Folk Project Festivals

Click on the above picture to see photos of our new location

Our festivals are organized events with scheduled performers, workshops, dances, round robins (singalongs), skits, canoeing, etc. Activities take place at many sites around the campground. Performers and attendees eat, talk, and spend time next to each other.

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Fall Festival 2009
October 9-11
Star Lake Camp, Bloomingdale NJ

SAVE THE DATE

We are busy planning and preparing our Fall Festival. Information will be posted as it becomes available. To receive festival updates, please click

. Festival registration will begin in August.

Our performers for Fall include the hot new rising stars Red Molly Philadelphia-born phenomenon Vance Gilbert harmmered dulcimer virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Walt Michael upbeat, bright and witty Martin Swinger multi-faceted folk band Illegal Contraband

A weekend-long celebration of music and dance

Performing on the Festival Stage and presenting workshops throughout the weekend will be:

RED MOLLY began in July, 2004 around a campfire at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello harmonized together for the very first time. They knew they had stumbled into something extraordinary, and audiences agreed. These ladies have a lot of fun on stage, bringing audiences to their feet with stunning three-part harmonies, crisp musicianship and a warm, engaging stage presence. They combine their talents on vocals and combinations of guitars, mandolin, bass, banjo, and Dobro. Ron Cuccaro of Acoustic Live in NYC said of Red Molly, "With gorgeous harmonies on original work, and tasteful covers, plus slide guitar and multi-instrumental versatility, Red Molly brings a breath of fresh air into the singer/songwriter world."

VANCE GILBERT, ex-jazz singer turned singer/songwriter, burst onto the Boston folk scene in the early 90's, knockin 'em dead at open mikes. The word spread to New York, and soon Shawn Colvin invited Vance to be a special guest on her Fat City tour. The Fort Worth Star -Telegram said of that show "With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god, it was enough to earn him that rarity: an encore for an opener." Now, with nine albums to his credit, and a host of rave reviews from appearances across the country, Vance combines outrageous, edgy humor, a virtuosic tenor voice, and an accomplished guitar style, to give his audiences a feeling of utter joy.

WALT MICHAEL brings 37 years of performance to the stage. From the coal camps of Appalachia to the White House to the Closing Ceremonies of the 13th Olympic Winter Games, he has established himself as a virtuoso of tremendous influence in the revival of the hammered dulcimer. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Sing Out! Magazine declared, "For more than thirty years, veteran performer Walt Michael has been setting standards in acoustic music." Walt Michael has recorded fourteen albums and instructional videos, appeared at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center ABC-TV, NBC's Tonight Show, Broadway, BBC, TNN, CBC, OLN and PBS.

MARTIN SWINGER's repertoire of songs worth listening to run from the infectiously bright, upbeat and witty to the astounding and powerfully moving. A solo performer, and a member of the quintet ImproVox, Martin is a veteran of the Boston Folk Festival and Kerrville Folk Festivals. To his over 100 performances a year, Martin brings award-winning original songs, traditional and contemporary Americana, swing and jazz standards. He is simply an outstanding musician with a comfortable presence, a powerful voice, and creative guitar skills.

ILLEGAL CONTRABAND is a multi-faceted folk band with a palette of New England, Irish and Quebecois dance tunes, wild Klezmer music, swing tunes, jazz, and flowing Scandinavian waltzes. Anchored by Liza DiSavino and A.J. Bodnar, the group will perform as both a concert band and a dance band. To the stage, they bring cheerful banter, a variety of original songs, covers, and a spectrum from ballads to blues to jazz. Their solid arrangements include both vocals as well as a combination of guitars, pennywhistles, cornet, French horn, Piano, synthesizer, accordians, and bodhran.

What's Great About Our Festival??

It's a Folk Project celebration

A weekend-long party, and a chance to be at the beginning of the new era of Folk Project Festivals!

Closer to Many Folk Project Members

Our Festival site at Star Lake Camp in Bloomingdale NJ, is just a 30 minute drive from Morristown.

More (and Better) Housing Choices

You will have a choice of housing—from camping to rustic cabins to The Commons (semi-private rooms with semi-private baths) to The Lodge (single or double private rooms with private baths). Click here for a photo tour of the rooming choices. NOTE: the Lodge is available only to festival-goers 18 and up.

Catered Meals

We will be offering five full meals, Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch, catered by chef Richard Schrack, of Moonlight Catering. Providing "creative food for Life's Events," Richard and his staff are favorites of the Philadelphia Folksong Society Weekends.

Low Fees, Many Options

We've worked hard to keep Festival registration fees as low as possible. There are many housing options. There are Full Festival and Commuter options. Check the registration form. You should be pleasantly surprised.

The Potato Gun will be with us!

Festival Chair Lori Falco
wants you to come to Festival

What Makes This Festival Different?

You don't have to be a musician to have a good time. Appreciators, enthusiasts, family members and kids are all welcome and appreciated.

The Folk Project Festival takes place at Star Lake. The 400-acre camp is located in the beautiful foothills of the Ramapo Mountains and includes 3 lakes and two waterfalls, offering the experience of fishing, boating and swimming.

We're family-encouraging and kid-friendly, with planned activities for children, and enormous open space for kids to play.

All concerts and dances are indoors. No problems if it rains.

You're surrounded by music all the time, with concerts, dances, and workshops. There are jams and sessions all over the camp, everything from bluegrass to traditional to Renaissance to chanteys to whatever. Everyone is welcome to listen, dance, or join in.

There is a strict NO DRUGS, NO ALCOHOL policy at the camp. Failure to respect this policy will result in your REMOVAL from the premises.

Also, no pets.

Stuff You Should Know

ROOM & BOARD:

FOOD (5 meals, Saturday breakfast through Sunday Lunch) and LODGING Friday nights and Saturday nights are included in the fee.
Meatless meals are available.
TENTING is limited. First registered, first reserved!
Cabins are heated with bathrooms and hot showers in the cabin.
The Commons has rooms with two single beds; each room shares a bath with an adjoining room.
The Lodge has modern motel-style rooms, with private bath and two single beds. The Lodge is on the Camp premises, but is a mile-plus drive from the Concert Hall. Single occupancy rooms are available in the Lodge for an additional fee. No children under 18 in the Lodge. Lodge space is limited.

VENUES:

All concerts and most workshops are indoors—weather won't dampen our Festival!
The Concert Hall is on the second floor, up a flght of stairs.
You will need a flashlight for walking about at night.

COST:

Discounts are available for members of the Folk Project and affiliated folk music organizations (Philadelphia Folksong Society, NY Pinewoods, Pickin' & Singing' Gatherin')
A $10 discount is available for those who register early (Early Bird discount)
The final cost schedule has not yet been finalized. Check back for information later.

OPTIONS:

We offer a buffet of accommodations, from camping to cabins to the private rooms and comfort of the Lodge, or you can commute from home.
A festival registration can include paying for a Folk Project membership which will afford these benefits of membership.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:

The final workshop schedule has not yet been finalized. Check back for information later.

CONFIRMATION AND DIRECTIONS:

You are not officially registered until you have received confirmation.
To receive your confirmation by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope and send it to the address shown at the bottom of this page. Otherwise, confirmation will be sent by email to the first email address listed on the registration form.
You will receive directions after you register but no tickets as such; your name will be on a list held at the camp.

Registration

Sorry, registration is not yet available. Online registration will be available in August.

PLEASE NOTE:

Attendance is BY REGISTRATION ONLY!
Registrations are processed in order of receipt,
NO REFUNDS,
Registrations may be transferred only if you make advance arrangements with the Registrar,
Unused registrations may be donated to the Folk Project.

Email Alerts

If you would like to be put on an email list to learn when registration is available, or for general Festival announcements, please click to send your request. Include your name and any special information you are particularly interested in receiving.

Information

For more information, call the registrar Barbara Moo at (908) 647-4306, or send her email by clicking on , or send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to

Barbara Moo
164 Gates Ave
Gillette NJ 07933.

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