February 28 is the deadline for receipt of applications from artists seeking official showcase opportunities during the 2018 Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference, slated for Wednesday-Sunday, May 16-20, at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Black Mountain and Asheville. An extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking and educational sessions, the conference attracted some 300 people last spring. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]