5th Annual Lake Erie Folk Fest a Great Event for Music Lovers
The 5th annual Lake Erie Folk Fest will warm the halls of the Shore Cultural Centre in Euclid on Feb. 21 and 22. Since its successful launch in 2016, the traditional music and dance festival has brought stellar performers from near and far to teach and entertain attendees of all ages and backgrounds. Some of the range of offerings have included folk fusion from Winnipeg, Canada, with The Duhks; Appalachian fiddle and banjo originals from Richie and Rosie of Trumansburg, NY; the bilingual trio Ten Strings and a Goat Skin from Prince Edward Island; and awe-inspiring throat singing from Tuva by a band called Alash.
This year’s festival will keep the bar high, featuring Carolina Blue, an award winning bluegrass band in the tradition of Bill Monroe that performs a repertoire of original songs, bluegrass favorites, and gospel, all done in the traditional style. Their most recent Pinecastle Records release, I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me, debuted on Billboard's Top 5 Bluegrass Albums chart, and they were nominated in five categories at this year’s International Bluegrass Music Awards. Young audiences will get a special opportunity to hear Carolina Blue when they kick off the festival with an educational program the morning of Feb 21, supporting LEFF’s mission of bringing cultural opportunities to the community. Dedicated musicians can actually play with the band members on Friday evening, when Carolina Blue will host an exclusive Band Lab Master Class, offering serious students a unique opportunity to study fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass with some of the best in the business. The rest of the public can get in on the act Saturday night, when Carolina Blue headlines the festival’s impressive evening concert line-up.
As good as the headliner is, there’s much more for visitors to Lake Erie Folk Fest to discover. Saturday, Feb. 22, will see Shore Cultural Centre jam-packed with musicians, music-lovers, dancers, writers and more checking out a full day of free workshops, jams, concerts and dances. Carolina Blue will appear on the festival’s evening concert in the Shore Cultural Centre’s historic auditorium starting at 7:30pm. The concert will also feature local legends Harmonia (Eastern European music); Luca Mundaca (Brazilian singer-songwriter); and The Distinguished Gentlemen of Spoken Word (urban performance poetry). Ticket information can be found at www.lakeeriefolkfest.com/tickets.
The Lake Erie Folk Fest is a program of the Northeast Ohio Musical Heritage Association, which also produces the Blue Sky Folk Festival in Willoughby, along with other traditional music events and programs throughout the year. It is presented at Shore Cultural Centre, which offers a wide variety of cultural and educational opportunities, which include classes, studio rental and performances. The festival attracts roots music lovers from Ohio, Pennsylvania and beyond, as well as residents from Euclid, Cleveland and surrounding communities. For more information, visit www.lakeeriefolkfest.com.
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Lake Erie Folk Fest
At a Glance
Friday, Feb. 21
10-10:45am. Schools program
For reservations, call: Shore Cultural Centre at (216) 289-8578.
7-9pm: Band Lab Master Classes
For reservations, go to: www.lakeeriefolkfest.com/bluegrass-band-lab.
Saturday, Feb 22
1-6pm: Free workshops, performances, dances and more. For information, go to: www.lakeeriefolkfest.com
7:30pm: Evening concert. For tickets, www.lakeeriefolkfest.com/tickets
Sarah Gyorki
Laura Lewis is Artistic Director of the Lake Erie Folk Fest