SALISBURY, Md. – Enjoy all kinds of music, dance to the beat and learn about living traditions during the inaugural Maryland Folk Festival, set for Sept. 22-24 in Downtown Salisbury.
The festival, sponsored by Perdue, follows five years of the National Folk Festival in Salisbury, which was produced in collaboration with the National Council for the Traditional Arts. Admission is free.
The festival features hundreds of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers, craftspeople and other keepers of culture.
“We have an outstanding lineup planned for this year’s festival, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to Downtown Salisbury,” said Caroline O’Hare, events and culture manager with the City of Salisbury’s Arts, Business and Culture Department. “Come out and explore new genres of music and learn about the many longtime traditions that make up our region and country.”
The festival kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, with an opening ceremony followed by The Quebe Sisters on the Perdue Dance Stage. Friday will include performances on both the Perdue Dance Stage and Main Street Stage, sponsored by Toyota.
Among the other festival performers are the Daryl Davis Band, The Chuck Brown Band and The Blue & Gold.
On Saturday, Sept. 23, performers will again take to the Perdue Dance Stage and Main Street Stage, and the Salisbury University Locals Stage will highlight local musicians. Attendees can learn about longtime folklife traditions at the Maryland Traditions Folklife Area & Stage, produced in collaboration with the Maryland State Arts Council and its Maryland Traditions program. Families can take part in crafts, games and creative learning activities at the Richard A. Henson Foundation Family Area. Festival hours are noon-9:30 p.m.
These five areas will be back for the festival Sunday, Sept. 24. Hours are noon-6 p.m.
Throughout the festival, there will be a variety of food vendors, along with the Downtown restaurants and businesses. Shop from juried vendors in the Festival Marketplace, sponsored by Mat & Barrie Tilghman.
For a festival schedule, map, parking information, accessibility information and more, visit MDFolkFest.com.
About the Maryland Folk Festival
After five years as the host of the National Folk Festival, produced in collaboration with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), the City of Salisbury’s Arts, Business, and Culture Department is proud to launch its own legacy festival. In 2023, the City of Salisbury, Maryland will take center stage with the Maryland Folk Festival from Sept. 22-24.
This large-scale, multi-day outdoor event celebrates the roots, richness and variety of American culture. It features hundreds of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers, craftspeople and other keepers of culture in performances, workshops, and demonstrations, plus children’s activities, non-stop participatory dancing, storytelling, and more. https://mdfolkfest.com/
About the City of Salisbury, Maryland
Founded in 1732, Salisbury is the county seat of Wicomico County, a place where John Smith touched land in 1608 during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay, bringing him in contact with the Wighcocomoco or Wicomico, the Nause, the Kusk’arawack, and the Nantaquack or Nanticoke tribes who had lived in the region for several millennia. Situated on Maryland’s historic Eastern Shore at the crossroads of the Delmarva Peninsula, Salisbury is now one of the region’s largest cities, and serves as the capital of the Eastern Shore, a rural area defined by its agricultural and maritime traditions, landscapes, and industries. The Chesapeake Bay is central to this distinctive identity. Though a relatively small city, Salisbury is the geographic and economic hub of one of the nation’s fastest-growing Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The City of Salisbury is working to build its reputation as an arts and culture destination and is aligning its downtown development and revitalization efforts with the arts. Salisbury believes hosting the Maryland Folk Festival is the perfect catalyst to further a cultural renaissance and urban renewal. https://salisbury.md/
ABCD Events
The Arts, Business, & Culture Department is responsible for fostering Salisbury’s thriving economic climate through supporting business, expanding economic opportunity, promoting artistic expression, hosting unique experiences, and maintaining regional attractions such as the Salisbury Zoo and Poplar Hill Mansion. By producing signature events, facilitating business incentives, and collaborating with stakeholders, this department strives to make Salisbury a place where arts, business, and culture intersect and flourish. https://salisbury.md/departments/arts-business-culture
