The Spring Benefit Concert 2025 is Sunday afternoon, April 27, 2 pm. This is a benefit concert for the 40th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival, held Sunday, July 20, noon to 6 pm on Woodstock Square.
For more information about both events, read on and return to this site as we post updates.
The Spring Benefit Concert 2025
Join us for the Woodstock Folk Festival Spring Benefit Concert on Sunday, April 27, at 2 pm. We will meet at Stage Left Cafe, 125 W. Van Buren Street, next to the Opera House, on the historic Square in Woodstock, Illinois.
Performers include Tricia Alexander, John Benischek, Mark Dvorak, Val Leventhal, Terry Loncaric, Lia Nicine McCoo & Keryn Moriyah, Les Urban, and Russ & Diane Ward. This year’s theme is “Becoming the United States of America: Songs of Liberty, Justice, and Unity.”
Theme of The Spring Benefit Concert 2025
This year’s theme is “Becoming the United States of America: Songs of Liberty, Justice, and Unity.”
This theme marks the beginning of commemorating our country’s 250th anniversary. The American Revolution, which led to founding the United States, began in Massachusetts in April 1775. It culminated in adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776; the official 250th is on July 4, 2026.
America250, a non-partisan initiative, is the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 led by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. The Commission will inspire and orchestrate many events. We are hosting this event to help kick off the celebration. We’ll explore the ideals of liberty, justice, and unity through the power of song.
Tickets for the Spring Benefit Concert
Tickets for the Spring Benefit Concert are $22 (including Opera House fees) at the Woodstock Opera House box office, woodstockoperahouse.com or HERE. You can also use the button below to go directly to ticket purchasing:
If there are tickets left, they will be sold at the door that day for $27.
The 40th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival
The spring concert is a benefit for the 40th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival on Sunday, July 20, Noon to 6 p.m. on the Woodstock Square.
The Festival will present this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award to the legendary Tom Rush. The “Woody” Award will be given to Andy Andrick and Leslie Cook, Marilyn Rea Beyer, and Ron Lewis.
The Main Stage will also feature previous Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Tricia Alexander, Anne Hills, Rich Prezioso, and Corky Siegel, as well as Joy Clark, Mercedes Escobar, Carla Gover, The LeftOvers (Pete Jonsson, Brian Murphy, Laurel Palma, Joe Pesz, Rich Prezioso, Jim Seidel, and Les Urban), and The Oh Boys (Kieran McCabe, Zachary Stevenson, and Shaun Whitley).
Performers hail from Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania as well as
Canada and Guatemala. The day features a variety of music styles including traditional and contemporary folk music, Americana, singer-songwriter, country, blues, Appalachian, pop, doo-wop, and Latin music.
There will also be an Open Mic Stage with Featured Performer Blind Hills (Chuck VanderVennet and Dee Lee) and an Appalachian Flatfooting Workshop led by Carla Gover. The Children’s Area returns with hands-on activities and performances. The day concludes with our hallmark All-Sing Finale.
The Main Stage will be co-hosted by Marilyn Rea Beyer and Chuck VanderVennet. The Open Mic Stage will be hosted by Mark Lyons. Off Square Music will provide sound for both stages.
For information about lodging and other Woodstock events, visit realwoodstock.com.
Thank you
The Woodstock Folk Festival is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, made possible in part by Radio Partners WDCB, WFMT, and WNUR, the City of Woodstock, Real Woodstock, Sponsors Steve and Margaret Mikus, and many individual donors.
Where to find out more
Check this website periodically for updates and, if you’re not already on our email list, please sign up using the tab at the right. We send an email each month with updates on our activities and where you can find previous Festival performers in concerts and online.
A Flyer to print and share with friends or organizations
