Two regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International -- an association that aims to foster and promote contemporary, traditional and multicultural folk music -- hold their annual conferences this month. Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) convenes Oct. 13-16 in Bellevue, Washington, while the Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) Conference is set for Oct. 27-30 in Iowa City, Iowa. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]