Juliana and Douglas McCorison welcome you to Pondside

This year's Guests of Honor are Professor Peter Alway and... Judi Miller Performer of the year, 2006 as a very special Wizard of ASL

Peter Alway is the World Famous creator of the Lego Dulcimer as well as being an accomplished composer and performer. Professor Pete will NOT be bringing his Lego with him but is thoroughly entertaining without it.

 

Judi Miller is our extra special special guest. Judi combines her knowledge of ASL with an innate ability to enhance musical performances for the hearing as well. She also sings and plays guitar and is one of the nicest folks we know.

Phone (250) 361-1830

or Email Juliana @ pondsidemusic.com

Pondside is in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
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What do I get with my registration for PondFilk VIII?

The chance to join us for a weekend of music and filk (not always the same thing) - you'll not regret it!

Song circles, master classes (Hey - how'd you do that??) good people and a serene pond emptied of friendly koi. A hot tub and ... did I mention good music?

An opportunity to contribute $$ to the operating costs of Pondfilk -- you think the GOHs walked here??

Yeah -- filk -- a whole weekend of it!! The Canadian Northwest's own FILK CON. What is Filk?

You can take a break Saturday morning and wander around Victoria, get up early Sunday (if you plan to sleep at all) and have dim sum down in China Town... (as the cruise tours put it - at your leisure)

We provide accommodations that span from "luxurious and spacious" to - "grab a corner of the floor next to the other 6 people in this room..." Book early for actual "bed space" . Bed size will be assigned by mass rather than preference i.e. 1 person does not get Queen if couples need beds. You MUST preregister -- this is a private home - participation is requested and co-operation is required. Space is NOT limitless! Please do NOT invite anyone without ensuring they have been registered or have booked private accomodations.

Sunday, June 29th, Pondfilk moves to the Victoria Folk Music Society Open Stage to freak the mundanes err I mean, entertain folk and introduce Filk to more people.

 

2007 Puzzlebox provided two evenings of concerts and a very good salsa and bbq. Did I mention we love them and they are returning...

2006's Guests of Honor were Jeff & Maya Bohnhoff (2005 Pegasus Winners for Best Performer! ) and their talented daughter Christine. We would have kept them but, they had to go back to California.

2005's Guest of Honor, was Steve Macdonald -- yes, the Worldream Steve Macdonald!!!! Steve Macdonald was our GOH. Entertaining us non-stop and... doing yeoman's work as a luthier on Shaddyr's guitar.

In 2004, Blake Hodgetts joined us - such a talented man with a voice to die for an a really keen wit and superior command of the English (amongst others) language.

In 2003 our Guest of Honor, was "B N F" -- Joe Bethancourt, aka Joseph of Locksley, aka "that guy with all those instruments and fingers that fly so fast we can't see them", from Phoenix Arizona.

He also performed in House Concert at Pondside Music, June 30th, 2003 so the rest of the city enjoyed him too. It was a sell out crowd and we're looking forward to his next visit. We're still discussing - but he wants to return.

 

This last week 2 very special people have died. Utah Phillips and Robert Asprin both passed from this world leaving it a lonelier place. In honour of their lives I'm releasing this song by Shaddyr in pre-mix state. She said what I feel. She said it a few years ago and everytime someone dies, I feel it again.

Available Accomodations:

1 king - Pondside
1 Queen - Pondside Office
1 single Pondside basement corner suite
1 Queen - Pondside Basement bedroom
1 single - Pondside library
1 Queen airmattress pondside basement open area
1 single - Pondside laundry room

Large tent next to pond
Garden Shed?
Other - airmattresses, couches and lots of floor...


Tent in back -- grass space in front for very public tenting site ( we'll find grass somewhere)

1 Queen Master Oceanside cat free zone
1 Oceanside bunk bed set/ 2nd 1/2 of bunk bed
1 queen airmattress- Oceanside livingroom
1 queen - Oceanside basement bedroom / 1 queen airmattress on craft side of room
1 double airmattress- Oceanside studio in basement
1 Queen airmattress Oceanside Diningroom
1 Queen sized airmattress - Oceanside basement living room
1 Queen sized airmattress - Oceanside basement office

1 3/4 sized in RV
1 chesterfield in RV
1 single in RV

Victoria also has a fine and copious selection of B&B's and hotels. We have 4 B&B's within 3 blocks of Pondside.
http://www.victoriaseasidebedandbreakfasts.com/victoria-bed-and-breakfasts.htm
http://www.bedandbreakfasts.ca/location.htm

ALLERGY WARNING:

We have cats (8) and dogs (2).

The dogs are allergy free brands. 4 of the cats are low allergen Devon Rex but the other 4 cats are a menace to respiration.

We have the house professionally cleaned prior to events and have non-pet sleeping quarters (next door) but the music area(s) are not cat free. They live here...

Food Issues: Your donations are especially welcome to assist in paying for the food trays, fresh veggies and fruit and baked goods.

We will try to provide food for the weekend - if you have special dietary needs (we have registered attendees with diabetes and food allergies) we will try to meet your needs - but if we can't --

Douglas McCorison - Chef etc-there is a major grocery store 3 blocks away.

 

We had Saturday lunch and dinner catered. That will get me to the music and out of the kitchen - Juliana is resigning from kitchen drudge :)

 

 

Douglas in the kitchen with his famous "Dutch Babies" for Sunday breakfast.

How do I get there?

Well, that depends on where you start:

From Vancouver - Catch BC Ferries at Tswwassen or Horseshoe Bay (there are buses available on those ferries) and travel to Victoria. BC Ferries runs every hour during the summer - foot passenger cost approx $11.000 CA$, Parking approx $13. per day.

From the USA - we have an international airport, inner harbour water planes, a helijet route and of course - both BC Ferries and the Coho Ferry that runs from Port Angeles to downtown Victoria . Parking approx $6 per day US$, foot passenger $10 US$. If you are planning to take the Coho ferry - a good choice btw, you should know that they have limited sailing's but you may reserve, so if you plan to bring a vehicle - I'd recommend reserving if you choose to bring the car. Parking on that side and walking over is much easier - cash is required for parking.

However you decide to get here: please contact us to register and discuss travel details and directions. We are offering pickup service from ferries, airport and bus depot. Local bus service runs from the ferry to downtown, from downtown to within one block of Pondside.

Victoria is situated on Vancouver Island. While you do not have to have a passport yet, if you are driving across the US Border you will require:

  1. picture ID - drivers license or military id etc... AND
  2. proof of citizenship such as your birth certificate, naturalization card

A passport is definitely the best bet these days (as you'll want to get back into the US after Pondfilk) but lots of the above will work too.

From the USA for flights you will require a passport or a Canadian Permanent Residents card. For ferry from Seattle or PA you will require proof of citizenship crossing the Canadian/US border. The rules for returning to the US change daily.

Understand -- the Canadian requirements are driven by the US requirements because they will not let you into Canada if there is a good liklihood that you will NOT be able to re-enter the US because of insufficient documentation. No Offense, but Canada does not necessarily wish to keep you.

Small gentlebeings:

  • If you are planning on bringing smalls with you, you will need the written permission of the absent parent along with a contact phone number for same or presence of both parents and good id including proof of citizenship for them too. Without this you will not be crossing the border. If you're coming from Canada, Vancouver Island does not require proof of anything other than the willingness to pay lots of money to use a ferry and or plane..
  • You should know that Pondside is NOT childproof. We have large areas of very deep water (ponds) 2 small dogs and 8 cats.

About us:

Pondside Gallery Pondfilk V  

Juliana and Douglas McCorison welcome you to Pondside, our home and to Pondfilk.

Pondside Music presents approximately eleven House Concerts per year, Celtic, folk, blues, etc. with all proceeds from the reservations and CD sales going to the performing musician(s). The seating capacity of the great room is approximately 45 with overflow seating potential in the grandhall and upper balconies.