2025 Humboldt Folklife Festival
Tickets on sale to general public June 23rd OR renew/join as a member and get a discount ticket code!
JULY 22nd-26th
DELL’ARTE, BLUE LAKE
Songwriter in the Round in the Carlo Theater
Tuesday July 22nd
7pm, $7 General/$5 HFS Members
Daniel Nickerson, Polimana, Anna Hamilton, Tim Breed
Under the Stars
Wednesday July 23rd
6pm, $10 General/$8 HFS Members/$5 Kids
6:00-7:00p Sari Baker & Jeff Smoller
7:20-8:20p Ticket to Ride (Beatles Tribute)
8:40-10:00p Hobohemia
(Members of Absynth Quintet, Canary and the Vamp, and Cuckoo's Nest)
Bluegrass and Beyond
Thursday July 24th
6pm, $10 General/$8 HFS Members/$5 Kids
6:00-7:00p Banjo Makes 3
7:20-8:20p Compost Mountain Boys
8:40-10:00p Cadillac Ranch
Barn Dance
Friday July 25th
(Prasch Hall at Perigot Park in Blue Lake)
7p, $15 General/$10 HFS Members, Seniors, Veterans, Students
Cidermill String Band w/ Caller Lyndsey Battle
Saturday July 26th
All Day Free Festival
Manzanilla Kitchen, Alma’s, Easy Squeezy Lemonade, Jersey Scoops
STREET STAGE
(No dogs allowed)
10:30a Humboldt Highlanders Pipe Band
11:30a The Marigolds
12:30p Tony Khalife & Nick Peters
1:30p Wounded Animal
2:30p Revelers Three
3:30p Vanishing Pints
4:30p Beatles Sing-a-long
5:30p Beatles Sing-a-long
AMPITHEATRE STAGE
(No dogs allowed)
11a Moonstone Ramblers
12p Dave Trabue
1p The Pronouns
2p April Moore and Ranch Party
3p All Wheel Drive
4p Lodestar
5p Rise and Bloom
6p Lost Dogs
7p Kingfoot
Hff workshops and jams (free)
UPHILL WORKSHOPS - Presbyterian Church of Blue Lake
11-12:30p
Guitar Set-Up - Michael Walker
A well set-up guitar can make all the difference in playability and sound. Renowned luthier Michael Walker will host a class where he will provide an interactive opportunity for students to learn key concepts of a properly set up guitar. Course will introduce the core fundamentals such as playability and intonation so that players may build the confidence needed to maintain their own instruments. There will be a demonstration and students are encouraged to bring an instrument for examination.
1-3pm
Bluegrass Workshop - Moonstone Ramblers
The Moonstone Ramblers, a local Bluegrass band, will host this introductory workshop on playing bluegrass music. The Moonstone Ramblers will play some examples of traditional bluegrass songs and fiddle tunes, then we’ll introduce the various bluegrass instruments and the roles they have to contribute to the unique sound. We’ll consider dynamics, rhythm and feel, including voice and harmony singing, lead and back up in a band setting. We will talk about the structure of a bluegrass jam and we'll cover jam etiquette, as well as how to make good decisions about our own musical contributions to the overall sound of a song or tune. This class will end with an opportunity to jam (as time allows).
The Grange workshops
12-2p
Ukulele Workshop - Ukulele Fight Club
The UFC is a community group of ukulele enthusiasts who meet twice monthly (check out our calendar at www.ukulelefightclubofhumboldt.com ) to play and have fun jamming. We love playing all kinds of music - pop, oldies, country, rock, punk, r&b and a little Hawaiian thrown in for fun with our friends and treat each meeting like a party. In addition to the big group jams, we host weekly beginners nights and small group practices for performances in the community.
For our Workshop at the Folk Life Festival we’ll be teaching you the “MAGIC 4”, not as sexy as the upcoming “Fantastic 4” with Pedro Pascal, but just as entertaining! For the first half of the workshop we’ll learn the notes and by the second half we’ll be rocking out! Bring your uke (or other stringed favorite) or borrow one of our extras and we’ll promise you’ll leave smiling and able to play a dozen songs!
2:30-4:30p
West African Drumming - Jesse Jonathan
An open invitation to explore traditional West African drumming: learn technique and parts with drums provided. (Beginner session from 2:30-3:30p, intermediate session 3:30-4:30p)
PAST Humboldt Folklife Festival LINEUPS
2024
JULY 16TH-20TH
DELL’ARTE, BLUE LAKE
Songwriter in the Round in the Carlo Theater
Tuesday July 16th
7pm, $7 General/$5 HFS Members
John Luddington, Sari Baker, Melanie Barnett, Xeff Scolari
Under the Stars
Wednesday July 17th
6pm, $15 General/$12 HFS Members/$5 Kids
6-7p Kray Van Kirk
7:20-8:20p Rise and Bloom
8:40-10p Huckleberry Flint
Bluegrass and Beyond
Thursday July 18th
6pm, $10 General/$8 HFS Members/$5 Kids
6-7p Ruby Ruth and Mule Ranch
7:20-8:20p Elderberry Rust
8:40-10p Cadillac Ranch
Saturday July 20th
All Day Free Festival
STREET STAGE
(No dogs allowed)
10:45a Blue Lake Choir
11:45a Hill Honey
12:45p Zera Starchild
1:45p A Banjo Makes 3
2:45p Matthew Wallace
3:45p Vanishing Pints
4:45p Beatles Sing-a-long
AMPITHEATRE STAGE
(No dogs allowed)
11a Huayllipacha
12p Thurston Hawk
1p Anna Hamilton Trio
2p Lxs Perdidxs
3p Joann Rand
4p Lalona
5p SoHum Girls
6p Kindred Spirits
7p Kingfoot
2023 Humboldt Folklife Festival
Sun July 23 - Sa July 29 2023 at Dell’Arte
It’s almost summertime, and that means it’s time for the Humboldt Folklife Society to show off all the amazingly talented musicians who make music here. It might sound cliché, but truly we are blessed by a disproportionate number of excellent musicians in our own backyard.
This year, we will be presenting once again the Humboldt Folklife Festival on July 25-29th (including a Barn Dance). Tickets go on sale Saturday July 1st at 12p.
And we’re doing some new things. On July 23rd from 1-5p at Dell’Arte, we will be hosting THE FOLK SCHOOL, a full day of free music workshops to encourage even more people to make playing music a regular part of their lives. Classes on bluegrass guitar, banjo, songwriting and more!
Sign up here!
Here is the rest of the lineup:
Tuesday July 25 - Songwriter Night 7:30p-9:30p TIX HERE!
Matthew Wallace, Bruce Taylor, Zera Starchild, Claire Bent
Wednesday July 26 - Under the Stars 6p-9p TIX HERE!
Ponies of Harmony, Sequoia Rose, Huckleberry Flint
Thursday July 27 - Bluegrass and Beyond 6p-9p TIX HERE!
Rise & Bloom, Fickle Hill, Horse Mountain
Friday July 28 - Barn Dance (Arcata Vet’s Hall) 7p-10p
Cidermill with caller Lyndsey Battle
Saturday July 29 - All Day Free Festival 11a-8p
Street Stage:
10:45 a.m. Eric Leong
11:45 a.m. Soul A Mente
12:45 p.m. Kray van Kirk
1:45 p.m. Sari Baker
2:45 p.m. Julio Perdido
3:45 p.m. Blueberry Hill Boogie Band
4:45 p.m. Vanishing Pints
5:45 p.m. BEATLES SING ALONG
6:45 p.m. BEATLES SING ALONG
Amphitheater Stage:
11 a.m. Humboldt Taiko
12 p.m. The Oyster Baes
1 p.m. A Drop of the Pure
2 p.m. Grupo Mar Pacifico
3 p.m. Compost Mountain Boys
4 p.m. Canary and the Vamp
5 p.m.Country Pretenders
6 p.m. Oh Mercy
7 p.m. Cadillac Ranch
Would you like to volunteer for our annual Folklife or Buddy Brown Blues Festivals? We need help putting on these two amazing events. Things like set-up, info booth, concessions, and clean up. This is your chance to see some great music FREE all while helping your community put on these fab events. We encourage you to sign up!
Volunteer sign up here!
2022 Humboldt Folklife Festival
Thu, Jul 14, 20225:00 PM - Sun, Jul 17, 20228:00 PM
The 2022 Humboldt Folklife Festival will be Thursday July 14 - Saturday July 16 at Dell’Arte! This is an outdoor event. Masking is not required unless entering the Dell’Arte facility but highly encouraged.
Thursday July 14:
5pm - Star Hoppers
6pm - Bayou Swamis
7:20pm-8:20pm - Canary and the Vamp
8:40pm-10pm - Huckleberry Flint
$20 general admission/$15 member admission/ $5 kids 12 and younger/babe’s in arms free
Tickets on sale July 1 - humboldtfolklife-night1.brownpapertickets.com
Friday July 15:
4p (Free) - Barn Dance on the Street with caller Lyndsey Battle and Cider Mill Creek *THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED*
6p - The Handshakers
7:20pm-8:20pm - Dead On
8:40pm-10pm - Absynth Quartet
$20 general admission/$15 member admission/ $5 kids 12 and younger/babe’s in arms free
Tickets on sale July 1 - humboldtfolklife-night2.brownpapertickets.com
Saturday July 16:
11am - Blake Ritter, Sam McNeil, and Friends
12pm - Back Seat Drivers
1pm - Blake Ritter and Rick Kearns
2pm - Mariachi de Humboldt
3pm - Compost Mountain Boys
4pm - Kingfoot
5pm - Fickle Hill
6pm - The Yokels
7pm - Barn Fire
By donation!
There will also be happenings on the street Saturday! The free, outdoor events include:
12pm Rhythmic Conversations with Jesse Jonathon- This workshop will explore the rhythmic keys of Musical conversation using simple instruments and full body movements.
1pm The Technique of Clawhammer Banjo with Kurt Hippen- Learn unique techniques from Kurt Hippen's 49 years of banjo playing. The workshop will encompass a variety of musical genres.
2pm Irish Session - Blake Ritter
3-4:30pm Songwriting Workshop with George Ruth- This workshop will focus on unlocking your creative flow through improvisation exercises, prompt writing, and collaboration. The end goal is to have fun in a safe creative environment and come away with more tools for your songwriting toolbox.
4:30-7pm Beatles Singalong with Joel Sonenshein- Sing along with your favorite Beatles’ tunes with Joel leading the charge!
2021 Humboldt Folklife Festival
“Will there be a Humboldt Folklife Festival this year?”
The answer is, sadly, no, at least not in the traditional timeframe and form. But do not despair. The board will continue to monitor state guidelines and current conditions, and we are cautiously hopeful about a scaled down festival later this year.
2020 Humboldt Folklife Festival
The 2020 event was cancelled. It would have been the 42nd annual Humboldt Folklife Festival.