Arlo Guthrie celebrates the 50th anniversary of the event that inspired the seminal song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” while influential folksinger-songwriter Tom Paxton, who plans to retire from the road later this year after more than a half-century as a performing and recording artist, are among the dozens of artists and acts slated to perform during the 2015 Philadelphia Folk Festival. Scheduled for August 13 -16 at the Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford Township, near bucolic Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, the festival is produced and presented by the Philadelphia Folksong Society. Now in its 54th year, it is the longest continuously running musical festival of its kind in North America.
Besides Guthrie – who will perform “Alice’s Restaurant” in its entirety along with other songs – and Paxton — a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient known for such songs as “The Last Thing On My Mind,” “Bottle of Wine,” “Ramblin’ Boy” and “Whose Garden Was This” – this year’s featured artists include Baskery, Craig Bickhardt, Michael Braunfeld, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Della Mae, El Caribefunk, Shakey Graves, The HillBenders (presenting Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry), Hoots & Hellmouth, The Lee Boys, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, Parker Millsap, North Mississippi Allstars, Pesky J. Nixon, Psych-A-Billy, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Spuyten Duyvil and Tall Heights. Canadian artists slated to perform include Matt Andersen, Dave Gunning, Irish Mythen, Cassie & Maggie MacDonald, and Lindi Ortega.
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. Both notable national touring artists and emerging ones are on the bill
In addition, with assistance of a grant from the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, 35 members of the Philadelphia Music Co-Op have been accorded performance slots. Now in its fourth year, the co-op, an offshoot of the Philadelphia Folksong Society, works with area musicians to showcase their talents, collaborate, and develop them as artists. Those set to perform include The Band of Rivals, Mia Bergmann, Black Horse Motel, Bobtown, Daniel S. Bower, John Byrne Band, Dylan Jane, Todd Faysnacht, The Hello Strangers, Jersey Corn Pickers, Andrew Jude, Kevin Killen, Lizanne Knott, Ladybird, Lovers League, John Mallinen, Paul Mamolou, Man About a Horse, Cynthia G. Mason, Andrea Nardello, Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt, No Good Sister, Ray Owen, Naelee Rae, Katherine Rondeau, Paul Saint John, Silverton, Sylvia Platypus, Jeneen Terrana, Jesse Terry, Tin Bird Choir, Elspeth Tremblay, Hawk Tubley, Valley Creek, and Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes.
In addition to musical performances on eight stages — including dancing to bands on the 3,500 square-foot covered pavilion known as the Lobby Stage — there will be an array of children’s activities and kid-oriented musicians in the shady Dulcimer Grove. Midnight outdoor film screenings of Alice’s Restaurant and A Mighty Wind are also on the docket. As in years past, many artisans will display and sell their creations in an open-air juried crafts area.
There’s also a festival within the festival for those who opt to camp onsite and enjoy some late-night camaraderie and musical revelry. The 40-acre campground – chock-a-block with tents – is home to a unique late-night scene, with singing by campfires and jamming into the early morning hours. David Dye, host of the syndicated World Café radio program, will host a special Thursday night concert on the Camp Stage exclusively for all-festival camping ticket holders.
For more information about the festival and to order tickets, visit www.pfs.org/folk-festival.
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