Salisbury, MD – From various kinds of dancing to beekeeping to carving, printing and oysters, all kinds of folklife will be on display at the Maryland Folk Festival’s Maryland Traditions Folklife Area and Stage.
The Maryland Folk Festival is set for Sept. 20-22 in Downtown Salisbury. The Maryland Traditions Folklife Area and Stage will be open Sept. 21 and 22 and is sponsored by the Maryland State Arts Council and MSAC’s traditional arts program, Maryland Traditions.
The following tradition bearers will provide demonstrations at the festival:
Angela Smithhisler – fiber processing and art: Angela Smithhisler is the owner and shepherd at Marshall Creek Farm in Newark, Maryland. With a passion for sustainable farming and community engagement, Smithhisler has cultivated a thriving hub for local artists to explore the wonders of natural fibers and animal husbandry.
Bruce Eppard – decoy carving: Bruce Eppard has been carving wildfowl and decoys since 1985. Using only hand tools, his focus is to continue carving decoys in the old tradition and honor the heritage of decoy carving on the Chesapeake Bay.
David Bruning – aquaculture/oysters: David Bruning’s journey in aquaculture began at age 12 with a job at a clam and oyster nursery. Fascinated by this experience, he started his own oyster farm in 2016 in the Chincoteague Bay of Maryland.
Eric Clark Jackson – regional batik: Eric Clark Jackson is a contemporary fiber artist whose work is an intersection of fine art, contemporary craft and the ecology of the watershed.
Garry Moore – reclaimed and salvaged art with Anchor Wood Creations: Anchor Wood Creations reclaims and repurposes materials from regional sources, including downed trees and salvaged structures. Using the grain and tone of the wood as his guide, Garry Moore creates one-of-a-kind pieces for his clients and artistic expression for creative pursuits.
George “BeeGeorge” Meyer – beekeeping: George “BeeGeorge” Meyer runs approximately 150 bee colonies in Talbot County, selling honey at retail locations, a few fairs, in bulk and in specialty bottlings.
Shanye Huang – Chinese paper cutting: Award-winning artist Shanye Huang was born and raised in a Zhuang Ethnic family in Guangxi, Southwest China, a region known for its vibrant folk arts. Huang’s work connects to his southern Chinese craft traditions and folkloric heritage with Western contemporary art concepts.
Trisha Gupta – Rajasthani Woodblock Design and Fabric Printing: Trisha Gupta is a contemporary artist, community activist and educator. Her printmaking is heavily influenced by her Indian-American heritage and explores themes of social inequality, colonialism, mental health and immigration.
The Pocomoke Indian Nation, a 2024 MSAC Heritage Award winner, will offer an indoor demonstration during the festival at the new Museum of Eastern Shore Culture, located at 218 W. Main St., near the Salisbury University Locals Stage.
Pocomoke Indian Nation – Indigenous traditions: Composed of descendants of one of the Indigenous populations of the Delmarva Peninsula, members of the Pocomoke Indian Nation pass on the heritage and lifeways of Delmarva’s Indigenous peoples, offering oral presentations and demonstrations on Indigenous skills, arts and customs.
Numerous stage performers will be showcased on the Maryland Traditions Stage.
Dan + Claudia Zanes with Tyree Austin – eclectic folk & jazz: Grammy award-winner Dan Zanes and vocalist/music therapist Claudia Zanes have been sharing their love of community and social music making in concerts large and small across the country. With the addition of Tyree Austin, this is an exciting new sound in family music.
Great American Indian Dancers – Native American: The Great American Indian Dancers feature live music, dance and storytelling from diverse tribes from throughout the United States.
Lydia and Emily Martin – Irish folk: The Martin sisters of Boyds, Maryland – Lydia and Emily – present traditional Irish and old-time repertoire and have performed on both sides of the Atlantic. Emily’s daughter, Elora Paul-Martin, is a third-generation member of the Martin Family Band.
Mid Shore Voices United – gospel: Mid Shore Voices United is a group of enthusiastic singers from several different religious denominations. This group offers a unique mixture of Negro spirituals and spirited gospel music, and takes great pride in spreading the word and making a joyful noise.
Noah Mitchel – klezmer: Noah Mitchel is a vocalist, theater performer, Yiddish music performer and culture worker living in Baltimore. He has performed theater with Congress for Jewish Culture, Jewish Plays Project, Imagination Stage and IN Series.
Quey Percussion Duo – percussion: For nearly 20 years, Quey [“Kway”] Percussion Duo has dazzled audiences worldwide with its unmistakable style that blends traditions of contemporary, cross-cultural, classical and popular music to create colorful sound worlds.
Tisza Ensemble – traditional Hungarian folk dancing: Tisza Ensemble was formed in 1982 by a group of dancers in Maryland interested in the Hungarian táncház movement. The ensemble has performed at the Embassy of Hungary, the Kennedy Center, the annual Hungarian Christmas Bazaar and in Hungary.
UMES Steppers – Greek Step: The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Greeks will be performing a series of strolls and steps to exemplify the history and culture of each Greek Letter Organization.
For the second year in a row, the festival has collaborated with Museum Curator and Folklife Specialist Raye-Valion Gillette and Museum Operations Coordinator Alexandra Kean from the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture at Salisbury University to help create engaging and diverse experiences for festival attendees as they explore the Maryland Traditions Area and Stage. To learn more about the museum, visit www.museumofeasternshorecultureatsu.org.
The Maryland Folk Festival will feature individual artists on Facebook (facebook.com/MDFolkFestival) and Instagram (instagram.com/mdfolkfestival). More performers will be announced as they are confirmed.
