Folk Music Concerts Part of Weekend of Music May 23 & 24

As part of Folk College, there are two outstanding evening concerts open to the public. The Friday, May 23, concert features host band, Simple Gifts; the English, Celtic & Baroque music of the Chivalrous Crickets; the country blues sound of the Piedmont Bluz Acoustic Duo; and the progressive acoustic bluegrass sound of High Horse. There is a free Ceilidh dance after the Friday concert. Dancers welcome.

The Saturday, May 24, concert features singer, songwriter, and humorist Jamie Anderson; the fusion of traditional fiddle tunes, jazz, tango, classical, and more with Midnight on the Water; and the music of South & North Americas with Acoustic Nomads. There is a free contradance after the Saturday concert. Dancers welcome.

The concerts start at 7 pm and are held at the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts on the Juniata College campus in Huntingdon. Tickets are available at the door for $20, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Folk College is an annual event at Juniata College in Huntingdon. The event brings in nationally recognized musicians as instructors and offers workshops to both budding and seasoned acoustic musicians over a three-day weekend.

The full Folk College weekend is geared towards area musicians and is packed with workshops, concerts, jamming, singing, and dancing, with both professional and amateur musicians in attendance. This event brings nationally renowned musicians to Huntingdon County, and local residents can participate or enjoy some excellent concerts by these talented performers.

Folk College is a collaboration between Simple Gifts of State College and the Huntingdon County Arts Council. It has been an annual music fest for over 25 years. Participants hail from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

There is also a free Sunday concert featuring the Student Bands, which is the culmination of the weekend’s activities for Folk College participants. Participants have been grouped into bands based on their preferences and are coached by a professional musician to perform a single song. Most participants agree that the Student Band experience is what makes Folk College unique. The Sunday concert is at 2:30 p.m. at the Halbritter Center on the Juniata College campus and is open to the public.

Information is available at www.folkcollege.com or by calling the Huntingdon County Arts Council at 814-643-6220.