Tongue on the Post waiting on Medalta approval as livestream venue with no audience

The 12 shows will feature artists from across the province and will be livestreamed from Monday-Saturday.

The festival was given the green light and permission from AHS and government officials to do the recordings.

But due to public health restrictions, their partners and host venue at Medalta are at a standstill with the closure of all museums right now.

Rob Pape, Executive Director of Medicine Hat Folk Music Club says festival plans were all good and approved by AHS until the latest restrictions came down in December.

In his talks with AHS and government officials, Pape says they will know more on Thursday (Jan.21) if their plans at Medalta can go ahead.

“As far as we’re concerned at the Folk Music Club and the Tongue on the Post festival, Medalta is very much part of our branding and it’s home to us and so we want to be able to present the artists from Medalta. It’s important, Medalta needs the help, they need attention on a bigger scale and it’s an iconic place in our community and we love sharing it.”

Medalta has also applied for a government exemption but is waiting to hear back on that as well.

Regardless, Pape says it sounds like they’ll be able to make something work either way for Tongue on the Post.

It’s a ‘pay what you can’ model this year to watch online, which will be available on Medicine Hat Folk Music Club’s website, Facebook, and YouTube channel.

The World’s Largest Teepee will also be lit up in multiple colours representing the tie-dyed t-shirts for the week of January 25 to 30 in recognition of the festival’s volunteers.

Pape says this year’s headliner is 2020 Juno winners the Indigenous Artist of the Year Celeigh Cardinal and Joal Kamps of Flint & Feather.

Organizers didn’t hire any acts outside of Alberta this year. A normal festival week has over 50 shows in 6 days.

2021 was supposed to be the 15^th anniversary of Tongue on the Post, but it has now been dubbed as the 14 & 3/4 festival because they want to celebrate 15 years when the community can be present.

by Chantal Wagner

Tongue on the Post waiting on Medalta approval as livestream venue with no audience

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