Black Hawk Folk Society’s 33rd Annual Folk Music Festival This Saturday
Black Hawk Folk Society’s 33rd annual folk music festival will be held this Saturday, July 10 in Mt. Morris Town Park, N3847 County Highway G in Mount Morris. The morning begins with an open mic from 10:30 – 11:45. Acoustic musicians are invited to contact Guy at 715-228-3662 or gk500@yahoo.com for more information or to be added to the open mic line-up.
Bill Kehl will serve as emcee, as well as share his own musical talents. If you’ve attended previous festivals you know that Bill adds a great deal to the day’s mix: Some tunes and tales, all reflecting his deep and wide knowledge about music across time and around the world.
The hour-long sets begin at noon. Kicking off the line-up will be Del Weed & His Sweet Rollers. This crew is known and loved for their folk-rock, Americana, and high energy. The Krause Family Band will be up next. Great harmonizing is just one of their claims to fame. They will perform from their vast repertoire of roots, Americana, as well as original tunes and cover songs, ranging from Tom Waits to The Mills Brothers. Taking the stage at 2:20: Fendrick and Peck. This duo performed for Black Hawk back in 2016 and it would be an understatement to say that we’re thrilled to have them back. You will fall in love with their songs and poetry, all aimed to connect with and celebrate our planet’s natural wonders and those who seek to protect them! KG & the Ranger will saddle up for their performance at 3:30! Their tunes will take the audience on a musical journey through sagebrush and cattle round-ups back to the Old West. Matt Blake, a self-designated singer, songwriter, drifter, and comic will wrap things up beginning at 4:40. Matt, also back by popular demand (he performed for Black Hawk in 2017) creates and performs songs that “turn life into words.” His concert career includes opening for Lucinda Williams during US and European tours!
General admission tickets may be purchased at the gate. Adults: $20; 13 – 18 years, $15; 12 and under: free. You can help support the Mt. Morris Pioneers 4-H Club with a trip to the concession stand. The festival includes an arts and crafts fair, and new this year: A silent auction featuring a vintage autoharp, a Martin LX-1 guitar, a mountain dulcimer, and other music-related items.
This is an outdoor event--pack your blankets or lawn chairs, sunscreen, hats, and insect repellant. Festival organizers ask the audience to please observe Covid precautions. Mt. Morris Park features playground equipment and a swimming beach—making this a wonderful family event! (Sorry, pets are not allowed.) Parking is free and on site; the park is handicap friendly. (Rain site is Mountain View Community Center, located at N3137 21st Lane, at the intersection of 21st Lane and Highway 152, just south of Mt. Morris and six miles northeast of Wautoma.)
Black Hawk Folk Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer-driven organization dedicated to bringing quality music to central Wisconsin. The festival can always use day-of volunteers to help with parking, set-up, and take-down. If you are available to help, please contact Betty at 920-295-2030. For more information about the festival, or to learn how to become a sponsor or how you can support Black Hawk in other ways, please visit Black Hawk’s web site or like and follow Black Hawk on the society’s Facebook page.
