2023 Volunteer Nominations
Now that the 2023 Festival season has come to an end, it’s that time again to commemorate our amazing volunteers who have provided exceptional service and loyalty to the Festival. Check out the amazing stories and memories our nominated volunteers have to share!!
Caitlin Stanley
Committee: Artist Check-In/Performer Services
Caitlin works tirelessly to organize the Artist Check-in and Performer Service team. Work is done beforehand to train, schedule and prep the committee and then she spends the bulk of the weekend assisting artists, their managers, and theirguests, problem solving and keeping her committee happy and organized. She is a great communicator and a super awesome human. I am so stoked to spend this time with her every year. What a gem.
“I just love volunteering for the folk fest. I love being able to see familiar faces while working hard to bring wonderful music to the community each summer. Taking on a coordinator role has increased the amount I volunteer each year, but even through pandemic hiccups, I still enjoy being a small part bringing the festival together each year. Heck, I love the folk fest so much I have Pete tattooed on my arm.”
Kaayla Tomlyn
Security
“My love affair with the Vancouver Folk Festival began in 1981 when my seven-year-old son, Jason Bushnell and I first ‘ran’ with our belongings to get a spot for our tarp. Ultimately my son, my grandson, Connor (who when under 2 years old danced for hours to the Main Stage music), and I grew up integrating the soul music & we all became Volunteers. The year my son was a Security Coordinator, I joined Security Group B under the excellent leadership of Laura and later Hans took over.
“Each year, I so enjoy catching up with old friends, making new ones, sharing my home baked goodies, listening to Geoff play his uke, and playing together as a family while working security. This past year Hans, Geoff, Mike, Rudy, and I were the old timers. During the weekend, we listen and dance to fabulous festival music, interact with so many people, and know that by volunteering we are helping to make the festival a safe and nurturing event. I am grateful for this opportunity to support Vancouver’s amazing Folk Festival.
“At 82, this may be my swan-song year as far as volunteering. But something dances & rises in my heart and soul when I think about being a part of it. So, we shall see…”
April Pringle
Backstage Beverage Station
“This is such an incredible honour to be nominated as a Great Volunteer at the festival and I want to thank Anya and Courtney! I love volunteering at the festival for a number of reasons. The ambience and hearing the wonderful music flowing through the park, even from behind the scenes is such an incredible draw for me. Being able to see amazing talent from around the world in this beautiful setting while volunteering with a fabulous crew keeps me coming back each year. I also love how organized the festival is. I am lucky to have volunteered in the food and beverage area and to have Anya as the person I report to. She kept everything running smoothly throughout the event and was fun to work with. Meeting new friends, seeing old friends, the camaraderie, meeting the incredible talent, and just being able to say that I am part of Vancouver’s best summer musical event will keep me coming back and volunteering as long as I can. Thanks for letting me be a part of this!”
Vinay Tammala
Operations Support
“This is the first time I’ve volunteered, ever, and I must say that it was a great experience. I was part of a team that was very welcoming, experienced and cheerful which made it very easy for me and every volunteer I interacted with was equally pleasant to work with. I look forward to volunteering for the VFMF in the future and continue this splendid experience of music, people and everything in between : )”
Huck Baldwin
Operations Support
“This year was my first year volunteering for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and I had an absolutely spectacular time. My mother has volunteered in the past and had very positive experiences, so it was always on my radar. I can say that it felt great to be an important part of the overall operations, and the sense of community involvement was deeply satisfying. To see the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes was quite amazing. Thanks to all the volunteers who help make this happen, and I look forward to next year!
“P.S. Love driving around the golf carts!”
Lori Muir
Operations Support
“Overall, I just love working with the amazing group of authentic and kind people at The Festival. Every year, I learn more about the huge effort that goes into pulling it off. I enjoyed coordinating the talented and hard-working Operations Support team this year, setting up the technology for the event. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone next year!”
Gwen Litchfield
Will Call
“I love volunteering for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and being a part of the community of volunteers, staff, festival-goers, artists, sponsors, and vendors all coming together to create a magical festival weekend experience. Great music, gorgeous location, delicious food, friendly people, awesome community! It was especially rewarding to join the 2023 volunteer team to help ensure that this beloved music-lovers festival will continue for many more years to come.”