Downtown Greensboro comes alive with the N.C. Folk Festival Sept. 18–20, and UNC Greensboro is, once again, at the heart of it all.
There’s no better time to experience Greensboro in full swing than during this special weekend in September. Best of all, admission is free; so get yourself downtown on Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday for full immersion in the music, dance, crafts, and food that represent the many cultures found in our city and across our state.
All Music is Folk Music
Greensboro has hosted the N.C. Folk Festival for more than a decade. From Friday afternoon through Sunday evening, downtown streets close to traffic and fill with people from all walks of life. They come for the culture and for the street food, but most of all for the music.
Bands cover a wide range of genres from Americana to indie, rap to bluegrass, and flamenco to Afrobeat. Festival goers can easily find their favorites or discover genres they never knew existed. Check out the lineup to plan your weekend, but the best folk festival moments are the spontaneous ones.
Between the stages and shows, attendees can stroll through the marketplace where artisans sell their wares. Food trucks line the streets selling spicy empanadas, chicken skewers, and hot pizza between fresh-squeezed lemonade stands and craft beer vendors. At the folk festival, you can take a samba dance lesson, participate in an Irish jam session, or march along with a second line parade down Davie Street while you’re waiting for one of the headliners to take the stage.
Speaking of headliners, this year’s bring the heat. Friday kicks off with St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ R&B and soul vibes at 8:30 p.m.; Sunday ends with Molly Tuttle’s bluegrass and Americana sound at 6:30 p.m.; and on Saturday night, the festival peaks when UNCG’s own Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. introduces The Roots.
Spartan as Folk
As you move and groove through the festival, UNCG is everywhere. Students and staff give away free Spartan gear under sponsor tents, and nursing students conduct free health screenings at Minerva’s Mobile Health Unit. The cheer and dance teams are always there, along with everyone’s favorite mascot, Spiro.
It’s all part of UNCG’s sponsorship of the festival each year, but the Spartan spirit goes beyond banners and free swag. Downtown Greensboro teems with students, faculty, and alumni who love going to the N.C. Folk Festival. Wear a UNCG cap or T-shirt and you’ll find yourself among music-loving friends who share your Spartan pride.
Even on festival stages, there are UNCG faculty and alumni performing an array of music and dance styles. Don’t miss the following Spartan artists:
Karla Davis
Up-and-coming country star Karla Davis ’08 spent four years at UNCG earning a media studies degree while a starter for the women’s soccer team. Since then, her star has risen as a singer-songwriter. Her Southern roots are reflected in her sound with inspiration from artists like James Taylor, Roberta Flack, and Bonnie Raitt. Davis has performed on NBC’s “The Voice,” “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” The Grand Ole Opry, and The Ryman, but she will bring new music from an upcoming album to this year’s folk fest crowds.
Don’t miss her performance on Saturday at 3-4 p.m. on the NC By Train Stage at the Depot.
Also on Saturday:
- School of Dance alumni Anne Morris ’11, Lauren Joyner ’05, and Magalli Morano ’20 from the Dance Project have curated a series of dance classes and performances on the stage in LeBauer Park.
11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., T-Fiber Stage in LeBauer Park - Irish Seisiún with Gavin Douglas, professor of ethnomusicology
1-2 p.m., Revity Jams Stage in the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum parking lot
d.a.l.i.a.
Led by Greensboro songwriter, two-time alum, and music education faculty member Dalia Razo, this band is the winner of the 2026 N.C. Folk Festival’s Not Your Average Folk Contest. Blending traditional Latin American folk instruments with contemporary sound, d.a.l.i.a draws on Dr. Razo’s Western classical training and Mexican heritage to create original music in English and Spanish. Her band is made up entirely of Spartans including Scott Glasser, assistant professor of string music education, and alumni Zach Baker, Cameron Rabb, and Jennifer Aikey.
Catch d.a.l.i.a. on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the NC By Train Stage at the Depot.
Also on Sunday:
- Old Time Jam with Christen Blanton, director of the UNCG Old Time Ensemble
12:30-1:30 p.m., Revity Jams Stage - Honky Tonk Jam with Mark Dillon, instructor in songwriting, UNCG composition faculty
2-3 p.m., Revity Jams Stage
Story by Terri Relos & Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications.
