Elise Matthesen

Back when California first told people to stay home because of Covid, there had been a filk convention planned for that next weekend. Some of our more techie folks did more than mourn--they started the first zoom filk event, which is still happening four times a year and is called The Festival of the Living Rooms. Other zoom filk gatherings followed, many of which are still happening even now that people aren't in lockdown. No matter where someone lives in the world, if they have internet and time free during one of them, they can come to share music, chat (in the chat window or sometimes even in the zoom), and listen. I've gotten to know filkers in England, Europe, Australia, and the coasts who I might have met briefly before. People are also welcome to show up and just listen, or do crafts, as they have always been welcome when there's filking at cons. This is a great joy for me.