Takoma Park Folk Festival

A special event this 26th year is a Pre-Festival Benefit concert on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Performing at the concert will be The Magpie and Franklin Taggart. Learn more about this benefit event...

This year's Takoma Park Folk Festival — celebrating 26 great years! — is Sunday, September 7, 2003. Mark your calendars!

The Festival runs from 11a.m. to 6:30pm, rain or shine and is FREE to all!

It will take place at the Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd, Takoma Park, MD (map and directions).

And as a part of the celebration, we're presenting a Pre-Festival Benefit Concert on Saturday, September 6th. Don't miss this chance to see Magpie and Franklin Taggart!

Enjoy the following components of our one-day extravaganza...

Music and Dance Program
Enjoy music and dance from around the world on eight stages. Some performances are designed for audience participation, particularly our dance workshops, the Seventh Heaven stage, and the many activities at and surrounding our Children’s stage.

       Accessibility: The Festival strives to make our activities accessible to people with disabilities.
        • All of our indoor stages and most outdoor activities will be accessible.
        • Plentiful handicapped parking at Takoma Park Middle School site
        • Many performances are signed for the hearing impaired

Children's Activities
Visit the Grassy Nook Stage for activities designed for children of all ages — folksingers, interactive musical games and dancing, storytelling, and participatory music-making. Nearby are children's homemade games provided by Cub Scout Pack 33 — our thanks for their participation. Enjoy! Also this year, Earth Center for the Arts will have a table for kids participatory crafts.

Juried Crafts Show and Sale
The Festival’s juried crafts exposition showcases the diverse talents of the many artists and craftspeople who live in Takoma Park and the region. Visit their booths to experience — and buy! — their varied and innovative creations. A juried selection process ensures the highest quality in handcrafted items.

About Your Pets...
We love animals too! But because of the hazards of possible bites, fights and droppings, please leave your pet at home on the day of the Festival.

Community Tables
Around the grounds you will see a wide variety of community groups who rent table space to distribute literature and solicit new members and donations. We encourage you to learn about the many activities taking place in and around Takoma Park by visiting the community-tables area. Space is allocated to non-profit groups for a nominal fee.

Food
Selected vendors are allocated space to sell food that represents several ethnic cuisines and provides fun, inexpensive options for the entire family. Please visit our Folk Festival Drink Stands, which sell bottled water. All proceeds from the drink stands go directly to support the Festival.

Beneficiaries
Local organizations that support youth and youth activities are Festival beneficiaries. Parents and supervisors of these organizations, as well as teenagers, serve as volunteers on Festival day to earn the funds, which are distributed after the Festival, to help support specific projects cited in their proposals. We are grateful for their efforts.
This year's Festival proceeds will go to the following local organizations:

• Community Bridges
• Cub Scout Pack 33
• East Silver Spring Elementary School PTA
• Girl Scout Troop 2131
• MBHS After-the-Prom Committee
• MBHS/YMCA Youth & Government Club
• Piney Branch Elem. School PTA
• Rolling Terrace Elementary School PTA
• Silver Spring International Middle School
• Spring Knolls Cooperative Nursery School
• Takoma Horticulture Club
• Takoma Park Middle School PTA
• Takoma Park Neighborhood Youth Soccer