Anyone who will be around the North Shore of Massachusetts next weekend should check out the Essex Music Festival. It runs from noon to 7:30 on Saturday the 23rd. The festival features local, Cape Ann/North Shore accoustic performers. There will be bluegrass, accoustic blues, jugband, maritime, oldtime and folk music.

The festival is an all volunteer comunity event with proceeds going towards Centennial Grove park, the festival site. There will be food, swimming, family fun, and of course music; a main stage running all day and a workshop stage for more intimate performances.

It is not, strictly speaking, a folk festival but I can guarantee more traditional songs per hour than at Ben&Jerry's festival.

for more info check http://www.shore.net/~champagn/fest.html

or email me at champagn@shore.net