Booking

The Woodstock Folk Festival is a summer event that draws between 500 and 1000 people. We try to attract listeners of all ages by offering discounts for children and seniors. Performers and audiences alike appreciate the warm, relaxed atmosphere on historic Woodstock Square in Woodstock, Illinois—one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Woodstock was also the film location for the movie “Groundhog Day”.

Although our Festival and concert fees are modest by some standards, if you’re a musician looking for a venue to share your talents, there are a number of good reasons to consider applying for a booking at the Woodstock Folk Festival:

  • Through our efforts to advertise the Festival, you will enjoy even wider exposure than the audience you’ll have on the day of the Festival. Last year we distributed about 5000 ad papers/programs before and during the Festival; we also send postcards and e-mails to individuals on our mailing list, send press releases and public service announcements to local media, and post fliers at many locations in and around McHenry County. Information is also posted on this web site.
  • You can supplement the fee we will pay you by taking advantage of the sales area that the Festival Board staffs where we sell your CDs, tapes, books, etc.
  • Numerous performers at the Festival have returned to do full concerts for us and/or were later booked by other venues in the area.
  • Because we draw families and people of all ages, we can help you build the next generation of your audience!
  • Some performers who came here as local talent have become nationally renowned.

If you are interested in performing on our Festival Main Stage, assisting with our Kid’s Area, giving a Workshop, and/or being considered for a concert booking, you are invited to send a press packet, including CD, bio, and contact information, to:

Woodstock Folk Festival
P.O. Box 1628
Woodstock, IL 60098
Attention: Carol Obertubbesing, President

Also, please let us know if you have any connection to Illinois because it sometimes helps with our fundraising.

The Festival Board considers all submissions, but unfortunately due to the number of submissions is not able to contact each performer individually.

The selection process for the Festival begins each fall and all performers selected are generally contacted no later than April of the Festival year. If a performer is not selected in the current year, the board does retain a list for future reference.

Thank you very much for your interest in the Woodstock Folk Festival.