The Saskatoon Fringe is officially over for another year. This was, of course, my second time as a pop-up busker on the street. I had 11 sets but was only able to hit 10 of those due to a combination of health and weather.

Healthwise, an obnoxious new issue popped up for me this spring that started affecting my voice so I was really worried about singing this summer. I survived a few sets at the Saskatoon Farmers Market but the Fringe is more intense and my nerves were high. Admittedly, I was a bit rocky but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Maybe because I knew what to expect. I was also not as busy outside of performing this year so I was able to take care of myself a bit better. 

The crowds were smaller this year which is unfortunate but lots of festivals and events are struggling somewhat. There are many reasons for this one of which I’ll get into another time. It did make it tough to relax and have fun. I’ve played gigs where no one really paid attention to us but at least then, I was with a band. It’s uncomfortable when you’re beginning your solo career and there aren’t many people listening! 

Despite those issues, I had a pretty good Fringe experience. Got some compliments and had some great feedback from one couple who stayed to listen to a few songs. Of course, I have to thank everyone at the Fringe. The visitors, the performers, the vendors, and especially the organizers - without everyone, there is no Fringe. 

The photos you see are ones I took between or before some of my sets. Of course, I'm not able to take (good) pictures of myself while playing but I've upload several videos of me performing to my YouTube channel so go check that out. http://www.youtube.com/@pgakis

And if you want to see more of my photography, go to patriciagakisimagery.com.

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