Each year in the spring, the Woodstock Folk Festival hosts a themed Invitational Concert, a benefit to raise funds for the upcoming summer Festival. Here are past concerts that will give you an idea of the creativity and quality of our local music scene. For information about this year’s concert, visit 2020 Concerts on this site.

Past Concerts

8th ANNUAL INVITATIONAL CONCERT

Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 2 pm
Unity Spiritual Center of Woodstock
225 W Calhoun St (corner of Tryon and Calhoun), Woodstock, IL

Songs about the sun, moon and stars were performed by some of Illinois best musicians and a multi-media presentation by renowned astronomical artist Mark Paternostro, former Sky Show producer at Adler Planetarium.

The first lunar landing and moonwalk on July 20-21, 1969 mesmerized the world. An estimated 600 million people around the world watched as Apollo 11 became the first manned spacecraft to land on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins travelled 240,000 miles from Earth to the moon in 76 hours. As Armstrong touched the moon’s surface, he said, “That’s one small step for man … one giant leap for mankind.”

This concert commemorated the 50th anniversary of this historic event with songs performed by Tricia Alexander, Jeff Justman, Cheryl Niemo and the Down Home Boys (Marty Brunkalla and Pete Jonsson), Northwest Highway (Andy Andrick, Gloria Burchfield and Les Urban), Cassandra Vohs-Demann, Russ and Diane Ward, and a presentation by Mark Paternostro.

Snacks and drinks featured sun, moon and stars theme.

7th ANNUAL INVITATIONAL CONCERT

Sunday, April 22, 2018, 2 p.m., Unity Spiritual Center, Woodstock, IL – “Earthrise.” About 125 people attended the 7th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival Invitational; this year’s theme was a commemoration of the watershed events of 1968 culminating in “Earthrise,” the awe-inspiring photos of earth from space. Performers included Tricia Alexander, The Atrocious Poets (Jessica Campbell, Bridget McLaughlin, and Jason Willis), Cabin Girls (Amy Dixon-Kolar, Patti Ecker, Jacquie Manning, and Kate Moretti), Bill Campllin, Kishwaukee Ramblers (Amy Beth, Neal Brown, and Gary Plazyk), Lia Nicine McCoo, Lee Murdock, and Anna Stange. Popular snacks and drinks from 1968 were served.

6th ANNUAL INVITATIONAL CONCERT

Sunday, March 26, 2017, 2 p.m., Unity Spiritual Center, Woodstock, IL – “Summer of Love” Over 170 people attended the 6th Annual Woodstock Folk Festival Invitational; this year’s theme was the 50th Anniversary of the “Summer of Love.” Performers included Tricia Alexander; Guyz With Bad Eyez (Merv Collins and Don Humbertson); Lia Nicine McCoo; Megon McDonough; Raspberry Atomic Clock (Dean Milano and Russ Ward); Norm Siegel; the Stage Leftovers (Pete Jonsson, Brian Murphy, Laurel Palma, Joe Pesz, Rich Prezioso, and Les Urban); Thrice Nice (Sharon Arnold, Annemarie Serra, and Diane Ward); and the Ukulele Superhero Club (Amy Beth, Dorothy Biris, Helen Lindquist, Laurel Palma, and Annemarie Serra). Popular snacks and drinks from 1967 were served and many audience members and performers came in 60s attire. Audience members were invited to bring instruments as well as voices for the All-Sing Opening and Finale.

EARLIER CONCERT THEMES

Previous themes include concerts commemorating the 50th Anniversary of “Summer of Love”Journeys” on April 10, 2016; International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015; the 50th Anniversary of the British Invasion on March 2, 2014; the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on March 10, 2013; and the Centennial of Woody Guthrie’s birth on April 22, 2012.