Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) has launched a new website (www.nerfa.org) and opened registration for its 25th annual conference to be held in Stamford, Connecticut, November 7-10, 2019. Artists may also now apply online for juried official showcases.

NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International — a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. Serving FAI members from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC to the provinces of eastern Canada, NERFA attracts more than 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents, managers, folk DJs, and others engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music to its annual conference.

NERFA Conference 2019 LogoThe NERFA conference features several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps and jam sessions; one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions; an exhibit hall; open mics; communal meals, and lots of informal conversation and networking. The conference is designed to help attendees forge connections and build community, while also providing learning and performance opportunities that can help enhance their professional and personal lives.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the NERFA board of directors and also serve on the board of Folk Alliance International. AcousticMusicScene.com hosts showcases during the NERFA conference.