Archives > Trivalley Dispatch > Top Stories

Cool start to summer

Flagstaff Folk Festival offers weekend of family-friendly fun

By MARK COWLING
Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 4:13 AM MST

FLAGSTAFF, One month from now, when the mercury in Pinal County is about to hit 110 and you’re not sure you can handle summer yet, the Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music, or FFOTM, have just the remedy: temperatures in the mid-80s and the 10th annual Flagstaff Folk Festival, June 25 and 26 on the grounds of the Coconino Center for the Arts and The Pioneer Museum.

Great music from acts like Faint Praise, D-squared, Three-Legged Dog and Tony Norris will be coming from four stages beneath tall, shady trees, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

This acoustic music weekend has become one of northern Arizona’s best-loved festivals — by attendees and musicians alike. More than 150 musicians from Arizona and surrounding states will be playing. Some will be pros who’ve enjoyed paying gigs for years, while others are amateurs making one of their first public appearances.

“That’s why people love it; it’s such a friendly, welcoming atmosphere for musicians,” said Christina Boyd, who has produced the festival with Jesse Anderson since 2007. They are among approximately 80 volunteers needed to put on the festival.

Some of them are performers as well. This year, Boyd will play acoustic bass in the High Nooners, and Anderson will play guitar and banjo and sing as a solo act.

The complete schedule of performers was still being finalized last week, but typically includes individual and group acts, fiddlers, folk singers, string bands, jam sessions, a band scramble and more.

There will be workshops, open to all, covering various instruments. Past workshops have covered everything from ukulele to autoharp to lead guitar playing. Such topics as song writing and instrument care also will be featured.

One of Anderson’s favorite festival memories is one of the first performances of what was called the Sankofa String Band. “It was a friend of mine from Flagstaff, Dom Flemons, a man from Phoenix, Sule Greg Wilson, and a woman Dom had recently met at a gathering of Black Banjo Players in North Carolina, Rhiannon Giddens,” he recalled in an email message.

“Their set was memorable and exciting. Dom and Rhiannon went on to join another North Carolina musician, Justin Robinson, to form The Carolina Chocolate Drops, an African-American string band that plays in the tradition of early 20th century greats and has gone on to win a Grammy and perform all over the U.S. and Europe. I like to think, in its way, that our festival was an early stepstone to their success,” Anderson wrote.

“Another great memory is the second year we partnered with the Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum here in Flagstaff,” he continued. “We had worked with Flagstaff Cultural Partners and the Coconino Center for the Arts since the festival’s inception and their support was wonderful, but we had lost a couple of our venues and I think Christina and I feared the festival would not continue.

“This was the first year we were able to use the historic barn and garage at The Pioneer Museum, and they both worked excellently. By noon on Saturday we knew that the festival would not only continue but thrive with the new addition to our partnership.”

This is one of Boyd’s favorite festival memories also.

“We had full expansion on all the grounds and it just created a wonderful feeling of strolling around, small jams and meeting old friends,” she said.

If you go

The Flagstaff Folk Festival takes place June 25 and 26 at the Coconino Center for the Arts and Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum, 2300 N. Fort Valley Road. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Admission is $3 per person or $9 per family. Visit flagfolkfest.org.

Directions: From downtown Flagstaff, go north on Humphreys Street/U.S. 180, then go left on North Fort Valley Road. On your right will be Sechrist School, immediately followed by the festival entrance.

Seating provided

Stages are both inside and outside, and covered. No need to bring your lawn chairs; seating is provided. The atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly, with approximately 800 people in attendance on Saturday and 400 to 500 on Sunday.

Food vendors will offer lemonade and other cold beverages, Italian ices, hot dogs and Navajo tacos. You’re welcome to bring in your own cooler as well.

The Flagstaff Folk Festival is presented in partnership with Flagstaff Cultural Partners, the local arts agency that manages the Coconino Center for the Arts and the Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum. During the festival you’re welcome to tour those attractions at no extra charge.

Article Rating (4 * = highest)

Reader Comments