Takoma Park Folk Festival

This year's Takoma Park Folk Festival — celebrating 29 great years! — is Sunday, September 10, 2006. Mark your calendars!

The Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., 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).

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

Music and Dance Program
Enjoy music and dance from around the world on seven 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, Abrakadoodle 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 artisans 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. Students from Takoma Park Middle School will be selling water and soft drinks at the back of the school overlooking the Field Stage and near the Grassy Nook children's area.

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.
In 2005 Festival proceeds went 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 Park Neighborhood Youth Soccer