With just a week to go before the fifth edition of the Electric Eclectics festival of music and sound art is set to take place, festival director Gordon Monahan tells The Independent that everything is ready to roll.
“Every year it seems to get a little bit easier, now it is a well oiled machine,” says Monahan.
The festival which is held at 'The Funny Farm' on Scotch Mountain in rural Meaford has grown each year, and last year over the course of the weekend-long event drew some 1,000 people.
Though Monahan says the goal is to maintain the laid back small festival atmosphere, he is expecting to draw a larger crowd this year.
“We've sold three times as many advance tickets as we did at this point last year,” said Monahan who attributes much of that increase to a focus on online advertising as well as an increased web presence utilizing social media websites such as Facebook.
He also says that the atmosphere created at the festival in previous years has kept people returning year after year.
“The experience of Electric Eclectics is different than other festivals. We are not a corporate style festival with restricted access to specific areas. There are no over priced concessions. It is a laid back event,” explains Monahan, “We never want to become a huge festival. Our goal is to remain a modest size in order to maintain the laid back atmosphere.”
In the first four years the event has showcased some truly unique experiences for festival patrons ranging from amplified washing machines, to outstanding laser and sound performances.
In the early years many of the performers were friends of the event organizers who were able to make the trek to Meaford to enjoy some getaway time in the country and perform a set while they were here. This allowed expenses to be kept to a minimum, but as the festival has grown, so too has the budget in large part thanks to a variety of grants that have allowed organizers to book headlining acts that they were previously unable to afford.
The ability to book higher profile performers hasn't altered the family feel of the festival though, as Monahan says that some of the artists still arrive a week prior to the event for a little getaway, and they even volunteer their time to help with various jobs in preparation for the event.
Volunteers are one of the keys to making Electric Eclectics a successful event. Some 40 – 50 volunteers are involved throughout the year with approximately 30 participating on the actual weekend of the festival. Monahan himself dedicates roughly 2 – 3 months worth of working time each year to put the festival together along with his board of directors.
Much of that time is spent writing grant applications, and the rest is dedicated to organizing, booking artists, and media promotion. In spite of that large chunk of his time dedicated to the festival, Monahan says that it certainly isn't a one man job.
“It takes a team of people to make it happen,” says Monahan, “We have a great board of directors, and our Assistant Director Chris Worden is a great help for sourcing performers. Meaford residents Kathy and John Kerr for example do a lot of volunteer work and are important volunteers. It is a big team.”
Electric Eclectics runs from July 30 through August 1st this year, and will feature 24 bands including Los Angeles based headliners 'Health'.
In addition to the bands, there will also be several art installations, a feature film, and 11 DJ's.
For those who have never experienced the Electric Eclectics festival, but are considering taking it in, Monahan has some simple words of advice.
“Bring an open mind, and open ears,” offers Monahan, “The style of music we present doesn't have mainstream appeal, but there is something for everyone, and there are always surprises.”
He adds that Electric Eclectics a cultural event that is about having fun, and supporting local culture.
