and Wellness tent. These audience volunteers were being taught how to dance the Bachata by members of the Monzon Dance Company. Fun! Later in the day the stage held Celtic dancers, flamenco dancers and even West Coast Swing dancers. What a good idea to give dancers their own stage!
Bulgarian Folks songs, anyone? Ludo Djore were just one of 26 musical groups that performed on Sunday on 5 stages around the Library downtown. My favorite was Grupo Riken playing music of the Caribbean and Latin America.
Pinatas –well, okay, they’re folk art from Mexico, but Kettle Corn? Well, it’s certainly an American folk food and a lot of people were wandering around the Festival munching on this favorite. I was looking for a churro, but before I finally found a booth selling them I had stopped to buy some Italian gelato and after the salted caramel gelato a churro seemed like too much to eat. Maybe next year.
Two last photos. 1) a corvette that was a Grand Prize in a lottery benefiting charities. And 2) a lone busker performing at the edge of the TMY festival. He didn’t look very happy. Well, maybe next year he will be performing on one of the stages or attending TMY while working as an engineer at Raytheon.
But I am certain that Jim Griffith would be delighted to see this festival thriving.
