Susquehanna Folk Festival

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:

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.

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