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Alaska Folk Festival

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A performance during the 2016 festival, featuring a group composed of middle school students from Douglas (Juneau), Alaska

The Alaska Folk Festival is an annual celebration of the music of Alaska, the northwestern United States, and regions in Canada. It is organized by The Alaska Folk Festival Inc., a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the encouragement, support, and perpetuation of music in Alaska. The festival is held in Juneau, Alaska, almost always in April, lasts for a week, and is free to attend. It is supported solely by volunteers and donations (also membership dues). The organization maintains an extensive web archive of past guest artists, festival programs, and poster art.

The Alaska Folk Festival, which was established in 1975,[1] is a celebration of music. Folk music is an important component, but all types of music are encouraged. Some acts include dance and poetry. Fifteen minutes is allocated for each act except guest performers (guest performers get 45 minute sets). Limits include no overly long setup times and no use of recorded music. The festival has performances from a variety of solo artists and musical groups; it provides workshops for people interested in the music and wanting to receive instruction. There are dances, jams, singer-songwriter showcases, and other events. Each year, artwork by an Alaskan artist is featured on posters and merchandise (including the cover art for the program).[2][3] All events are free to the public, with no auditions for the acts, however they must apply in time.

Performers are not paid, with the exception of one guest artist, one guest dance band and one guest caller who are selected annually to perform for two 45 minute sets, call dances and lead workshops. There are nine concerts over a week and about 15 acts perform at each concert. All mainstage performances are broadcast live on local public radio (KTOO-FM and KRNN-FM) and online.[4]

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Juneau, the festival was cancelled in 2020[5] and held virtually and broadcast live on YouTube in 2021. The 2025 festival was held April 7-13, and marked the 50th anniversary of the community event.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Schoenfeld, Ed (May 31, 2014). "A walk down Alaska Folk Festival memory lane". KCAW. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  2. ^ "Alaska Folk Festival Poster Art through the Years".
  3. ^ "Alaska Folk Festival Call to Artists". Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council. October 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Folk Fest". KTOO. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  5. ^ Dickson, Ian (September 12, 2020). "Timeline: Looking back at six months of COVID-19 in Alaska". KTOO.
  6. ^ "Marking 50 Years". Alaska Folk Festival. Juneau. 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
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