Ending on a high note: Why I'm thankful for Rifflandia's incredible run

Septembers are going to be a tad quieter from here on out.

As a born-and-raised, not-going-anywhere-anytime-soon resident of Greater Victoria, I've developed a genuine connection to this city through its events. And these days, I'm fortunate enough to be a tiny part of the production behind many of them. The sense of community felt through these gatherings has undoubtedly enriched my existence on this rock. For instance, I wouldn't consider the summers of my childhood actual summers until I found myself at Folk Fest in Centennial Square, stuffing my face with lángos or getting ready to hit the stage with my fellow child dancers from the Victoria Filipino-Canadian Association. The same could be said for the late summers of my adulthood with respect to the Rifflandia Music Festival. From its early days as a choose-your-own-adventure musical experience involving many of the city's live music venues, to planting main stage roots in spots like Market Square, Royal Athletic Park, and eventually its recent home at the Matullia Lands in Rock Bay, Rifflandia has been a staple of my music-filled years. And while the news about the official end of the festival's run can be met with sadness, I choose to remain positive and thankful that it got to exist for as long as it did.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/94136f_61d80917885c4afcb04cafba36be5e44/360p/mp4/file.mp4

Regardless of what side of the fence you sat on - be it a hardcore "September Forever" advocate or one who often complained through your keyboard after a lineup announcement - it would be tough for any local music fan to deny Rifflandia's impact on our music scene. Rifflandia set the stage and a standard for the quality of outdoor music festivals Vancouver Island enjoys today. This Island currently plays host to an abundance of top-notch, well-produced live music events (and many of the volunteers, staff, and stage crew whose work crosses over from festival to festival originally cut their teeth under Riff in some capacity). While I've played a few roles within the festival myself, I feel lucky to have had just the right amount of separation to enjoy the moments and memories, while also genuinely witnessing and appreciating all that goes into a production of this scale. Some of the memories I'll take with me include an impromptu outdoor performance by Acres of Lions in the middle of a crowded Discovery Street; my dear friend Pol leading the main stage crowd in a sing-along of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song as he and Dylan brought out The Flaming Lips; and, most importantly, the many times I got to see my kids discover the magic of live music in a way I could have only dreamed of when I was their age.

To me, the end of this festival certainly marks the end of an era. But while the stage lights dim and the front-of-house speakers go silent for the Rifflandia Music Festival, this won't actually mark the end of the Rifflandia Entertainment Company. Their tireless work on the festival created a framework for the team to produce global projects like Beyond the Streets in Paris, France, or the Giants of Africa Festival in Kigali, Rwanda. It's been cool to see this local production team make such an impact with their work in other parts of the world. There seems to be a lot in store for the future of the REC crew. And thanks to the groundwork they helped lay for other local festivals and events, the music fan in me remains optimistic about our city's lively and vibrant summers.