Every Spring, Summer and Fall, hordes pay big bucks to go to folk festivals. As another thread reminds us, though, there are some great ones for free, and my favorite is the Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park, just outside Washington, DC.

I grew up going to this festival - literally. I remember running around the park when I was a tiny kid. So I may be a little biased. But there really is a great deal to recommend this huge effort coming from the Folklore Society of Greater Washington (also known as "The Good People Who Brought You The Getaway.") The festival is two days, the weekend after Memorial Day (this year that's May 30th and 31st, though usually it ends up being the first weekend in June). There are eight stages of simultaneous entertainment, including a storytelling stage and dance workshops in the Crystal Ballroom. There is a HUGE variety of music, from Sea Shanties to Japanese to African to Latin American folk music. All the performers are volunteers, and all from the greater Washington, DC area. That includes a phenomenal variety of talent. And that's not even to mention the craft area!

If all that bores you or the kids, then you can always hop on the antique Dentzel carousel, one of the most beautiful (and fun) I've ever seen.

I have always wondered why people travel to some of the big expensive festivals, but skip the free ones. This really is a great event, and it's worth a trip to the DC area. And if you live within a few hours of Washington, there's no excuse. This is one you'll want to go to.

A bit of a commercial, perhaps, but it's from the heart.

Dan