Gagetown — The rainbow-coloured posters are still plastered across phone poles, but the event is finally over.
The 7th annual FeelsGood Folly Fest wrapped up Sunday evening when a downpour — which marked the first shower in weeks for many of those in attendance — rained out the tail end of the 3-day event.
If you’ve been on social media in recent history, you’ve undoubtedly been bombarded by posts about Folly Fest. “Can’t wait for #Folly!!” was among the most frequent expressions that began cropping up on Facebook and Twitter as early as 3 months ago. “Packing for #Folly2015!” was another common pronouncement, describing countless generic-looking suitcase pictures on Instagram. Numerous young New Brunswickers updated their Facebook cover photos to a proud “I’m going” banner, in case you weren’t sure whether certain friends were on the fence about the event.
“I figure we’ve got a few hours of down-time online before hundreds of people start posting their Folly Fest Facebook albums,” mused Reid Hanson, 25, a Fredericton resident who didn’t join his friends at the event because he had to work (or so he told them). “This is kind of like the eye of the storm. Monday they’re all hungover and coming down, but tonight — mark my words — the Internet will be all ribbons and rainbow hula hoops and white guys with dreads.”
Research conducted by Statistics Atlantic found that Tuesday at noon will see a sudden spike in posts about Folly Fest, at which point the hype over the event — which, as far as The Manatee could discern, is basically a bunch of people standing in a field smoking pot with some music in the background — will slowly taper off, declining sharply on Friday. “Excitement over Folly Fest was at its highest last week, building to a climax over the 3 days of the actual festival,” explained head researcher Martha Henderson. “Even though this week will seem painful if you didn’t attend, it’s important to bear in mind that it’s really a denouement of sorts. It doesn’t feel like it, but rest assured that it will all be over soon. I promise.”
“I’ve been excited all spring about the end of Folly Fest,” said Mason Wentworth, 45, of Gagetown, who lives within earshot of festival. “This is the best week of summer, in my mind. I turn off the computer and phone, and I can pretend like it never even happened.”
“Festival Season” is far from over, but research suggests the forthcoming 50 or so events that are exactly like Folly Fest will be less talked-about, thus more bearable.