For years, the end of summer was heralded by the coming of the Philadelphia Folk Festival. The cool nights would remind festival goers that that following weekend was Labor Day and it was time to head back indoors for the season.

Starting this year, the Philadelphia Folk Festival is moving to the third full weekend in August – one week earlier than “normal”. Hopefully this won’t confuse too many people. I would hate to see people winterizing their pools, harvesting their gardens and getting the sweaters out of mothballs earlier than necessary.

I am a relative “newbie” to the Philadelphia Folk Fest, but I have succumbed to the charm and personality of this event. I guess it was my terminal case of procrastination that kept me from discovering the magic earlier, but when I visited Old Pool Farm for the first time in 2001 I was hooked. The festival combined a respect for traditional music, a showcase for contemporary acoustic, and a stage for the finest collection of artists and fans I’ve had the pleasure of joining. With Gene Shay as the iconic emcee, the Philadelphia Folk Festival is both a link to the past and a path to the future.

The festival “grew up” in the shadow of the Newport Folk Festival, an event that had much more publicity and notoriety. In retrospect, this allowed the Philadelphia Folk Festival to develop its own “personality” and avoid many of the pitfalls that eventually swallowed up Newport.

The Philadelphia Folk Festival was created by the Philadelphia Folksong Society, an organization that begn operations in early 1958. The group held monthly meetings and sings, produced concerts and picnics and helped motivate the folk community in Philadelphia. As the folk revival grew and with the success of various festivals such as Newport, the Philadelphia Folksong Society decided to hold their own event. The first festival was scheduled for September 8 and 9th at the Wilson Estate in Paoli, Pennsylvania – a sit that was normally used for the breeding and pasture of thoroughbred horses. The event would close out the season of summer festivals.

The inaugural lineup would feature Rev. Gary Davis, Ramblin Jack Elliot, Bonnie Dobson, The Greenbriar Boys, Paul Cadwell, Tossi Aaron and others. The festival organizers knew the event would be a success when Pete Seeger agreed to perform.

Despite unusually cold weather, the initial festival was well received by fans, musicians and the folk press. It was noted for the lack of commercialism that was invading other festivals and the folk music community in general. The festival would be scheduled for late August in future years, and as time went on, more “commercial” artists would find their way into the lineup, but the festival maintained a commitment to presenting traditional music and dance and offering a stage to expose “new” artists to a wider audience.

As a non-profit organization, the Philadelphia Folksong Society uses proceeds from the festival to support a variety of programs – scholarships to support undergraduate and graduate study for folk musicians, providing seed grants to other festivals and organizations, and support of musicians bringing music into schools and the community – including hospitals, hospices, senior centers and mental health centers.

The family atmosphere at the Philadelphia Folk Festival is felt the moment you enter the gates. Family’s have been attending this event for decades and it is not unusual to see several generations gathered together on a blanket enjoying the music.

When you arrive at the site (Old Pool Farm near Schwenksville, PA), you will be greeted by a colorful “Grand Entrance Foyer”. The highly decorated ticket booth and entranceway will have you thinking that you have arrived at a Renaissance Festival or some sort of Disney World designed by Salvador Dali.


To one side of the entrance you will find a dance tent with a 3500 square foot wooden floor. During the weekend some great bands will be offering up over 22 hours of dance music for those who enjoy the spirited pastime.

The campground scene is legendary with approximately 5000 people spending the weekend at the site. Often the campsites are festooned with elaborate directions and touches of home to create a unique atmosphere. Late night sings are common, but a “quiet” area has also been established for those who wish a more subdued experience.

The festival actually will begin on Thursday evening in the campground with a special concert – “The Ribbon of Highway/Endless Skyway Tour“, a musical event featuring the words and music of Woody Guthrie as performed by a cast that includes Jimmy LaFave, Eliza Gilkyson, Joel Rafael, The Burns Sisters and Terri Hendrix.

One of the most iconic features of the Philadelphia Folk Festival is emcee Gene Shay. The legendary Philadelphia radio personality has been there since the inception. His warm presence and corny jokes are the glue that holds the evening concerts together and makes the event more than just a series of concert performances.

What about the music? The hallmark of this festival is the great variety that is offered. You will be sure to see some of the “name” performers who are the upper echelon of the current scene, and you will be exposed to “new” artists that will soon become part of your personal soundtrack.

During the day there are numerous workshops taking place on the grounds. This years themes include drinking songs; kids music; guitar, mandolin & fiddle stylings; storytelling; old-timey; bluegrass and even a workshop on Tuva throat singing! In addition, there will be showcases for contemporary artists such as Antje Duvekot, Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Amos Lee (who toured last year with Bob Dylan!) and more!

The mainstage concerts will take place in the afternoon and evening on each day of the festival. As per festival tradition, each nights concert will be kicked off with piper Dennis Hangey parading through the crowd to signify the start of the evening festivities.

Friday night kicks off with a lineup that features The Roches, returning to the stage as a trio after a 10 year hiatus. Eliza Gilkyson returns to the Philadelphia Folk Festival and many people will remember the moving solo performance she gave two years ago. Also appearing on Friday night will be Nashville’s Rodney Crowell who will perform some of his Grammy Award winning songs. Rounding out the bill will be Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, and the Burns Sisters Band.

The name most people are talking about will be appearing on Saturday afternoon. Jackson Browne will appear with David Lindley for a two hour set beginning at 4pm. Jackson Brown began his string of hits in the 1970’s with songs such as “The Pretender”, “Doctor My Eyes” and “Running on Empty”. His musical partner David Lindley formed his own group in 1981 called El Rayo-X, which blended American roots music and world sounds with an emphasis on reggae. The duo have reunited for a tour of Europe and a stop at Philly!

A diverse and exciting lineup is in store for Saturday night! The Avett Brothers kick off the evening with their mix of old-time country, bluegrass, pop melodies, folk, rock n’ roll, honky-tonk and ragtime. Following them will be a group that I am very anxious to see – the Ronstadt Ramirez Santa Cruz River Band. The Arizona based band features Ted Ramírez, Michael Ronstadt (brother of Linda Ronstadt) and Gilbert Brown with a repertoire of Southwestern folk music mixing in tunes from Mexico and the United States.

The international blend continues on Saturday night with a group hailing from Tuva in Southern Siberia – Huun Huur Tu. Using a technique called “xöömei”, throat-singers simultaneously produce two distinct pitches. The group has shared stages across the globe including concerts with The Chieftains, Ry Cooder and Frank Zappa.

Also on Saturday night, singer Raul Malo. Born in Miami from Cuban parents, Raul’s music features elements of Latin jazz, salsa, country and rock and roll.

The festival will conclude with a powerful lineup on Sunday. (The Sunday concert begins at 4pm and will run until 9:30pm).

On the bill (no pun intended) will be The Duhks. This exciting band from Canada has been receiving rave reviews and they are not to be missed!! From the Shetland Islands comes Fiddler’s Bid, a group that is noted for an outstanding four-person front fiddle line and an outstanding repertoire of traditional tunes. Hot Tuna will grace the stage for what promises to be an exciting set. Also in the Sunday lineup – David Jacobs Strain, who is guaranteed to excite the audience with his virtuoso guitar licks; British R&B soul singer James Hunter will turn heads with his amazing vocals, Philly native Amos Lee who opened for Bob Dylan on a 2005 tour, the captivating charm of Terri Hendrix; and Shemekia Copeland, daughter of the late Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland.

Also on the schedule for Sunday is the Great Groove Band, a group that has become a regular feature at the Old Songs Festival. The band features fiddlers Donna Hebert and Jane Rothfield, Liza Constable on guitar and voice, and bassist Stuart Kenney who also plays banjo. The group will be working with youngsters during the course of the weekend, teaching them to join in on a variety of acoustic instruments, and the kids will join the group on stage during the Sunday performance. This is not to be missed!!!

There are more performers. There is a crafts area that features a wide variety of products, art adn demonstrations. Don’t get me started on the food – it is superb festival fare! The above notes are just highlights. This year promises to be another wonderful event and you will be sure to discover some great new artists! The festival is about a two hour drive from the Teaneck area, and it is well worth the trip either for the entire weekend or simply a day trip! I procrastinated too long and missed many great festivals – don’t make the same mistake I did! Go!!!!

Next week I will have a review of the festival along with pictures. If you would like more information about the Philadelphia Folk Festival, visit their website at www.folkfest.org . You can also call them at 800-556-FOLK.

See you there!!!