Woodstock Folk Festival Presents the 35TH Annual Woodstock Folk Festival – Reimagined, and Announces “Woodstock Wednesdays”!

Come to the 35th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival – Reimagined, on SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 from 2-4 p.m. CDT, online HERE.

Due to current health concerns and large gathering restrictions, the Festival has invited all of the originally scheduled 2020 performers to next year’s in-person Festival on Sunday, July 18, 2021.

Here’s What’s Coming for the 35th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival — Reimagined

Rather than cancel this year’s Festival, the Board chose to reimagine it, taking advantage of what an online event can offer, while preserving the flavor of a Woodstock event. Long time co-hosts Chuck VanderVennet and Rich Warren will welcome everyone, and viewers will be treated to a virtual tour of the historic Square.

The heart of the event will be two half-hour segments, each featuring music and conversation with performers. One segment will feature Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway, and the other, Christine Lavin and Megon McDonough. While the Festival is known for the high quality and variety of music, it generally cannot present conversations between performers, something it is uniquely positioned to do this year.

Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway, both renowned solo performers, toured the country with their “Deeper Than the Skin” show. Friends for over 30 years, one black, one white, one from the North, one from the South, they come together as musicians, storytellers, students of history and world travelers. Through music and conversation, their separate narratives are forged into one powerful friendship aimed at finding common ground and helping others to do the same.

Early in their careers Christine Lavin and Megon McDonough came together as half of the Four Bitchin’ Babes. Christine has entertained audiences with a mix of humorous and tender songs. She also nurtures and promotes new generations of performers. Megon, who will be next year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, began writing songs as a child. Her vast repertoire has led her from performing in Patsy Cline shows to writing and performing in a solo cabaret show. She has performed on stages such as Carnegie Hall, The Birchmere, and Wolf Trap. She has also served as music director and performed at Unity centers and churches.

Festival founder Amy Beth and award-winning singer-songwriter Crys Matthews will also perform. The Festival will finish with its hallmark All-Sing Finale, featuring past performers. There may be a surprise guest or two.

Woodstock Wednesdays

Join the Woodstock Folk Festival for great music, fun and friends. We are excited to present Woodstock Wednesdays, a way to bring the best in folk music to our community and to enjoy performers who have worked with us over the years.

Woodstock Wednesdays will offer weekly performances throughout the year, not just at the Festival and concerts. We’ll have a way to build a closer bond with you, our fans — and we can all enjoy and support our performers.

Each Wednesday, we’ll launch the video in our website Gallery, where it will also be available after the event. Performances launch at 7pm/CDT. 

A great way to support our performers is to go to their websites, buy CDs and other merchandise, become a Patreon or whatever member platform they use, and donate to them.  With so many gigs cancelled, they need and deserve your support!

Of course, the Festival also appreciates your support, and you can make a donation at any time by using the Donate button on this website or by sending a check made payable to Woodstock Folk Festival to P.O. Box 1628, Woodstock, IL 60098.

We know you’ll want to get all the information about who’s performing and how to join the party. If you’re not on our mailing list, please sign up using the Mailing List signup in the right column of our website. 

More Information

For more information on these and future events and, in August, a commemoration of the “100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the U.S.” with special web features, visit us here often at woodstockfolkfestival.org. Be sure to check out the Calendar and News sections of the site for the most recent event information for the Festival and our Friends.

Donations

Donations are welcome at any time through the Donation tab on the site. The Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, made possible in part by Radio Partners WDCB, WFMT, and WNUR, the City of Woodstock, and Real Woodstock (www.realwoodstock.com).