A.A. Bondy, Annie & The Beekeepers, Blame Sally, Bonnie “Prince” Billy & the Cairo Gang, Butch Ross, Chris Smither & the Motivators, Erin McKeown, Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Give and Take Jugglers, Giving Tree Band, Groove Band, Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, Iain Matthews, Jah Levi & The Higher Reasoning, Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy, Joe Pug. Malinky, Marc Silver & the Stonethrowers, Mickey Clark & the Blue Norther, Mike Cross, Natalia Zukerman, Richard Thompson, Shannon Whitworth, Sonos, Subdudes, Susan Werner, Sweetback Sisters, Taj Mahal, Trina Hamlin, and Vienna Teng are among the dozens of artists and acts slated to perform during the 49th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival, August 20-22, at the Old Pool Farm near Schwenksville, Pennsylvania.

Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams

As the names above suggest, the Philadelphia Folk Festival features an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary music that stretches the boundaries of folk, helping to broaden its appeal and reach a new generation of listeners.

But that’s not all. There’s dancing to bands on the 3,500 square-foot covered pavilion known as the Lobby Stage; as well as an expanded crafts area, where you can watch glass blowers, candle makers, potters and other artisans at work. An array of children’s activities in the shady Dulcimer Grove also is part of what is the longest continuously running U.S. festival of its kind.

There’s also a festival within the festival for those who choose to camp on site and enjoy some late-night camaraderie and revelry. The 40-acre campground — chock-a-block with tents — is home to a unique late-night scene with jamming into the wee morning hours. AcousticMusicScene.com will add to the musical merriment this year by hosting song swaps and jams under a blue canopy tent with the aid of folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time and singer-songwriter Joe Iadanza.

In addition to a number of talented acts performing on the Martin Guitar Main Stage, to be hosted for the 49th consecutive year by longtime WXPN-FM DJ Gene Shay, many other fine artists will strut their stuff on the Camp, Lobby and Workshop Stages during the festival.

Treasa Levasseur (Photo by Robert Berkowitz)

World Café’s David Dye hosts a special concert on the Camp Stage – exclusively for all-festival camping ticket holders – on Thursday night, August 19. It will feature Cadillac Sky’s bluegrass and beyond, local favorites Hoots and Hellmouth, LA-based indie folk-rocker Audra May, and Glossary. Local artists will be featured in both a Philadelphia Songwriters Project Showcase on Friday afternoon (Tania Alexandra, Johnny Miles, Ryan Tennis and The Fleeting Ends) and a Philly Local showcase on Saturday afternoon hosted by Helen Leicht (Jake Snyder, The Bird Choir, Mason Porter, Dave Quicks Trio and Ben Arnold). Also on Saturday afternoon, WXPN’s Kathy O’Connell hosts a Kids Corner showcase featuring Spinning Leaves, Two of a Kind, Ken Ulanasey Whirled Music and Djarara. Talented emerging artists from north of the border slated to perform on the “Canadian Stage” on Sunday include Treasa Levasseur, Nudie & The Turks, Justin Rutledge, Lee Harvey Osmond and Amelia Curran.

For more information about the festival and to order tickets, visit www.folkfest.org or call the Philadelphia Folk Festival at 800-556-FOLK.