The 37th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival Returns to Woodstock Square in 2022!

A Message from Board President and Festival Producer Carol Obertubbesing

The 37th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival RETURNS TO WOODSTOCK SQUARE! After virtual Festivals in 2020 and 2021, the Woodstock Folk Festival will return to the historic Square in Woodstock, Illinois on Sunday, July 17, 2022, from Noon to 6 p.m.

We hope to have a one-hour sampler available on the Gallery Page of our website afterward, but our main focus will be on the in-person Festival. We look forward to seeing your many smiling faces!

Read on to check out Performers and The Schedule.

How can you help make this one the BEST Festival ever?

The suggested donation for the all-day Sunday Festival is $25 for individuals and $35 for families. There is no pre-registration.

Donations to the Festival are welcome at any time. Please use the Donations tab in the right column of every page of this website to contribute to the success of this year’s Festival. You can also contribute by sending a check made out to Woodstock Folk Festival to P.O. Box 1628, Woodstock, IL 60098.

To volunteer to help with the Festival, contact us at info@woodstockfolkfestival.org.

We can use your help promoting the Festival!

You can also help by joining us in promoting the Festival. Please direct others who may be interested to woodstockfolkfestival.org, and spread the word on social media.

Here’s one more thing you can do to make this year’s Festival the best ever:

Click on this link or on the picture at the left for a .pdf flyer you can print and distribute to organizations and people near you — libraries, religious organizations, businesses, friends.

We greatly appreciate your interest and support!

The 37th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival…here’s what’s up

Once again the Festival will feature local, national, and international artists performing in a
variety of musical styles. Long-time Festival MC Chuck VanderVennet and award-winning radio host Rich Warren will co-host the Festival.

Performers include Rod Abernethy, Tricia Alexander accompanied by Alpha Stewart Jr., Tia McGraff and Tommy Parham, Katie Oates accompanied by Parker Foley, South for Winter, Cassandra Vohs-Demann on the Main Stage, and the Rene Avila Quartet.

The Festival will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Megan McDonough and its “Woody Award” to Keith Johnson. Tricia Alexander will open the Festival and lead the All-Sing Finale. Wattle & Daub will be the Featured Performers at the Open Mic at Stage Left Cafe.

In case of rain, the Festival will move across the street to the historic 1889 Woodstock Opera House.

Due to continued uncertainty and concern about Covid, there will not be a Workshop or Children’s Area this year, but the Festival hopes to bring them back next year.

A little about our stellar group of performers

North Carolina-based Rod Abernethy is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, professor, and composer whose music has been used by Universal, Paramount, Disney, and others. He is known for his Southern folk and frenetic guitar instrumentals.

Woodstock-based Tricia Alexander (accompanied by Alpha Stewart Jr.), Woodstock Folk Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner, is a healing artist, singer-songwriter, guitarist, percussionist, and harmonica player. She presents jazz, blues, folk, and spoken word in her performances. Because of her skill in bringing people together and encouraging them to sing, Tricia will lead the All-Sing Finale.

Ontario, Canada-based Tia McGraff and Tommy Parham are known for Americana and country music and have been described as “the modern day Johnny and June” (Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash).

Tia is an inspirational singer and children’s book author and is accompanied by her life and musical partner Colorado native Tommy Parham, whom she met in Nashville. Tia’s Scottish and Transylvanian roots shine through in her songs.

North Carolina-based Katie Oates (accompanied by Parker Foley) is classically trained in opera and now performs classical, folk, blues, jazz, and Americana. In addition to her original songs, she has also arranged songs by her mentor Si Kahn.

The trio South for Winter includes Dani Cichon from Colorado, Nick Stone from New Zealand, and Alex Stradal from Michigan. Now based in Nashville, they perform folk, blues, and jazz with delicate harmonies and music on guitar, cello, mandolin, tambourine, and stomp box.

Woodstock-based Cassandra Vohs-Demann is a musician, performer, coach, composer, and producer who also founded and serves as Artistic Director of the Woodstock Community Choir. From folk to country to rock, she offers music that brings people together.

Rene Avila Quartet – Rene Avila is a Chicago-area-based educator, basketball coach,
bass player, host of WDCB’s “Mambo Inn,” and band leader. The Quartet plays Afro-Cuban music.

Wattle & Daub will be the Featured Performers at the Open Mic at Stage Left Cafe. Grayslake, Illinois-based Tim and Susan Mocarski have toured the East Coast and are “Gold Star Open Stage Members” and official buskers at the Newport Folk Festival. Their well-chosen interpretations of songs by others along with their original songs have made them crowd favorites in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

And our award-winners…

The Festival will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Megon McDonough and its “Woody” Award to Keith Johnson.

There will also be a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Cary-based, internationally touring duo Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso, known as Small Potatoes.

Megon and Small Potatoes will perform after the Awards presentation. Illinois- and Minnesota-based Megon McDonough is a folk/cabaret singer-songwriter who grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois. She has performed solo and was a founding member of Four Bitchin’ Babes; her eclectic repertoire includes folk, country, cabaret, and jazz. She also starred in the play, Always, Patsy Cline.

Keith Johnson will be honored for his many contributions to the Woodstock music community and beyond. As co-founder and director of Off Square Music, Keith hosts concerts and open mics where he champions both seasoned and new performers. He also serves as the Director of the Woodstock Farmers Market.

While building the Market into one of Illinois’ best, he initiated Music at the Market. He runs Harvest Fest as well and is a singer and guitarist.

The Cary, Illinois-based Small Potatoes received the WFF Lifetime Achievement Award and performed at the Festival numerous times. Singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso celebrate 30 years of a touring career that includes
performances across North America and in Ireland featuring an eclectic mix of musical styles described as “Celtic to Cowboy.”

The 37th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival – Schedule for the Day

Featuring local, national, and international artists performing in a variety of styles: Afro-Cuban, Americana, blues, cabaret, contemporary and traditional folk, country, and jazz.

ON THE MAIN STAGE

Co-Hosted by Chuck VanderVennet and WFMT’s Rich Warren

12:00pm	Tricia Alexander accompanied by Alpha Stewart, Jr.
12:30pm	Rene Avila Quartet
1:15pm	Cassandra Vohs-Demann
2:00pm	South for Winter (Dani Cichon, Nick Stone, and Alex Stradal)
2:45pm	Katie Oates accompanied by Parker Foley
3:30pm	Tia McGraff and Tommy Parham
4:15pm	Rod Abernethy
5:00pm	Presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award to Megon McDonough and “Woody” Award to Keith Johnson, celebration of 30th anniversary of Small Potatoes, performances by Megon McDonough and Small Potatoes
5:40pm	All-Sing Finale – Led by Tricia Alexander

MORE FESTIVAL FAVORITES

12:05pm	Stage Left Cafe Open Mic Stage Sign-up starts
1:30-2:00pm	Featured Performer at Open Mic Stage – Wattle & Daub (Susan and Tim Mocarski)

How to find the 37th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival

Located about 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Woodstock is easily accessible via
Routes i-90, 14, and 120, as well as by the Union Pacific/Northwest Metra train line that
runs between Chicago and Harvard with many stops in between.

The Woodstock train station is only one block from Woodstock Square. Handicapped accessible facilities are available.

A few tips to make your Festival visit a great success

Pets are not allowed in the Park, only on the streets on the periphery. Please do not leave pets in hot cars. Festivalgoers should bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Festival merchandise and performer CDs, books, and other merchandise can be
purchased at the Festival.

We encourage you to come for the weekend so you can enjoy music and food at
the Woodstock Farmers Market on Saturday morning and a performance by
Wishbone Ash at the Woodstock Opera House on Saturday night. Lodging
information is on this website.