Offbeat

Offbeat — page 3 — I’m there I say Anything not to go home I turn back as Ms O’Krancy claps for our attention at the front Ladies and gentlemen As you well know we leave tomorrow She makes a point of looking at each one of us Our group has ten members and we are all here today You’ve all practiced hard for the past two years for this chance to perform on the main stage at the festival You’ll be in front of the biggest audience you’ve had yet But please remember this festival is not only about performance It’s also about participation You can learn so much from the other musicians You’ve got five days to attend workshops of your choice they’ve got everything from Irish to jazz to Her voice fades as I picture myself standing onstage playing to a massive moving crowd and on the last day of the festival the Grand Prize winner of the fiddle contest will get onstage with Lunar Wait what The group is buzzing Like most of them I can’t go a day without listening to Lunar a band known for its blend of Celtic Cajun and Latin music There’s no other band like it touring right now If I could go 2 MEGAN CLENDENAN

Offbeat — page 4 — onstage with Lunar the world could just stop I need to find out more Okay on to the Irish jig Let’s push the pace to double time Ms O’Krancy says We raise our fiddles and wait for our cue Don’t worry My mom never talks to your mom because she never sees her Shilo whis pers I’m supposed to go home after school and practice for my classical violin lessons My mom thinks they’re my ticket to the youth symphony One and two and three and Ms O’Krancy counts us in and we play in close to perfect unison The music erases the chatter in my head For this moment I’m good After school I see Shilo standing by her mom’s old-style orange VW bug Hi Anna Thanks for picking us up I say wearing my parent-winning smile I shove my fiddle case in the backseat between the empty stainless-steel water bottles and piles of cloth shopping bags and hoist myself onto the 3 OFFBEAT

Offbeat — page 5 — cleanest side Their car smells like dog because of their springer spaniel Jeffrey I don’t mention it Shilo and I were just talking about the music festival Looks like you two will get to share a room with me Anna says as she hops into the driver’s seat I guess your mom won’t be joining us because of her work schedule I don’t need to answer because Anna is now focused on moving the car through the lineup of other parents I let Anna grill Shilo about her school day while I stare out the window playing tunes in my head Hey so how about that contest Shilo asks from the front seat I need to find out more I say Let’s check out their website when we get to your place We pull up to Shilo’s house minutes later and walk through the wild jungle of plants in the front yard Anna heads straight to the kitchen I know she’s probably making us a snack Some home made banana bread or maybe those weird but tasty seaweed chips Shilo opens her laptop and types Blackberry Festival into the search engine Check out the main page she says There’s a huge picture of a guy onstage with a guitar his long hair pulled back in a ponytail He and a 4 MEGAN CLENDENAN

Offbeat — page 6 — fiddler are holding hands as though they are about to bow She’s wearing a sparkly shirt and tons of beaded jewelry This is going to be so fun Click on that button there I say wishing I was the girl on the home page Blackberry Fiddle Contest Come on out and show off your best tunes First round Day 1 at the Garden Stage Each contestant will play one tune of choice The Top 20 will advance to the final round on Day 6 Maybe you will be the lucky Grand Prize winner who gets to perform onstage with Lunar omg can you imagine how awesome that would be I say I click on another link The People’s Choice Award Back by popular demand VOTE for YOUR favorite performer from the first round on Day 1 Winner gets their own 15-minute slot at the Marketplace on Day 3 5 OFFBEAT

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