There are moments you quickly realize are perfect. Moments when all your senses and feelings open up and bathe you in contentment; for me it happened on a beautiful warm spring day on the Lachine Canal. I was pedaling my bike along the canal with the mid-afternoon sun warming my face. I had just passed the Atwater market when, sweet, melodic music began serenading me, enticing me, drawing me in.
It came from a park bordered by a waist high metal fence, beside the canal; and as I approached I could easily see a couple of stages and signs for the “Folk Fest sur le Canal”. It was free to get in, and as soon as I locked my bike on the canal railing, I entered the site and joined the festivities.
Strolling around I found craft stalls where artisans sold new age jewelry, clothes and art. There were vendors selling frozen fruit juice on a popsicle stick, there were food trucks, and of course the St-Ambroise Brewery had a booth where you could rent a re-usable cup and buy some draft beer.
Everything seemed so low key and relaxed, and once I had satisfied my curiosity about the various things on offer, I drifted to the main stage. A trio, two guitars and a singer, Camille Delean, were onstage performing a folk ballad. She filled the air with such beautiful high notes and melodic lower ones.
There was lots of space in front of the stage for people to relax on picnic blankets or just lie in the sun; and as the couples, groups of friends and small families sprawled on the grass, they actively or passively, just enjoyed the music. Same sex couples felt at ease showing discrete affection and groups of friends let the music intersperse with their conversations. The sound wasn’t blaring, but melodic and soothing, almost like a lullaby and it wasn’t unusual to see a toddler, totally relaxed, sleeping on her mother’s chest.
I found a piece of open grass, and as I sat there enjoying the music, I realized that it was the ambiance as much as the music that drew people here; and all these things, the music, the warm sun, the easy non-threatening environment, plus the friendships and family harmony around me, made me feel that this was a perfect moment.
Perfect indeed…