Embrace your heritage, culture and traditions at the 78th National Folk Festival on September 7, 8 & 9 in Salisbury, MD!
In case you haven’t heard, Salisbury is the official 2018-2020 National Folk Festival Host City, having competed against 34 cities nationwide for the honor. To say the least… we are very excited!
This three-day outdoor festival is America’s most prestigious and long-running celebration of our rich, multicultural traditional arts. Since 1934, the festival has worked to bring all types of American heritage together. With over 350 performers, entertainers and craftspeople from throughout the nation, artistic vibes will flood through the heart of downtown Salisbury.
The festival runs from 6pm-10:30pm Friday, noon-10:30pm Saturday, and noon-6:30pm Sunday. Best of all? Admission to the event is free!
Tune in to the American heritage that has been around for centuries with artists performing throughout seven stages! Click here for a full list of performers.
“There are always phenomenal performances at the National Folk Festival,” said Steve Riley, Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys. “As a performer, I always hear something that moves me and I make connections that I will have for the rest of my life. There is a great cross section of all types of traditional music and we always get a positive response from the crowd.”
Whereas this National Folk Festival highlights musical artists and the historical culture of music, there is so much more to enjoy.
Listen to all types of music–from cajun to blues to mariachi–and dance away; enjoy arts and crafts for children, taste delicious, ethnic foods from all over the region; and truly discover America in Salisbury, MD, bringing together the finest American festival and Maryland’s historical Eastern Shore.
It is definitely not a one-time event, or just a showcase of art; it’s a series of events targeted to bring in over 150,000 people into the heart of the city, and pump significant sums of money into the local economy.
“We have Mardi Gras in Louisiana. And it’s one wild party. The National Folk Festival in Salisbury should be too!” said Riley.
Together, the National Council for the Traditional Arts is partnering with the City of Salisbury to make this event possible. The event is also sponsored by over 30 companies and businesses, both local and nationwide, including Perdue, Comcast, iHeartMedia and Pepsi.
The Festival partners with the host city in understanding that after its three years, the community intends to create and continue a festival of its own in order to carry out the tradition of cultural celebration.
Anywhere from 60-80,000 people are expected to attend the National Folk Festival in the first year alone, increasing in the second and third years, so you won’t want to miss out on this happening event! And to top it all off, the festival’s final year in Salisbury, 2020, will mark its 80th Anniversary.
As Mayor Jake Day said, “With this announcement, the City of Salisbury redoubles its commitment to being the cultural heart and soul of the Delmarva and–for three years from 2018 to 2020–the entire country. Salisbury has long been eager to, and is now proud to step into the national spotlight.”
