Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, much of our daytime programming at the Susquehanna Folk Festival on both Saturday and Sunday is FREE! Spend a cooool afternoon having folky fun before our ticketed matinée show with Hubby Jenkins, our main‑stage evening concert with Hot Club of Cowtown, and our evening Contra Dance with Janine Smith and the Dead Sea Squirrels.

First Things First: Dancing!

Get to the festival right when doors open, and try some easy, fun, family-friendly dances with World Dance Lancaster’s Zita Angelo. Anyone can dance!

Young Folks Zone

The creative folks from York County Libraries provide hands-on activities for families. The Young Folks Zone is open from 11am until 3:20pm Saturday.

Bobbi Carmitchell

Lancaster County singer-songwriter Bobbi Carmitchell has been a force on the Central Pennsylvania music scene for 40 years, and has toured all over the country. Her music and singing supports many causes that she believes in. Her morning mini-concert is part of our “Bringing It Home” programming presented by our Susquehanna Folk Arts Center.

A Little More Folk Dancing

If you missed the early session with Zita, you get a second chance after Bobbi performs! Easy, fun, family-friendly dances with World Dance Lancaster’s Zita Angelo.

Emerging Artist Showcase

This is one of our favorite parts of the festival. Five of your new favorite acoustic acts will take the stage for 20 minutes each, and our judges’ top pick will open for Hot Club of Cowtown on Saturday night! This year’s finalists are Joseph Alton Miller, Dann Pell, The Honey Badgers, Erin Lunsford, and Red Smith & Blue Dawn.

Open Jam Session

If you enjoy hanging out and playing with other musicians, bring your instrument and head over to York Central Market between noon and 2pm. All levels are welcome, and listeners too. Details coming soon!

Ian Zolitor, emcee

Our weekend emcee is Ian Zolitor, the host of WXPN radio’s Folk Show, which is broadcast from Philadelphia on Sunday nights from 8 to 10 pm. Gene Shay, Ian’s mentor and previous host of the Folk Show, says: “He’s going to be somebody very special to the music scene.”