The birthday of the ages!
- Liverpoolfestivalen
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Festival director, Einar Skare, celebrated his 60th birthday at the Liverpool Festival. But that wasn't why he was there!
Text: Einar Skare, festival director, Liverpool Festival
Life as festival director for the Liverpool Festival is a joy, but also changeable and considerably less glamorous than it sounds. Throughout the winter it is largely about applications, permits, licenses, contact with the municipality, fire and landlord etc. - and of course a bunch of festival meetings where you try as best as possible to pick up the threads and pick up the balls that our crazy festival gang, and the prime mover Jaran in particular, throws up. But, after four years of festival we know each other well, know each other's strengths and always manage to play each other's good side. There is no one else I could imagine creating this festival with.
During the festival there is showing, carrying, pointing, preparing bars, coordination and a thousand questions (and a little less answers); but first and foremost it is incredibly fun to create a festival together with supporters for supporters. The kind of grateful bunch! And I have to brag about our volunteer gang; there are more than enough willing hands, problem solvers and contributors, never a bad word, counter messages and adjustments are taken straight away - and we laugh a lot together. It makes up for all the "hard work". The fact that the festival was a success in every way, despite occasional bad weather, with fantastic guests, new acquaintances and even more participants than last year is even more heartwarming. We reached the finish line, you had a great time and we have made new memories together.
"We over 60"
And this year the festival was even more special for the undersigned. On the closing day I turned 60, the first birthday in my life that I have dreaded a bit. Already three years ago the first "we over 60 -" magazines started appearing in my mailbox and there are almost no limits to the number of companies that have wanted to take advantage of a man with mild age anxiety in recent years.
I love this community of ours that lives its own wonderful life; completely independent of social status, economy, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or political stance.
The night before, Friday at the festival, I felt it, 60 years old. But luckily, I woke up on Saturday and was exactly the same. Of course a little more "stout" than usual after almost a week of rigging and festival, but nothing that indicated that anything had drastically changed overnight.
And what a day it was! Birthday songs at the debrief on Friday night, at the festival breakfast, from the volunteers and from the festival board. Handing out posters in the arena, teddy bear hugs from Sammy and Vladimir and our other guests, hundreds of hugs from festival participants and finally birthday songs from nearly 800 fellow supporters on the festival stage. Whether it was age, debris in the eye or something else; there were a few tears. Thank you all so much! I love this community of ours that lives its own wonderful life; completely independent of social status, economy, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or political stance. There aren't many arenas like this. We are all bearers of the Liverpool values. I feel that in my whole body these festival days.
Now we are starting to plan next year's festival. Actually, before we have finished the post-production for this year - and already I can feel it shaking a little. Next summer we will be five years old, we will be beating the big drum, and I am really looking forward to seeing you all again! YNWA!
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