The National Folk Festival has been around for 79 years.  It’s a traveling event that stays in its host city for 3 years.  The intention is to seed a local festival as it goes.  Six years ago, it landed in Greensboro, NC.  I was already working weekends and didn’t know I needed to take time off.  We went on Friday evening and fell in love with the event.  I take the weekend after Labor Day off every year, now.

This year, the pandemic has caused the North Carolina Folk Festival to be virtual. And they are doing it with panache. There are going to be virtual.  This is unfortunate for the food truck vendors and the local artisans who populate the Marketplace.  But, it means a few of the musicians still get heard.  With air conditioning.

The festival is nominally free.  They do ask for donations to help cover what sponsors haven’t and the easiest way to avoid being asked multiple times is to go ahead and cough up.  They give you a sticker that says you donated and after than you’re left alone until the next day.  I give gladly because I want it to keep happening and I like that everyone can come, even when they’re broke.  Those of us that can, should.

The music is a little bit of everything from all over the world.  Africa, Mongolia, Canada, Ireland, Louisiana, Memphis, the list goes on.  Some has been wonderful.  Some has been for other people.  I love that there are so many choices.
https://ncfolkfestival.com/splendid-isolation-fiddle-tunes-from-ireland-scotland-and-north-america/