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Lowell Folk Festival Plans Stellar Line-Up for 22nd Edition
LOWELL, MA: The largest free folk festival in the nation, with continuous music on six outdoor stages, takes place July 25-27, 2008 in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts. A complete lineup of performers, representing folk, bluegrass, gospel, world music, dance and more, appears below. The festival takes place on six different stages in the downtown area (use 246 Market Street for GPS). A family friendly event, the Lowell Folk Festival has presented an international array of folk music, ethnic foods, craftspeople and artisans, as well as kid's activities to enthusiastic New England audiences every summer for over 20 years. For more information, including, full artist bios, audio samples, maps and complete schedules, visit www.lowellfolkfestival.org.
Among the more than 20 artists performing this year are award-winning bluegrass greats The Lonesome River Band, Jamaican ska band The Skatalites, Zydeco sweetheart Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys, and much more - from blues to meringue, polka to Tibetan music.
Akwesasne Women Singers/ Kontiwennenha:wi Carriers of the Words (traditional Mohawk/Native American music)
The Alex Meixner Band (Grammy nominated polka)
Andrew Nemr and Rocky Mendes (tap dance, mentored by the late Gregory Hines and Dr.
Balla Kouyaté (virtuoso of West African balafon)
Don Roy Trio (Franco-American traditional fiddle)
Dynasty Production (Caribbean dance)
Helder Moutinho (Portuguese Fado)
Henry Gray and the Cats (Grammy nominated Southern blues piano and NEA National Heritage Fellow)
The Jerry Grcevich Tamburitza Orchestra (master of Croatian string music, or tamburitza)
Lonesome River Band (bluegrass)
Mighty Sam McClain (blues)
Penpa Tsering (traditional Tibetan music)
Pilon Batuko (Cape Verdean funana)
Puerta Plata (Dominican meringue and song)
Redd Volkaert Band with Cindy Cashdollar (Austin, Texas country music, with Merle
Réveillons (Quebecois Traditional)
Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys (zydeco)
The Skatalites (Jamaican ska)
Skordalia (traditional Greek dance music)
Sister Marie Knight (gospel)
Suhas Rao (Carnatic South Indian violin)
TREAD (Irish and Canadian music and dance)
The Whitetop Mountain Band (family-based old time music from Virginia)
The festival will open on Friday evening at 6:30pm with a parade starting at 246 Market Street. Among those participating in the parade to signal the opening of the weekend's festivities, will be Dynasty Carnival Parade, a group that celebrates the Caribbean Carnival tradition in cities and towns all over the east coast.
On Saturday and Sunday, more than a dozen cultures share their ethnic foods, ranging from African and Asian to Filipino and Portuguese. Many food booths are operated by social groups and churches, and prices are very affordable. Children's activities include hands-on games, Box Hockey, bean bag toss, interactive art, and much more.
For more information, contact Lowell National Historical Park at 978-970-5200 (TDD 978-970-5002) or visit online at
www.lowellfolkfestival.org.