We’ve been raving about this four-day festival all year. Last week, the 2010 edition took over the city with over 200 bands at just under 25 venues throughout the downtown core and surrounding areas. This collaborative nature, intended to help festival goers “Discover a Live Calgary”, has helped Sled Island to become a staple event in Calgary’s summer festival line-up.
Although I attended in 2009, I opted out this year due to the ticket price doubling. Instead, I decided to check out the Young Buds shows. When I showed up at the Young Buds Kick Off & Smash-Up Derby, I guess I was expecting to find a bunch of teens who couldn’t go to the 18+ shows ready and waiting to rock out to some bands who had graciously agreed to play for a younger crowd. As such, I was a bit disappointed when I showed up late to an fairly empty Cantos Foundation. The room was populated by what seemed like pre-teens and their moms. An awkward viewing experience followed.
However, Kids Up Front, a charitable organization that “provides access to arts, culture, sport and recreation for children who otherwise do not have the opportunity”, ‘saved the day’, and graciously provided donated, unused tickets to the mainstage events on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to them, three of us were able to attend the festivities and have a wicked few days.
Conclusion: I would greatly appreciate it if Sled Island would work on its youth-friendliness. Although mainstage is all-ages, the tickets are ridiculously expensive, making it inaccessible for many of us. I appreciate that the 18+ crowd wants to consume alcohol in peace, but I think a big part of fostering an engaged youth community is treating them like the ‘apprentice adults’ that they are.
We’ll be bringing you more posts over the coming days about the great bands that played, and we may even have an interview in store for you. Stay tuned.