Following in the footsteps of the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) will host its first one-day conference on April 28, 2012 at the historic opera house in Fayette, Ohio, located on US 20 about 30 minutes west of Toledo. A condensed version of its annual four-day conference, this one-day event is being called FARMette.

The day-long event will feature nine workshops, more than 20 performance lane slots for artists, eight official evening showcase performances, an open mic and two meals. Registration, priced at $60 ($25 for presenters, venues and folk DJs), is open now. The deadline for official showcase submission is Feb. 20, and showcase selections are expected to be announced at the end of the month.

To encourage the next generation of folk musicians, FARM is inviting area high school music students to participate in the conference. FARMette will include several workshops especially designed to encourage younger musicians to perform and lead others in song, according to Bob and Pat Hofbauer, co-organizers of the event and of the monthly West Bethesda Folk Music Concerts series.

FARM is part of the larger Folk Alliance International, an association that aims to foster and promote multicultural, traditional and contemporary folk music, while strengthening and advancing organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, and professional and field development.

For more information and to register for the one-day conference, visit www.farmfolk.org.