PHILADELPHIA, PA (PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL) - One of the nation's oldest and most revered musical gatherings has set the stage a week earlier for the three-day extravaganza of traditional and contemporary folk, dance, crafts, camping, and children's activities. For its historic 45th edition unfolding August 18-20 at the Old Pool Farm near Schwenksville, PA, the Festival continues to attract both superstars and rising stars while maintaining its successful balancing act between tradition and innovation.
Among the top attractions at the 45th annual PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL are Jackson Browne and David Lindley, Hot Tuna, Raul Malo, Shemekia Copeland, Rodney Crowell, Amos Lee, James Hunter, Huun Huur Tu, The Roches, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Boris Garcia, Avett Brothers, The Duhks, Arrogant Worms, Natalia Zuckerman, Ronstadt Ramirez Santa Cruz River Band, David Jacobs-Strain, Antje Duvekot, Matt Duke, Hoots and Hellmouth, Angel Band, Melody Gardot, Lizanne Knott, Andrew Lipke, Guy Mendilow, Joel Rafael, and so many more. In all, more than 50 folk, blues, old-timey, bluegrass, world and roots artists will be providing more than 55 hours of music from new and innovative to traditional, including more than 22 hours of dance music in the 3,500 square foot, wooden floor dance tent.
Returning for his 45th year as host/emcee is the Godfather of Philly Folk Music, WXPN radio personality and Festival co-founder Gene Shay, whose four decades of dedication, preservation and promotion of folk music have become legendary - not only in Philadelphia, but around the country.
The PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL features the Grand Entrance Foyer, an outdoor lobby that welcomes festival-goers as they pass through the main entrance with an active area of dance, merchandise, crafts and, in the Philadelphia Folksong Society tent, space for members to gather and meet. A highlight of the Grand Entrance Foyer is the Dance Tent with a 3,500 square foot wooden floor where top-shelf dance bands and callers will be performing live. Learn Swing Dances with Beau Django; Contra Dance with Horse Flies or Groovemama; Waltz to Old Timey tunes or do-si-do your darling during the square dance with Beth Molaro and the Run of the Mill String Band.
The PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL is extremely attractive to families, too. There is an unparalleled 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, The Mum Puppettheatre will be on hand to teach kids how to make puppets! There is also a special Kids' Concert on Friday afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00 featuring Terri Hendrix, Dog on Fleas and Jay Smar. Another special feature for 2006 is The Great Groove Band. Children can register in advance (https://www.dhebert.com/greatgrooveband.html) and receive music and instructions. Then, they can join the band for the entire weekend, rehearsing intensively for three days before a Main Stage performance on Sunday. Just imagine how exciting this will be!
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.
A special section of the campgrounds is designated for Family Camping as a "quieter" area of the tent camping, where campers there are asked, particularly late at night, to avoid after-hours jam sessions.
The campground at the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL is considered the Ultimate Folk Festival Experience where jamming and camaraderie is shared during the large campfire sing after each evening concert. Brand New for those with an All-Festival Camping Ticket, FREE CONCERT THURSDAY NIGHT. The Ribbon of Highway/Endless Skyway Tour is a musical event that captures the timeless heart, wit, soul and spirit of the legendary Woody Guthrie, with a stellar cast of performers that includes Jimmy LaFave, Eliza Gilkyson, Joel Rafael, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, and Terri Hendrix. The concert will take place on the Camp Stage on Thursday night, August 17.
The lineup by day is as follows:
FRIDAY AFTERNOON KIDS CONCERT (3:00 to 5:00 P.M.): Dog on Fleas, Terri Hendrix, Jay Smar
FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Arrogant Worms, Boris Garcia, Groovemama, Guy Mendilow, Jimmy LaFave, Pipeline, Natalia Zuckerman
FRIDAY EVENING: Rodney Crowell, Eliza Gilkyson, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, The Roches
SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Jackson Browne and David Lindley
SATURDAY EVENING: Avett Brothers, Horse Flies, Huun Huur Tu, Ronstadt Ramirez Santa Cruz River Band, Raul Malo
SUNDAY: The Duhks, Fiddlers' Bid, Terri Hendrix, Hot Tuna, Amos Lee, David
Jacobs-Strain, James Hunter, Shemekia Copeland
Tickets for the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL are now on sale and can be purchased on-line at https://www.folkfest.org. Tickets are also available at the Philadelphia Folksong Society Box Office, 7113 Emlen Street, Philadelphia. For complete information about the Festival and tickets, call the Philadelphia Folk Festival at 800-556-FOLK or visit the Festival website at https://www.folkfest.org.
