Old Songs, a three-day festival celebrating traditional music and dance, is usually held at the Altamont Fairgrounds in upstate New York on the last weekend in June. However, it is going virtual for a second consecutive year. Set for Friday-Sunday, June 25-27, the 2021 Virtual Old Songs Festival will feature more than 90 online concerts, workshops, dances, family events, and learn hows.
The event takes place via Zoom and will be viewable on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. You must register at festival.oldsongs.org to receive a Zoom link via email. Select daytime events and the evening Main Stage concerts will be simulcast on Folk Music Notebook, the 24/7 internet folk radio channel created and curated by veteran folk DJ Ron Olesko, while the evening concerts will also be livestreamed on Old Songs’ YouTube channel.
Among the more than 70 artists slated to perform are Scott Ainslie, The Amidons, Bourque Emissaires, Matthew Byrne & the Byrne Family, Andy Cohen, Guy Davis, Jeff Davis, Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, Sam Gleaves & Deborah Payne, The Great Groove Band, Reggie Harris, Joe Jencks, Hubby Jenkins, JigJam, John Kirk & Trish Miller, Chris Koldewey, Evie Ladin, Magpie, Mist Covered Mountains, John Roberts, Roger the Jester, Sally Rogers & Howie Bursen, Claudia Schmidt, Dennis Stroughmatt & L’Esprit Creole, The Vox Hunters, Windborne, and Bethany Yarrow.
During the daytime hours, there will be five different Zoom breakout rooms – each named after buildings from the in-person festival. Open mics will take place at 5 p.m. ET on both Friday and Saturday. April Grant hosts a Saturday morning ballad sing, while Amanda Witman hosts a Saturday After-Concert Ballad Sing and The Amidons lead a Sunday morning Sacred Harp Sing. Singer-songwriter Steve Gillette presents a songwriting workshop on Friday afternoon for which pre-registration is necessary. A complete schedule and additional information may be found on the festival’s website.
Old Songs (https://festival.oldsongs.org) is a family-friendly festival of folk, traditional, Celtic and regional music and dance, known for its relaxed atmosphere, interactive sessions and workshops, hands-on experiences and participatory nature. In addition to three evening concerts, it usually features more than 100 daytime workshops, dances and performances, as well as a juried craft show, food and instrument vendors, and a children’s activity area.
Launched on May 3, 2019 — the 100th anniversary of the birth of late folk music icon Pete Seeger — Folk Music Notebook is a 24/7 online folk music channel that also can be accessed via free apps and listened to through your smartphones, car speakers, and other Bluetooth streaming devices. In addition to Olesko, Folk Music Notebook features programs hosted by other folk DJs. Olesko views the channel as “a place to ‘discover’ new artists and songs, as well as honor the established names who created this living tradition.”
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