The 50th Annual Philadelphia Folk Fest is this week!
It’s that time again folks, for FEST! Philly Folk Fest that is.. Our team had a great time covering last year and we’re looking forward to bringing you all the latest and greatest from the Fest once again. This year is set to be an amazing year, being the 50th anniversary! Families for generations have made Philly Folk Fest a tradition and some have been coming since the very beginning, then bringing their childeren and now grandchildren.
If you have not experienced Folk Fest, it’s hard to really explain its magnificence. Over the course of four days you’re in a world oozing with music lovers of all kinds, community -neighborly camping, peace, love, and fun. To imagine 30,000 camping in harmony, all in one place, where there are actually road signs that direct you to camping villages, is really something you have to just see to believe.
The amount of music you see and hear over the course of four days is also hard to covey in just a few simple sentences. From Bluegrass to alt country, to folk rock, to funk and blues, it’s all here for you at Folk Fest. There are over 6 stages inside the festival grounds with music starting as early as 10:30am lasting thought the night. Not to mention all of the music happing at camp, which is equally as good to the music happening inside the festival grounds. Musicians come to see their icons on stage during the day and then share their music with each other and the rest of those camping throughout the night.
So if you have not made plans for folk fest this year, you have a few days left to get you camping gear together and tickets purchased. Whether planing to go with a few friends or take the whole family, folk fest has camping areas for those who wish to party all night and those who might wanta’ turn in a little earlier with the kids.
Philly Folk Fest is also working on introducing a new project this year that would make Folk Fest truly green. They are raising money through Kickstarter.com to host a number of environmental guests who will be able to reduce 40% of the festival waste via composting. To help make this eco-friendly project a reality, click here to donate. They need to raise $5000.00 in the next 5 days. You and your friends can make this happen by donating as little as a $1, to as much as you can spare.
See below for the official press releases for Folk Fest along with the official lineup and how to purchase tickets. See ya at the FEST!
PHILADELPHIA – THE PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL turns the Big 5-0 this year and they have a lot to brag about. This beloved event is the longest continuously-running festival of its kind in North America and will celebrate its Golden Anniversary on August 19-21 at the Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford Township, near Schwenksville, PA.
To commemorate this historic event, great efforts were taken to pay tribute to its musical roots. “We looked to a theme of Past, Present and Future,” says Lisa Schwartz, President of the Philadelphia Folksong Society that produces and presents the annual summer festival. “We really want to honor our musical lineage and highlight not only the heritage artists, but also the new traditionalists who will help to teach future generations to love folk music.”
Among the top attractions at the 50th Annual PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL celebration is:
Arlo Guthrie – David Bromberg Big Band – Jorma Kaukonen—The Campbell Brothers – The Kennedys – Angel Band — Joel Plaskett Emergency – The Wood Brothers – Tom Paxton – Tom Rush – Dala – Tempest – Madison Violet – Give & Take Jugglers – The Great Groove Band – Dan Bern – Justin Townes Earle – John Hartford String Band – David Amram – The Battlefield Band – John Flynn – Elizabeth Butters – Alexis P. Suter Band – Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys – Runa – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen – Wilderness of Manitoba – Kim & Reggie Harris – Roy Book Binder – Footworks – Caitlin Rose – Brad Hinton – Burning Bridget Cleary – The Berrys – and more to be announced at a later date!
“Collaboration will be the key focus this year,” said Artistic Director, Richard Kardon. “Imagine the possibilities,” said the other Artistic Director, Jesse Lundy. What if Arlo Guthrie is backed up by the David Bromberg Big Band? Perhaps Jorma Kaukonen and Roy Book Binder will discuss the impact and play the music of the
Reverend Gary Davis. Or, maybe Tom Rush, Tom Paxton and David Amram will perform together. Dala, Madison Violet and The Battlefield Band could discuss and perform Atlantic Celtic fiddle songs. How about Sunday Morning Gospel with the Campbell Brothers’ Sacred Steel? Or, Kim & Reggie Harris, The Kennedys and David Bromberg & Nancy Josephson could present a song workshop as husband and wife teams? So, expect the unexpected!
Returning for his 50th consecutive year as host is WXPN-FM DJ Gene Shay who has been called the “Godfather of Philadelphia Folk Music”. Shay, who helped put together the very first PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL, has been the same golden voice on the radio, playing folk artists every Sunday night, for most of our lives.
The PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL is a perfect family event, too. You will find an unrivaled selection of attractions for the kids, especially in Dulcimer Grove, the shady area between the Crafts Stage and the Camp Stage, where puppeteers, jugglers, storytellers, hands-on crafts and of course, kid-oriented musicians make it a haven for folk fans 12 and under. This year, there will be a concentrated effort to have continuous programming, including interactive musical events for children and families from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children up to 11 years of age are admitted free of charge to the concert area. Older kids, 12 to 16, will again be eligible for the special “youth ticket”, allowing them into the grounds for half the regular gate price, when accompanied by an adult.
Tickets for the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL are now on sale and can be purchased online at
www.folkfest.org.
For complete information about the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL and tickets, visit the website at
www.folkfest.org or call the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL office at 800-556-FOLK.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Extended Lineup
June 9, 2011
50th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival Announces Exciting Additions to Historic Golden Anniversary Event
PHILADELPHIA – The 50th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival, scheduled to celebrate its Golden Anniversary August 18-21, 2011 on the Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford Township (near Schwenksville), PA had added several luminaries to its already stellar line up:
THE LEVON HELM BAND
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE,
THE DAVID WAX MUSEUM, HOOTS AND HELLMOUTH, GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV, TERRANCE SIMIEN, DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD, JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD,
Philly Local artists JIM BOGGIA, and SUZIE BROWN
The righteous roster released last month already includes:
Arlo Guthrie, David Bromberg Big Band, Jorma Kaukonen,
The Campbell Brothers, The Kennedys, Angel Band,
Joel Plaskett Emergency, The Wood Brothers, Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Dala, Tempest,
Madison Violet, Give & Take Jugglers,
The Great Groove Band, Dan Bern, Justin Townes Earle,
John Hartford String Band, David Amram, The Battlefield Band,
John Flynn, Elizabeth Butters, Alexis P. Suter Band,
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, RUNA, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Wilderness of Manitoba, Kim & Reggie Harris, Roy Book Binder, Footworks, Caitlin Rose, Brad Hinton,
Burning Bridget Cleary, The Berrys.
“We are thrilled with the way the stages are shaping up”, says Lisa Schwartz, President of the Philadelphia Folksong Society, the nonprofit organization that presents the seminal musical event. “With the focus on collaboration this year, the potential for history-making, once-in-a-lifetime pairings is just limitless”, Schwartz stated. It just wouldn’t be the Folk Festival without beloved Master of Ceremonies and Godfather of Philadelphia Folk Music, Gene Shay. Celebrating 50 years as the host of this momentous event, Shay was actually one of the “Founding Fathers” of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, managing the Production of the very first outing in1962. Gene’s mellifluous voice and infectious grin are as synonymous with “Fest” as the smiley banjo.
Thursday night
Amanda Shires – Terrance Simien – Joel Plaskett Emergency
Friday
Roy Book Binder – Alexis P. Suter Band – Dry Branch Fire Squad – Justin Townes Earle – Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys – Tempest – Hoots and Hellmouth — Brad Hinton – Burning Bridget Cleary – The Berrys
Saturday
Trombone Shorty – David Bromberg Big Band – Jim Boggia – Suzie Brown – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen – Dala – Madison Violet – Runa – The Battlefield Band – Elizabeth Butters – John Hartford String Band – Angel Band – Footworks – Jorma Kaukonen – The Campbell Brothers – Arlo Guthrie
Sunday
Wilderness of Manitoba – Caitlin Rose – Gregory Alan Isakov – Dan Bern – David Wax Museum – Tom Paxton – David Amram – Tom Rush – The Wood Brothers – The Levon Helm Band – Jessica Lea Mayfield
Tent campers enjoy an additional concert on Thursday night! Imagine settling into our 40-acre living room and becoming a part of the musical landscape. The campground at the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL is considered the ultimate Folk Festival experience.
.
For complete information about the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL and tickets, visit the website at www.folkfest.org or call the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL office at 800-556-FOLK.
