Illawarra Folk Festival artistic director David de Santi is celebrating 21 years in the role this week and remembers going to the very first festival at Jamberoo 33 years ago.
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By the end of this weekend and the four days of music, food and fun Mr de Santi is expecting to celebrate with another record-breaking crowd.
“I remember going to the very first festival in 1985,” he said.
“This year we are expecting between 10,000 and 11,000 people. That is a couple of thousand a day. We also have the artists and 350 volunteers.”
Mr de Santi said the 2018 festival was a mixture of new and old with many artists, such as Eric Bogle, returning by popular demand and first-timers such as The Balkan Elvis - Mikelangelo who has already made a huge impression.
One festival goer described his act as a mix of cabaret, a tribute and comedy with some wonderful Elvis songs and memories.
“Last night we had 10 musicians We had two accordians, five brass players and two drummers,” he said.
“The way it is in the Bulkans is if you are going to have a party you can’t say no to any musicians. So we keep inviting them. I came here without a band and David has created one for me. Its a wonderful band.”
Mikelangelo said he loves being a travelling musician who plays at many festivals but even though he has never played here before Wollongong is like his second home. It is where he went to university between 1988 and 1991 and graduated with honors from doing a creative arts degree.
“It is bizarre it has taken me this long to do the Illawarra Folk Festival,” he said.
But based on people’s reactions it won’t be his last.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
