Return to Table of ContentsMay 1998
WUMB's upcoming festival to celebrate vitality
of Boston's folk traditionTake live music--celtic, blues, bluegrass, and world-- mix it up with poetry, a music parade, dance and storytelling. Add open mikes and workshops. Get five stages going at once. Make it all happen for free on the Boston Common.
What you've got is the main event of the Boston Folk Festival, a joint venture of WUMB-91.9 FM, and 37 other folk art, cultural and musical organizations. The free festival is scheduled to take place on September 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
But that's not all. The festival includes a two-month series of events, taking place from August to October. Contemporary singer-songwriters and traditional artists will appear at venues including Club Passim in Harvard Square, Johnny D's in Somerville, the Boston Bluegrass Union of Newton, and the Regent Theater, Arlington.
Many Festival events and performances can be subsidized through the purchase of a Boston Folk Festival Button for $6.00 (available through WUMB). This enables participants to receive special discounts and offers.
According to Festival Director Donna Wilson, the festival is the result of a WUMB-sponsored forum on the future of folk music held in November, 1996. A planning grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) started the ball rolling. A Musical Flea Market in March raised over $20,000 for the festival. "Our goal is to raise an additional $16,000 by the end of May to receive a matching grant from the MCC," says Wilson.
A second Music Flea Market will be held May 30 and 31 at the Best Western Adams Inn, 29 Hancock St., Quincy. Over 22,000 new and used records, tapes and compact disks will be on sale, along with live family entertainment, a radio broadcast, and food. To make donations or for more information, contact 287-6900. Stay tuned for more information on the Folk Festival from WUMB 91.9 FM.