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Summer 2013 Folk Festivals!

Sing Out! provides an international listing of folk music festivals and camps, which can be found at www.singout.org/fests.html. Our listing is currently updated to feature festivals throughout the summer. Before making summer road trips, camping excursions, etc., be sure to check if there’s a festival near you! Folk music thrives because of live music and community, both of which are available in abundance in festivals throughout the world. We’ve all heard of huge gatherings such as George Wein’s famed Newport Folk Festival, but you’ll also find a lot to love at smaller gatherings. We hope to be able to provide our fans and readers with a slew of things to do during festival season, and assist our festival friends in finding new faces!

Kick off the month in the crowds of America’s oldest continuously run folk festival! Since 1928, The Mountain Dance & Folk Fest has featured talented folk musicians and dancers from the Southern Appalachians. The festival is located in the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville, North Carolina, and it runs from August first until the third. Tickets can be purchased from the Diana Wortham Theatre website. Celebrate the festival’s 85-year anniversary and enjoy all the music, dancing, and fun that it has to offer! More info here.

You can cool off a little to the tunes of bluegrass and folk musicians at the Great Lakes Folk Fest in Michigan. The lineup includes the Clear Fork Bluegrass Quartet, Mike Epsy & Yakity Yak, Joel Mabus, and Red Tail Ring. There is also an art fair within the festival where you can browse through the works of folk and environmentally friendly “green” artists. The festival takes place from the ninth until the 11th, and admission is simply a donation of your choice. More info here.

The Liberty Bell won’t be the only thing ringing true in Philly area between the 15th and 18th! The Philadelphia Folk Fest features David Bromberg, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jake Shimabukuro, Black Prairie, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Asleep at the Wheel, The Stray Birds, and many others, as well as offering workshops for various instruments and songwriting. Ticket prices range from $32-$67, with additional charges if you’re camping, and can be purchased online in advance or at the gates. More info here.

You’ll strike gold with this California find, The Summergrass Bluegrass Fest at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California! From the 16th to the 18th, you can clap along to national, international, regional, and local bluegrass bands, including NewFound Road, Sierra Hull, and Bluegrass Etc. Kids can choose their favorites from a variety of family activities. Bring along a tent and sleeping bags, because there are dry campsites available! The tickets prices range from $18-$61, and you can purchase them online or at the gate. More info here.

After the Great Lakes Folk Fest, you should travel to the other side of the lakes for the Great River Folk Fest.  Located at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this festival has a skilled lineup, featuring Dar Williams, SHEL, Harmonious Wail, Willy Porter, and Claudia Schmidt. The Craft Venders are equally talented artisans, hosting a unique mix of weavers, knitters, jewelers, potters, sculptors, and more. While exploring the festival, be sure to stop by the Songwriting and Performance Contest. Day tickets can only be purchased online, and day tickets are available both online and at the gate. More info here.

— Kelsey Leck