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Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD
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Subject: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 21 May 09 - 04:41 PM 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 |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 21 May 09 - 04:54 PM ....and 26 booths of elegant and beautiful crafts! Organized by and including, me! and my wife, the creative Rita Ferrara. I'll find some festival & crafts pics to put up. (Yes, I know it's a long way from England, Australia & California, etc...but we like to show off, anyway.) |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: My guru always said Date: 21 May 09 - 05:16 PM It sounds like a fantastic festival, wish we were only a few hours away as we'd be there like a shot! Well done to all the people organising & volunteering! |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Leadfingers Date: 21 May 09 - 07:35 PM Only managed one day at Glen Echo when I was over , but it WAS an excellent day ! I would reccommend it to ANYONE who can get there . |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: clueless don Date: 22 May 09 - 09:06 AM I'm proud to say that my daughter will once again be storytelling with the Twinbrook Tellers, on Saturday. Lot's of things to see and hear! A fine festival. Don |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 22 May 09 - 12:24 PM I believe there will be several Mudcatters involved. Bill and Rita are fixtures of the craft area (and if you've never seen their work, it's amazing - actually it's amazing even if you have seen it). My mother, brother and I will be singing together, at least briefly, in the Generation to Generation workshop (one song - then Ken goes off to sea shanties). I'll be leading a workshop on Remembering Utah Phillips with Lisa Null, Joe Uehlein, Pete Kramer and Judy Cook. I'm sure there are other Mudcatters on the schedule. Dan |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Roger in Baltimore Date: 22 May 09 - 03:44 PM For those of you outside the area, this is a volunteer festival. The blessing is that the performers are all from the DC area and it has as a strong base of singers who travel the U. S. and beyond to peddle their great talent. Roger in Baltimore (who regrets he cannot get there this year, because he no longer lives in Baltimore) |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 22 May 09 - 06:02 PM Here's a selection of images...mostly from last year. one (my table) two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven (Bagpipe band...traditional opening group on Sunday for many years) |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 24 May 09 - 08:19 PM Never post important stuff on Friday... *grin* Giving everyone another chance |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Padre Date: 24 May 09 - 09:40 PM I will miss this year's WFF, but I have fond memories of the first 20+ years - if you are anywhere near DC, GO TO THIS!! |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 26 May 09 - 11:42 AM The festival is this weekend, and early forecasts seem to bode well. Dan |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: clueless don Date: 27 May 09 - 08:30 AM Thanks for the pictures, Bill, particularly the bagpipe band. I remember marching behind the pipers in the Sunday parade, along with the rest of the operations crew. When they reached the Crystal Pool stage, the pipers would form two lines, with the pipers facing outward, and the rest of the paraders would march between the lines, getting the full benefit of the pipe band experience. I believe there were two types of paraders - those, like me, who thought it was one of the greatest experiences ever, and the rest, who just kept saying "It's so LOUD!!" Don |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 27 May 09 - 11:12 AM Yep... since I spent many years photographing it all, I seldom got to do the full 'march', but sometimes got into the tail of the parade. I also have some old videos of the parade and the various festival events. It's about time to get those transferred to digital media! |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 29 May 09 - 11:13 AM It'll be a great time tomorrow - I can't wait to see everyone! Dan |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Gorgeous Gary Date: 29 May 09 - 08:10 PM Unfortunately, must work tomorrow. But we'll definitely be there Sunday! -- Gary |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 29 May 09 - 08:30 PM It will all be great. I was at the park today, setting up stuff, and everything is buzzing....weather report is good, too.... |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Songster Bob Date: 01 Jun 09 - 06:23 PM Post-Festival wrap-up: What did you see you liked or disliked? Anybody new we should look for? Any surprises (pleasant or otherwise)? I missed Saturday, due to a paying gig, and saw limited sets on Saturday (I did a set with my Sidekick, as a replacement for someone who couldn't show, then knocked around a bit, seeing snippets of sets, but not sitting through anyone's except Reuben Musgrave and his kids). What'd I miss? Bob Clayton |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Nancy King Date: 01 Jun 09 - 08:25 PM The Pete Seeger 90th Birthday celebration workshop was a lot of fun, with great anecdotes and songs from Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Reuben Musgrave, Andy Wallace, and Joe Hickerson. The Men's Choir from the Metropolitan AME Church were great -- rocking gospel without all the electric guitars and soaring stuff typical of so much modern-day gospel singing. I personally liked the Generation to Generation workshop (since my sons and I were in it, along with some other great young people and their parents), but unfortunately it was scheduled opposite sea shanties, which I heard was packed, and very good. Randy Barrett and Dede Wyland, with their group "Mama Tried," did some fine bluegrass, and I'm sure there was much more worthy of mention, but for me the big treat was to have both my sons there, as well as my grandson, who loved the carousel! Nancy |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Leadfingers Date: 01 Jun 09 - 08:40 PM Nice to have two good excuses for absence ! Dickens Festival in Rochester , Kent , UK , and 3000 miles of water ! I hope YOUR weather was as good as ours ! |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Pauline L Date: 02 Jun 09 - 03:34 AM I was only able to attend for a few hours Sunday afternoon and evening, but I had a great time. I still haven't unwound. My three favorite things about the Festival were (1) the crafts fair (BTW, Bill and Rita not only participated as crafters, but organized and ran the whole crafts fair. Thanks, Bill and Rita.) (2) The opportunity to connect with old friends whom I haven't seen in a while. One was Laura Saylor. I remember her six year old daughter Lisa playing her violin in the jamming area. She played the only song she had been taught, "We Shall Overcome." She has just finished her first year in college as a music major, doing very well and feeling very happy. (3) The great opportunities for jamming. I drifted into a group playing some kind of music that I was unfamiliar with. I did my best to play softly some melody, harmony, or rhythm. I had to ask someone what was the name of the genre of the music we were playing. She told me that it was Dixieland and some early blues. Later the group played "real" blues. The people in the group included some of the performers in the Festival, who were really good, and other people of various skill levels. Later, when I heard some of the jammers performing as a group, the Sunshine Skiffle Band, I realized that they were really good, much better than our motley crew of jammers. I felt very lucky to have the opportunity to jam with and learn from such talented people in such a fun, informal way. Y'all come next year, if you possibly can. |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: GUEST,Lisa Null Date: 02 Jun 09 - 10:07 PM I hosted a Saturday ballad workshop with Judy Cook and Martha Burns and Bruce Hutton and it felt good, but i got to hear a lot of other wonderful music before taking part in the Utah Phillips workshop. Hmmm..where to begin? Joe Hickerson, great sea chantey workshop ( Ken Schatz, Darriel Day, DOn --Stallone, and David Diamond. Reverb-- a local a cappella gospel quartet-- was terrific as were Hutton, Burns, and Romaine. Then there was the blues workshop with Donna Fletcher who found a great fiddler from Atlanta in the jamming area and had him perform impromptu with her own band. Magic! |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: GUEST,Goodnight Grace Date: 03 Jun 09 - 10:35 AM Hi everyone, Pete Kraemer and I were glued to the Potomac Palisades stage for most of the weekend. Among other highlights already mentioned by others, on our stage we had a wonderful steel band orchestra made up of high school kids from Mitchesville, MD; Ocean Orchestra - lead by Jennifer Cutting (electric-celtic), an amazing African-Venezuelan percussion band. I got away to hear Hutton, Burns and Romaine. They were great. It was wonderful to see Martha Burns performing again. I also saw Ruben Musgrave perform with his daughter Beth -- she is an amazing young singer. I believe it was one of the best festivals yet. The Program Comittee and the performers deserve a round of applause. Gracie |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: GUEST,Mike B. Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:40 PM That was a great festival a year ago, and it's coming up again this weekend at Glen Echo Park. I understand that Tom Paxton's on the program and there's also a Sandy Paton tribute session. |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: *#1 PEASANT* Date: 04 Jun 10 - 03:05 PM Yes indeed. If you want to see all that I talk about in my folk festivals it is indeed here! All volunteer~! Got me started- bring a donation. I shall be there sunday about 10 it starts at 12. I will be driving the art truck with art gourney and horn hats and horn coat and horn suit jacket green man bike-wow.... From this link you can get the schedule http://ceimd.com/php/public.php?Org=fsgw&ProgramID=10&NoTitle=1 Washington Folk festival glen echo Conrad |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bill D Date: 04 Jun 10 - 06:57 PM I was out there the last two days, getting the crafts area ready. It's looking like a great festival.... I've been to every one since the 1st in 1977..(several years not held due to flood & construction)... and worked on every one since 1978. Gee, time flies when you're |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Leadfingers Date: 05 Jun 10 - 02:20 AM Managed a day there a couple of years back - GOOD Fest ! Have a good one this year |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: GutBucketeer Date: 05 Jun 10 - 09:40 PM Had a wonderful time today! Heat kept some away, but it was a lot of fun playing under the trees, and on stage with Donna Fletcher, Snakehead Run, and the All New Genetically Altered Jug Band. The Bolivian dancers were awesome. Same with the Woman's Barbershop workshop. Lots of variety this year. Something for everyone! Looking forward to tomorrow. JAB |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Bobert Date: 05 Jun 10 - 10:27 PM See ya'll tomorrow... Gonna get there 'round 2 and play with the Archie Edwards Barbershop folks at 4:30... Chrystal Pool Theater... b~ |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 06 Jun 10 - 06:14 PM We had a great time on Saturday, but couldn't stay for Sunday, alas. Highlights included a wonderful banjo workshop, Reed Martin, Tom Paxton, Cathy Fink, and many ensembles performing music from around the world with names I could not hope to spell or pronounce. The list of things I would like to have seen but missed is long indeed. A very special treat was seeing Caroline Paton on Saturday. I hadn't realized she'd be there, and was sorry to miss the tribute to Sandy on Sunday. Many old, dear friends, and some new ones as well. Kiran was much admired, and Cathy Fink even stopped on her way between two performances to sing a song especially for him. One of the things I like best about the Washington Folk Festival is that it draws so many young families. The tradition is very much kept alive in this event, and I thank all the organizers and volunteers and performers, many of whom have been working this festival for 35 years. Some of my earliest memories center around running around Glen Echo Park as a little kid. It means a great deal that now my son can do the same. Dan |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: clueless don Date: 07 Jun 10 - 09:18 AM Had a good time! I spent a lot of time at the Storytelling Stage, heard some good storytelling - including my daughter telling on both Saturday and Sunday. It was the swan song of the "Twinbrook Tellers" storytelling troupe, since Twinbrook Library will no longer be sponsoring them (nor will any other Montgomery County Library - budget cuts.) We're hoping that they will rise again under different sponsorship. Saw just a few other acts - Ocean Orchestra, Finnegan's Jig. Musically, I think the group I enjoyed the most was the Rockville High School Pipe Band! Saw Bill D in the crafts area, but he was talking to someone else, so I didn't get a chance to say "hi". Had better luck at the festival office, where I got to say hi to Beth, Dwain, Mary B., and Paul. Thanks to them, Bill D, and all of the staff, volunteers, and performers for once again making it happen! Don |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: Dan Schatz Date: 07 Jun 10 - 12:24 PM We'd hoped to see Ocean, but the needs of a three year old took us away and to the playground by the Crystal Pool stage. I too was impressed by the Rockville High School Pipe Band. They played well, with grace and subtlety, or at least, what grace and subtlety is possible for a pipe band. Dan |
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Subject: RE: Washington Folk Festival - Glen Echo, MD From: *#1 PEASANT* Date: 07 Jun 10 - 10:00 PM Hard to see Ocean as they are in the Biz and move on. Did not see anyone from them hanging out sunday must have moved on to another paying job. Too bad as there were several slots unfilled. The festival was as it always is wonderful however the german band is missing although they still exist. I did not see transmission oriented activities as they should be practiced- song sheets etc...getting audience involved - at least at the several stages I visited. Folk festivals really have to make sure that the influence on transmission from all points of contact is positive. that said there were many sessions springing up as usual and that is good. Just would hope that more in the biz planned for a full two days of availability. We must be community before we are recording artists. These days I am too old to stay out as late as I once did. I hope the after festival was strong however, this should also be standard. It was the draw that kept me coming back in my youth. Conrad |
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