A musician’s reunion at an Archerwill, Sask., farm 14 years ago has
turned into an annual private music festival.
This year’s event drew 1,000 people to Murray Tennent’s northeastern
Saskatchewan farm July 27. The farmer and electrician is also a
musician and he invites fellow music makers and listeners to his farm
for the summer event.
He does no advertising and doesn’t charge for anything. The news is
spread by word-of-mouth.
“You can hear anything from old time, to gospel, to country and
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western, to Dixieland, to rock,” said Tennent.
Last month there were 94 western Canadian musicians on his two sound
stages. The stages serve as sheds to house his lawn mowers in the
winter.
Tennent has wired a former pasture so the people who come in their
campers can have electricity. He has security “mainly to help people
park in straight rows.”
Tennent said he has never had any trouble at the festival. People
usually take up a collection of money, which he puts into upkeep of the
sound stage. The musicians are not paid.
The weekend event has been stretching out with some people arriving
Wednesday to start playing. But the crowd behaves and leaves no garbage.
“You’d be amazed. There’s not so much as a paper cup to be seen come
Monday morning.”
Tennent said people have been good to him. He thinks that’s because he
treats them well and people know he is not charging for their enjoyment.
As for Tennent, he likes a chance to get on the stage, sing and play
guitar with fellow musicians. He intends to continue the festival “as
long as I can.”
