Jay Nicol is a Calgary resident who has been a Calgary Folk Music Festival volunteer since 2018. “I had time available,” he says, “and I wanted to do some things to improve work-life balance. I wanted to find something that was positive and healthy for me.”
He chose the folk festival because of a strong background in music. He played instruments as a kid, sang in jazz choir, and says, “Music has always been important to me. I see value in the arts.”
Nicol started on the festival’s main field security crew, and says, “It’s such a good spot for a first-time volunteer. You see the heart of things, but you also get a chance to see the whole festival and meet the other teams.”
After his initial work on the main field security crew, Nicol began working in load in, set up, and what he calls “back of house” things. For the past three years he’s been doing stage work. Last year he became stage manager on Stage One; he also works with the Block Heater festival and as part of the Festival Hall crew.
“The Calgary Folk Fest is such a big festival, and they need a lot of volunteers. The opportunities to have a good time are incredible. There’s no doubt that it was the right move for me.”
Nicol knows that the connections between Alberta’s festivals and CKUA are strong. Hearing CKUA mention different festivals on the air led him to volunteer. Nicol also recognizes the ways CKUA supports local and emerging artists. He says that when Kue Varo & The Only Hopes performed at the Palace Theatre during Block Heater 2024, he spoke to Varo about the energy in the crowd.
“I saw Kue and she said how incredible it was for her to be on stage, singing her songs, and hear the audience singing the words back to her. The only way that could happen is because the songs were being played on CKUA, and a bunch of people were listening.”
Nicol describes CKUA’s relationship with Alberta’s music festivals as “communities within communities.” A festival might only last a day or a weekend, but, as he says, “CKUA is the big blanket that wraps it all up. CKUA brings so much value in the musical landscape.”
Thank you, Jay! It’s our pleasure to celebrate you and all the volunteers that make Alberta’s music festivals run so smoothly.
Kennedy Watt, Volunteer Manager for Calgary Folk Music Festival, says that the festival is still seeking volunteers for the 2025 festival, which takes place July 24 – 27 on Prince’s Island Park. “We want you on our team! This year, we are looking for over 1,700 volunteers to help us build, maintain and support the event. Our volunteer team is a diverse festival family where there is a spot for everyone. We are still actively recruiting volunteers, and it’s easy to apply.”
