The 9th Annual Festival will be held On The Beautiful Oregon Coast in Florence, Oregon at the Florence Events Center

Two Days of top American Folk Artists

The festival helps to bring folk music into our local schools and provides free Kid's Koncerts for local school children. It includes craft demonstrations, art and craft booths, food, jam sessions and workshops. Admission to the craft fair is free. Daily performances (included in festival daily admission) include top folk performers from across the US.

Don't miss the Youth Folk Music Talent Competition (Saturday at 4pm) where NW youth compete for prizes and the chance to open for Chad & Jeremy Saturday Night...

For your listening pleasure:

2012 Tom Chapin & Friends plus We Five -
More details to follow

2011 Festival featured:

Tom Rawson is armed with long neck banjo and other weapons of mass delight, and will have you singing along in no time. He says he has a banjo and he is NOT afraid to use it. He sings traditional and contemporary folk and gospel tunes. His performance is guaranteed to leave you smiling. He's a master folk singer and story-teller who will draw you in. Tom is a one man Hootenanny! Tune up your vocal chords; you'll need 'em! Be prepared to sing in strange keys and about unusual subjects. Tom will be joined by Ellen·van der Hoeven whose delightful voice and flute playing will leave you enthralled.

Three Together are an Acoustic Vocal Trio composed of Doug Smith, Judy Koch-Smith and Don Mitchell. They are three accomplished musicians having FUN with baby boomer era Folk, Pop, and Soft Rock tunes using tight vocal harmonies and the incredible guitar styling of Doug Smith. Doug is a Grammy Award winner for his solo guitar work on the tribute CD to Henry Mancini titled·Pink Guitar. He is considered one of the top five fingerstyle guitarists in the country with his placements at the Winfield International Fingerstyle guitar competition and the Walnut Valley Festival. The trio includes the delightful flute of Judy Smith and solid guitar back-up of Don Mitchell. Be prepared to sing along with songs from the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Marty Robbins and many other popular artists.

From 1964 to 1968 Chad Stuart & Jeremy Clyde had eleven hit US singles and releases seven classic albums. Since then the music of Chad & Jeremy has been re-released on countless albums and CD's worldwide. In 2003 they reunited for a PBS TV music special. Since then they have performed their two-man show all over the United States, Canada, Hawaii and the Philippines - playing to sold out crowds who flock to hear the harmonies and the humor. Their great hits such as "A Summer Song", and "Willow Weep for Me" are still delighting audiences today. Chad & Jeremy have now·come full circle. In the 1960s, they were thrilling audiences all over the world, and the duo is doing the same more than 40 years later. Whether on stage, on their brand-new albums, or through archival releases of·unheard material, you can be sure that Chad & Jeremy are proving in the 21st century that it isn’t quite true when they said that "Yesterday’s Gone"...

The Whateverly Brothers (Dan Roberts, Chris Glanister & Matthew Moeller) have performed for many years as solo artists and members of obscure folk groups across the Pacific Northwest. Now these three talents are together as the Whateverly Brothers. Drawing from a rich and varied musical history, they hearken to the folksinger tradition that “No musical style is sacred” They blend the finest traditions of vocal harmony with humor and fine musicianship on guitar, mandolin and pennywhistles. They sing songs about Geoducs, City Gates, Pirates, and many other familiarities. Hoist anchor! Raise the glass! Sing along! Have fun!!

William Florian has been delighting audiences of all ages for decades playing guitar and singing songs. William mixes humor, stories, and song in this upbeat, energizing, musical journey of Americas greatest songs of the 60s. William includes in his show songs he performed as a lead singer of the famous New Christy Minstrels, plus the music of Peter Paul & Mary, John Denver, others, and uplifting originals. William was the People’s Choice Winner at the 2010 Winter Folk Festival and we are pleased to welcome him back. You will be singing along with all of his songs

Fret Not Gospel Band plays boot-stomping old-time roots gospel, the way our grandmothers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers played it when they were homesteading this great country. Lead by Lori Arthur's fiery singing, with songs from the traditions of America's black and white rural churches. Band members include Spiro Tsingaris (fiddle, vocal), Danny Angell (snare), Rachel Butler (vocal), Greg V. Arthur (mando, vocal), Max Butler (lead guitar, vocal) Rich Ferguson (banjo, dobro, vocal), Reed Sutton (bass), and Lori Arthur (guitar, lead vocal). It's as if the Whitstein Brothers and Sister Rosetta Tharpe held a barn dance together. Their songs range from "farmer formal" sacred songs from the Emancipation to the Depression, as well as some of their own compositions. Everyone in Fret Not also leads or at least plays lead in church worship bands, or fronts their own gospel bands of two-timing pickers, or teaches true and right music to kids. They will also be performing a separate free concert on Sunday night at a local church. They return all band proceeds to charity, primarily into prison ministries.

The Trail Band is an 8- piece ensemble (Mick Doherty, Phil & Gayle Neuman, Eddie Parente, Marv & Rindy Ross, Cal Scott, and Dan Stueber) that creates an energetic blend of brassand string arrangements of traditional and original music featuring five great vocalists including Quarterflash's Rindy Ross. Hundreds of public and private appearances across America and Japan, plus seven successful albums have established The Trail Band as the premiere historic music ensemble from the Northwest. Cornet, tenor horn, tuba, fiddles, hammered dulcimer, guitars, penny whistle, mandolin, piano, saxophone, spoons, bones, drums, bass, and recorders combine with their rich vocal harmonies to create a diverse tapestry of sound.

"They will perform their acclaimed show - Voices from The Oregon Trails plus selections from their other CD releases.  This is a show for all ages and combines costumes, diary readings, traditional folk tunes, marches, hoedowns, and other original songs and is a show you do not want to miss!"

And More!

In addition to music, arts, craft, non-profit and food booths at the Events Center there will be informal musical jam sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at designated locations around town. All musicians are invited to participate in the sessions.

WinterFolkFestival.org