JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum How does one start a "folk festival"?

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That's it.

How does one start a folk festival?

Chap

Maybe a good idea is to research other folk festivals and contact the organizers for some inside intel.

You'd need venues, perhaps city permits, advertising, sponsors, volunteers, and, of course, artists. You'd need a hands-on organizing committee with a large network into the community. Start with the committee, the team... and grow from there.

Start small and make it about quality, not quantity.

Unless it is really small, you'll need security and insurance. Don't forget sound and lights if it to go into the evening. Also, don't forget bathroom availability, and possibly a medical tent.

I agree with Vikki (as usual). Start small and you'll have less to things about which to worry.

Most festivals start from very small beginnings and if they are well received they grow from year to year. In simple terms all you need is a venue are a few artists I would try and get good and diverse artists (they don't have to be famous), that way people will want to come back the following year when hopefully your festival will be a little bit bigger and better

I'd start by inviting a bunch of different "folks"

Perhaps see if a music store would help sponser one and get the word out. Thus you could afford more, if sponsered and it would probably be bigger.
Good luck- Kim:)

One suggestion is that while your festival has to have your personality and your spirit and individuality, you do NOT have to "reinvent the wheel". There is an organization called the Folk Alliance (www.folk.org/) that has conferences including festival organizers for both regions and the International in Memphis,TN each February. "Folkworld" is a mutually supportive community and is non-competitive, for the most part. Start with existing networks and work from there.

For starters, quit shaving, wearing shoes and getting haircuts. Ya gotta look the part.

I resemble that remark!.. Wait, actually I rarely go barefoot.

Wear beads and fringe too! Quite sure there is a clause that requires you to go commando too...

Hey,

Make sure you don't bathe and wash clothes for a while. The more mud you can get the better. The guys who did the original Woodstock had to cancel the anniversery version because they couldn't get sponsors.So unless you have some really deep pockets, you might want to join an existing festival and learn it from the bottom up. Usually works better that way.

MAB

Careful and don't folk up ! !

Chapman,

If you get this project off the ground, please keep me in mind. Also, depending on what part of Kentucky you are in, I might be able to lend a hand.