Lighthouse I'm going to suggest something to you that might sound like heresy to some. Sing folk songs but stay away from folk audiences for a while. Sing for "people" not officianados. Go out and sing for children, senior citizens, people who have not really been exposed to folk music before and those who have no "agenda" but appreciate a nice voice. Working on musicianship is sometimes a plus but even that is misleading sometimes. It's usually someone else's idea about what sounds good. (A little knowledge is a dangerous thing). You can educate yourself out of something good.

Build your own audience.

Folk festivals may be the worst place to start because there is so much attached to the "image" of a folk performer. It's an "act" in that you have to look right, act according to your onstage persona and fit in with that ideal.

It really helps to study folk music though. Listen to everything and anyone who you feel resonates with your experience and find that connection with the music that is you. Study the songs from the traditions that they come from and find out as much about the song you sing as you can ie: who wrote it and why or where does it come from and what does it mean. Give the song the respect it deserves.

One thing I've learned about performing folk songs. Not everyone is going to like what you do. There is always a critic in the house.
Somebody has an agenda that they bring to the performance. For this reason, it's best when starting out to stay away from that kind of thing. If people enjoy what you are doing, then that's where you need to be.

In my view, the American folk festival has become something strange because it follows trends. Singer-songwriters have taken it over or it becomes a highly stylized event with rockish bands or all bluegrass instrumental virtuosos or varying degrees of Celtoids (not necessarilly representatives of Ireland or the Isles.) . I remember the Ashville folk festival which was regional and educational about traditional folk music. Nothing like it around today.

Please don't listen to promoters or managers who attempt to get you to sing their way. And critics are historically found to be wanting.
Remember the saying (Mencken, I think) "No one ever erected a monument to a critic".

Frank Hamilton