Folklife Center 30th Anniversary Festival

The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library is 30 years old and we’re celebrating  with a free Festival in City Park, outside the Library, Tuesday, July 25th, 10 am to 5 pm.  

Over 50 folk artists will fill the park demonstrating their crafts and traditions. Up close and personal, festival goers will be able to witness first hand the skill, and to talk  directly with the experts. Many of the artists will also have a hands-on component.  

The list of traditions is far reaching: Afghanistan kites, black ash and birch bark  basketry, barn quilts, blacksmithing, chainsaw carving, chair caning, drumming, fiber  arts, fly fishing flies and casting, hammer dulcimer, henna art, iconography painting,  Irish stick fighting, nature garden sculpture, painted floor cloths, paper art,  photographic portraits, plasma cut metal work, primitive weaving on a peg loom, rough  edge bowl turning, sculptures of found objects, stringed instrument making,  stonework, timber framing, tintype photography, torah scribing, ukulele club, wood  carving birds.  

There’ll be live music all day at the Bandstand. The morning will showcase Adirondack  music, with Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan, Josh Clevenstine (10 am), followed by John  Kirk and Trish Miller with Cedar Stanistreet and Greg Anderson (11 am). At noon, The  McKrells will join us with Irish music. The Desi Trio will take the stage with Pakistani  music at 1:30 pm, followed a by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra at 2:30 pm).  We’ll wind up the day with a country music reunion 4-5 pm, featuring Marty Wendell,  Al and Kathy Bain, and the legendary Smokey Greene & Sons. 

We’re also scheduling food demonstrations in front of the Library (homestead cheeses,  Congolese recipes, local soul food dinner, etc), a selection of food trucks along Maple  Street, and other participatory activities. 

Thanks to our major partners, New York Folklore (Schenectady) and Traditional Arts in  Upstate New York (Canton) for helping organize the event, to the Friends of Crandall  Public Library for additional funds, and to the many local organizations joining us for a  day of fun for the entire family.