The Susquehanna Folk Festival returns on the second weekend of August with world-class performers and hands-on fun. Join us at the Appell Center in downtown York, PA for a full weekend of live music, dancing, jams, and family activities.

Schedule:

Friday, August 9, 2024

7:30 pm: Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy at the Capitol Theatre

Canada’s reigning couple of Celtic music kick off our Susquehanna Folk Festival with their spectacular Cape Breton fiddling and step-dancing. If you haven’t seen anyone do both of those things at the same time (and brilliantly), you are in for the treat of a lifetime.

Friday Night Contra Dance

8:15 pm in The Studio
Beginners Workshop 7:30 pm
Dancing till 10:30 pm

The Susquehanna Folk Festival’s weekend of dance kicks off with live southern old-time music by The Contra Rebels (Todd Clewell, Barb Schmid and Henry Koretzky) and caller Bob Nicholson.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

11 am to 3:20 pm, in The Studio : Free Folk Saturday

Free Folk!

Live music, jam sessions & hands-on family fun!

Doors open at 10:30am

10:40am to 11am: A Little Folk Dancing

11am to 3:20pm: Young Folks Zone
The creative folks from York County Libraries provide hands-on activities for families. The Young Folks Zone is open from 11am until 3:20pm Saturday.

11am to 12pm: Bobbi Carmitchell
Lancaster County singer-songwriter Bobbi Carmitchell has been a force on the Central Pennsylvania music scene for 40 years, and has toured all over the country. Her music and singing supports many causes that she believes in. Her morning mini-concert is part of our “Bringing It Home” programming presented by our Susquehanna Folk Arts Center.

12pm to 12:20pm: A Little More Dancing
If you missed the early session with Zita, you get a second chance after Bobbi performs! Easy, fun, family-friendly dances with World Dance Lancaster’s Zita Angelo.

12pm to 2pm: Jam Sessions at York Central Market

12:20pm to 3:20pm: Emerging Artist Showcase
This is one of our favorite parts of the festival. Five of your new favorite acoustic acts will take the stage for 20 minutes each, and our judges’ top pick will open for Hot Club of Cowtown on Saturday night! This year’s finalists are Erin Lunsford, Dann Pell, The Honey Badgers, Joseph Alton Miller, and Red Smith & Blue Dawn.

3:50 pm: Hubby Jenkins
A talented multi-instrumental roots artist following the thread of African American history that weaves itself through country blues, ragtime, fiddle and banjo, and traditional jazz. Formerly with the Carolina Chocolate Drops!

8 pm: Hot Club of Cowtown
This trio’s exuberant alchemy of hot jazz, Texas swing, quirky humor and wicked improvisation has won hearts all over the world. They were a fan favorite at our 2019 Festival and we’re sure they will be this year too!

Saturday Night Contra Dance:
Doors open at 7 pm
Beginners Workshop 7:30 pm
Dancing 8 - 11 pm

The Susquehanna Folk Festival’s weekend of dance kicks off with caller Janine Smith and live music by Dead Sea Squirrels. A workshop for beginners is included with admission, so no experience is required!

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, much of our daytime festival programming is FREE! Spend a cooool after12 pm having folky fun before our ticketed matinée and evening events on Saturday

Saturday, August 10, 2024

11 am to 2:40 pm in The Studio

Free Folk Sunday

Live music, limberjacks, & hands-on family fun!

Doors open at 10:30 am

11 am to 2:40 pm: Young Folks Zone
The creative folks from York County Libraries provide hands-on activities for families. The Young Folks Zone is open from 11am until 2:40pm Sunday.

11 am to 12 pm: Brazilian Vibes
From infectious Afro-Brazilian rhythms to the enchanting cadence of bossa nova, this Harrisburg-area band celebrates and shares the captivating music of Brazil. Two of the band’s members, Mônica Teles and Pedro Antonetty, are featured in our Folk Artists Gallery. This mini concert is part of our “Bringing It Home” programming presented by our Susquehanna Folk Arts Center.

12 pm to 1:20 pm: Limberjacks & Limberjanes
Randy Heisley-Cato’s charming little wooden dancers are coming to the festival! See them “perform” at noon and 1:20 pm.

12:20 pm to 1:20 pm: Tanjo & Crow
This gritty-funky duo is a no-holds-barred exploration of roots music through distinctive songwriting, Appalachian arrangements, and seemingly fearless improvisation. Tanjo & Crow features Tanner Bingaman (our 2021 Emerging Artist!) and Allan Combs II.

1:20 pm to 1:40 pm: Limberjanes & Limberjacks

1:40 pm to 2:40 pm: Archive Challenge
will be the highlight of the afternoon. Artists delve into the Library of Congress’s extensive collection of American folk music, and choose a song to make their own. This year’s artists are the irrepressible Shane Speal, Blue Sky Quartet’s Sarah Fiore, and local music advocate Zach King. Your hosts will be folklorists Stephen Winick and Jennifer Cutting from the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center.

3:10 pm: Larry & Joe
Larry Bellorín and Joe Troop play a surprising fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music, promoting a message of unity between the two folk traditions — on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else these two master musicians decide to throw in the van.

8 pm: The Klezmatics
Joyously unconventional Eastern European Jewish music, steeped in tradition and spirituality while incorporating contemporary lyrical themes, world rhythms, jazz and punk in a mix that’s wild, mystical, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable.

In their 35 years, the Klezmatics have raised the bar for Eastern European Jewish music. Often called a “Jewish roots band,” the Klezmatics have led a popular revival of this ages-old, nearly forgotten art form.

Swing Dancing:

Doors open at 6:15 pm
Intro Class 6:45 pm
Dancing 7:30 - 10:30 pm

Our Sunday Night Swing dance brings the Susquehanna Folk Festival’s weekend of dance to a rousing finale! Presented in partnership with The Rhythm Lounge in Harrisburg, the evening features lively roots jazz by Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five. An intro class will get you started, so no experience is required.

Date: August 9-11, 2024

Location: Appell Center for the Performing Arts, 50 N George St, York, PA 17401

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