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Quiz about The Edmonton Folk Music Festival

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival Quiz

You don't have to know anything about Edmonton or its excellent FolkFest to be able to do this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by agony. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
agony

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
145,457

Updated
Feb 28 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
497

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The action begins on Thursday evening at six o'clock. The Edmonton Folk Festival expanded from a three-day to a four-day event in 1994. On that first Thursday evening the headline act was a legendary Canadian performer, known for such albums as "Ladies of the Canyon", "Blue", and "Court and Spark". Who was she? Hint

Joni Mitchell

Anne Murray

Celine Dion

Sarah McLachlan

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Question 2 of 10

2. The crowd views the main stage concerts while seated on the ski hill, overlooking the lights of downtown and the gorgeous river valley. What's the name of the river that flows through Edmonton, anyway? Hint

Bow

Mackenzie

Athabasca

North Saskatchewan

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Question 3 of 10

3. As we watch the evening main-stage concerts, we can see the sunset painting the prairie sky. At about what time does the sun set in Edmonton (Latitude 53 degrees North) in the second weekend in August? Hint

6:00 PM

11:00 PM

7:00 PM

9:00 PM

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Question 4 of 10

4. In 1987, the folkfest was eclipsed in people's minds by a natural disaster that had swept through Edmonton the week before. What was it? Hint

a hurricane

an earthquake

a flood

a tornado

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Question 5 of 10

5. Performers come to Edmonton from everywhere. Djelimady Tounkara, Boubacor Traore, and Alpha Yaya Diallo are all recent performers from what part of the world? Hint

South America

Africa

Central Asia

Middle East

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Question 6 of 10

6. When people think of folk music, they tend to think of singer-songwriters, one person with a guitar. Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely all sometimes fit that image, and they're all from the same place. Where? Hint

Kentucky

Texas

Tennessee

Saskatchewan

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Question 7 of 10

7. Festivals aren't only about performances, but also about food! This lightly fried vegetarian dish, originally from North China, is a staple at Edmonton festivals. Hint

green onion cakes

elephant ears

gelato

hommous

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Question 8 of 10

8. The Edmonton folk festival is not only popular among fans, it's also extremely popular among musicians, many of whom return year after year. This musician, most famous for "Midnight at the Oasis", and "Cookin' Breakfast (for the One I Love)" has returned to the festival more than four times. Hint

Janice Ian

Etta James

Dar Williams

Maria Muldaur

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which style of music are you not likely to hear at a Folk Festival? Hint

klezmer

rockabilly

blues

rap

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Question 10 of 10

10. The week after the FolkFest ends, Edmonton hosts another world famous festival, The Fringe Theatre Festival. This is modeled after the older and larger Fringe Festival in which city? Hint

Paris

Madrid

Cleveland

Edinburgh

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Joni Mitchell

Edmonton follows the usual Folk Festival system of evening main-stage concerts, and afternoon sessions on smaller stages. These "side stage" sessions consist sometimes of concerts by one performer or band, and sometimes of "workshops" - a mix of performers put together in the hopes that musical magic will follow.

Answer: North Saskatchewan

The Festival takes over the small river-side community of Cloverdale for the second weekend in August. Cloverdale residents receive free passes to the FolkFest, as a gesture of thanks, and of apology for the traffic and noise that invades their neighbourhood every year.

Answer: 9:00 PM

Another fine, but smaller folk festival is held at Joussard, on Lesser Slave Lake, 250 km north of Edmonton, at the time of the summer solstice. There, you can still see the last rays of sunset at 11:30 PM.

4. In 1987, the folkfest was eclipsed in people's minds by a natural disaster that had swept through Edmonton the week before. What was it?

Answer: a tornado

The tornado of July 31, 1987 caused immense damage in the city, and took 27 lives. Tornadoes, hailstorms, and violent thunderstorms are not uncommon in Alberta during the summer, and at times the festival site can be a muddy mess. Over the years, organizers have developed ways of dealing with this, but weather is always a factor in any outdoor festival.

5. Performers come to Edmonton from everywhere. Djelimady Tounkara, Boubacor Traore, and Alpha Yaya Diallo are all recent performers from what part of the world?

Answer: Africa

African performers are extremely popular at the FolkFest, especially at the workshops. They usually travel with a large band who can lay down a beat that enhances almost any style of music. You can't imagine the music made by, say, a five-man Malian band, a couple of American blues guitarists, and an Aboriginal women's chorus. Magic.

Answer: Texas

These men are all brilliant songwriters, and deserve to be far, far more famous than they are.

7. Festivals aren't only about performances, but also about food! This lightly fried vegetarian dish, originally from North China, is a staple at Edmonton festivals.

Answer: green onion cakes

A green onion cake is sort of a cross between a tortilla and a pancake, filled with chopped green onion tops, cut into quarters and dipped in chili sauce. It's a lot better than it sounds, and is probably the most popular food at all of Edmonton's summer festivals. (Except for maybe ice-cream!)

Answer: Maria Muldaur

Other musicians who've been back again and again are Blue Rodeo, Long John Baldry, Christine Lavin, Ellen McIlwaine, John Hammond, Guy Clark...

9. Which style of music are you not likely to hear at a Folk Festival?

Answer: rap

Although the days of the singer-songwriter, the sensitive soul with a guitar, are not over, the definition of folk music has expanded to include many, many types of music. Celtic, world, R&B, gospel,and many other musical styles can now find a shady spot under the big umbrella that is folk music.

10. The week after the FolkFest ends, Edmonton hosts another world famous festival, The Fringe Theatre Festival. This is modeled after the older and larger Fringe Festival in which city?

Answer: Edinburgh

Lots and lots of plays, put on in church basements, community halls and school gymnasiums. With all kinds of surprises, some pleasant, and some less-so, in a Fringe Theatre Festival you pay your (not very much) money, and you take your chances. I'll see you there, and at the FolkFest, next year!

Source: Author agony

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