The Greensboro community is primed to celebrate the North Carolina Folk Festival’s 10th Anniversary September 6-8. It’s a festive weekend where our downtown streets come alive with art and music from all over the world, and it’s no surprise that UNC Greensboro’s alumni, faculty, and students play a major role in each year’s festival.
Not only is UNCG a sponsor of the festival, but some of our most creative alumni will take the stages, while students sell their art at the marketplace, staff and faculty members lead jam sessions, and other Spartans work to organize and plan this can’t-miss event in Greensboro.
“I’ll be hosting a community Irish music session at Center City Jams on Saturday. Grab your tin whistle or fiddle and Come join us!”
– Gavin Douglas, Ethnomusicology Professor, School of Music
Big Names Rocking the Folk Festival
This year’s festival headliners are big-name draws. GRAMMY-nominated The War & Treaty, a husband-and-wife duo who were featured on Zach Bryan’s hit “Hey Driver,” bring their soulful country hits to the stage on Friday night.
Then on Saturday, Los Lonely Boys will entertain festival crowds with their “Texican rock and roll” sound. You may know them from their number one single “Heaven” or their recent tour with The Who in 2022.
Finally on Sunday, headliner Mipso brings Americana strings and harmonies to Greensboro. With a strong following from across the state, this Chapel Hill band takes bluegrass roots and influences from the Avett Brothers to make their own unique music.
Music for Every Taste
These famous names are only a fraction of the artistic talent that you’ll find at the North Carolina Folk Festival. From the festival kickoff on Friday until Mipso closes out the weekend on Sunday evening, you’ll find all genres of musical acts, dance performances and interactive jam sessions covering 7 different stages. For a complete list of festival acts, scroll through the artist listing which includes audio files so you can check out their styles.
Look out for the following bands featuring UNCG alumni and staff:
- Laurelyn Dossett ’99 will host Songs of Hope & Justice.
- Colin Cutler ’16 brings his banjo stylings and storytelling to the stage with Hot Pepper Jam band.
- Kate Musselwhite ’07 of the Queen Bees opens the festival on Friday afternoon.
- Juila Houghton ’20 will appear with her all-female band, Wild Roots.
- Ramon Garcia ’23 and Shane Wheeler ’22, graduates of the Miles Davis Jazz Program, will play with Unheard Project GSO.
- Abita Rorie ’07 and Brevan Hampden, UNCG staff and West African percussionists, will play with Dashawn Hickman presents Sacred Steel, a blues gospel band.
- Princess Johnson ’07 of Royal Expressions Repertory will lead a group of dancers at the Van Dyke Performance Space.
- Mark Dillon ’10 will lead the Honky Tonk Jam at Center City Jams.
- Christen Blanton Mack ’08 will direct the Old Time Jam at Center City Jams.
- Terry Brandsma will lead the Ukulele Sensation 70’s Jam and Singalong.
Check out the festival map and schedule so you don’t miss a single act.
“I’ve Been Proud to be a Part of Greensboro’s Folk Festival since the Beginning.”
– Laurelyn Dossett ’99
More Than Just Music
Not only are UNCG alumni involved in the bands set to play, but the festival’s artistic director, Ashley Virginia, is a 2019 alumna. Virginia and other folk festival organizers work to make sure the weekend is a full cultural experience with music, dance performances held in the Van Dyke Performance Space, art for sale in the marketplace, and festival food from a wide variety of local food trucks.
Update: Now that 2024 North Carolina Folk Festival has passed, here are some sights and sounds from this year’s festival.
Whether you want to listen and dance to original music from up-and-coming bands, join in a jam session, shop for local art, or simply enjoy the food and festivity of downtown on its most exciting weekend of the year, you’ll find it all at the North Carolina Folk Festival.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications.
Video by Grant Gilliard and David Lee Row, University Communications.
