Woodstock Folk Festival is celebrating 39 years of building community through music

The Woodstock Folk Festival, now in its 39th year, returns on Sunday, July 21, featuring local, national, and international musicians who perform in a variety of styles. It will be noon to 6 p.m. on the historic Square in Woodstock.

This year, performers from California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Canada will perform Americana, traditional and contemporary folk, singer-songwriter, blues, alt country, Tex-Mex, and roots music at the Main Stage. The open mic stage offers an opportunity for audience members to share their talent.

A one-hour sampler will be available anywhere in the world via the festival website gallery page after the festival.

The festival will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Juno Award-winning Canadian artist Connie Kaldor, now celebrating 45 years of music and its Woody Award to Annie Capps for her contributions to the local, regional, and national folk community.

This year’s festival Main Stage will be co-hosted by WFMT Folk DJ Marilyn Rea Beyer and longtime festival emcee Chuck VanderVennet.

Other Main Stage performers will include Brittany Jean, Lynne Hanson, Los Gallos, Paper Birds (Claudia Russell, Bruce Kaplan, Katie Dahl, and Rich Higdon), SongSisters (Amy Dixon-Kolar, Sue Fink, and Patti Shaffner), and Jeff Talmadge.

The SongSisters will open the festival and later lead the all-sing finale.

The open mic stage will feature David Callan celebrating his CD release and Robinlee Garber’s workshop on “The Healing Power of Music.” The open mic stage will be co-hosted by Gloria Burchfield and Mark Lyons. Sign up for the open mic begins at 12:05 p.m.

In case of rain, the festival will move to Unity Spiritual Center of Woodstock, 225 W. Calhoun St., corner of North Tryon Street, two blocks southwest of the Square.

The suggested donation for the all-day festival is $30 or $40 for a family. There is no preregistration. More info at woodstockfolkfestival.org.

Performer profiles

Canadian singer-songwriter Connie Kaldor, now celebrating 45 years in show business, will receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the recipient of three Juno Awards, as well as the Order of Canada, a Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal recipient, an honorary doctorate of Fine Arts from the University of Regina, and is the first songwriter to receive a Western Literature Association Award of Merit. She is also a TV personality and a women’s music pioneer. Her enormous stage presence, her unforgettable melodies, and her emotional depth as a songwriter made her a headline act on the festival circuit and earned her a loyal fan-base. The Boston Globe describes her as “a masterful performer, wildly funny one moment, deeply personal the next.”

Mitch Potter in The Toronto Star said, “Big sky. Big impact. Big laughs, too. That’s Connie Kaldor in a nutshell.” Her first album of children’s songs, “Lullaby Berceuse,” received Juno and Parent’s Choice Awards. She also has written a cookbook. She has toured China, India, and Europe as a goodwill musical ambassador from Canada, and starred in a Christmas special broadcast by Canada’s Global Television Newark.

Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, she now makes her home in Montreal with her husband and two sons, who are performers in their own right as well as often appearing with her. For more info, go to conniekaldor.com.

• In addition to her 35-plus-year career as a performing artist, Michigan-based Annie Capps has made a name for herself as a community organizer and instigator behind a number of songwriting groups and collaboratives in southeast Michigan as well as a leading force behind the Folk Alliance Region Midwest where she served on the board and as president from 2009-12 and more recently as conference director (2018-22).

She was a driving force behind the FARM Peer Sessions and Tech Talks that began during the pandemic and continue to the present. She also runs a concert series called “On the Tracks Songwriter Showcase” now in its 11th season.

In addition to receiving the festival’s Woody Award, Annie will also perform with her husband Rod Capps and mandolin player Jason Dennie. They have performed at house concerts, in coffeehouses, and at festivals in Michigan and beyond. She and Rod have done it all — from hard rock to musical theater. Tim Piazza of Concerts at the Cabin in Evansville, Indiana said, “When I look around the room at an Annie and Rod Capps performance, I see a lot of smiling faces with eyes riveted to the stage … there is a magic that energizes an audience. I can’t wait to bring them back to our concert series!”

Since 2006, Jason Dennie has played an essential role in the Annie & Rod Capps band. He has been praised for “his wildly creative mandolin and instinctive harmony.” For more info, go to annieandrodcapps.com.

• Brittany Jean is a folk singer-songwriter, originally from West Chicago, and now based in the Pacific Northwest, currently living in a little, apple town on the Columbia River. Her style is rooted in the folk and Americana music she has loved all her life. She has traveled the country and opened for Three Dog Night as well as playing the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Her song “Golden Hour” was a finalist for the International Acoustic Music Awards’ Song of the Year and Brittany was also a finalist for Best Female Artist for 2023. For details, go to BJeanMusic.com.

She will perform in a hybrid (in-person and online) show at Two Way Street Coffee House in Downers Grove on the Friday night of festival weekend at 8 p.m. For details, go to twowaystreet.org. She will also be on “Folk Festival” on WDCB 90.9 FM or wdcb.org on Tuesday night, July 16, between 8 and 11 p.m. CDT.

• Ottawa, Canada-based Lynne Hanson, whom Jan Hall of Folk Roots Radio called “Canada’s own Queen of Americana,” is a singer-songwriter known for her high-energy, roots guitar-driven live performances. She can turn on a dime from a sunshine, blue sky ballad to a full-on thunderstorm of gritty Americana swamp. Her deep, bluesy croon has drawn comparisons to Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch, but the poetry of her lyrics sets her apart. She has received two Canadian Folk Music Awards. She has released nine studio albums as well as two books of poetry. She has toured extensively across North America, Europe, and the U.K. and appeared at leading international festivals including the Kerrville Folk Festival in the U.S., the Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada, and Take Root in the Netherlands. Amplify Music Magazine said, “A glorious mashup of Americana, folk, and the occasional indie production and song structure and sounds, made even better by Hanson’s trademark lyrical depth.”

For more, go to lynnehanson.com.

• Chicago-based Los Gallos are a Chicano Americana roots band. Transcending musical borders, Los Gallos are known for their unsegregated sound. They seamlessly fuse an eclectic mix of Cumbia, Norteno, Tex-Mex, and Bolero with country, rock, and blues to create their innovative signature sound. Band members include Rick Salazar on guitars, button accordion, and vocals; Enrique Fajardo on vihuela, jarana, guitar, and vocals; Josh Rosenstein on lead guitar and vocals; Jose Galarza on bass; and Raul Fernandez on drums. Their new digital album, “Los Gallos,” is now streaming on numerous services. For more, go to losgallosband.com.

• The festival welcomes back Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan from California. This year, they’ll be joined by the husband-wife duo of Katie Dahl and Rich Higdon from Wisconsin. Together they are known as Paper Birds. The band is fronted by two successful songwriters in their own right, Claudia Russell and Katie Dahl. Russell has won songwriting honors from Boston to Austin. She is known for her nimble, expressive voice and tightly knit songs. One of the Midwest’s best young songwriters, Dahl writes keenly literate songs planted deep in the ground of her Wisconsin home. Her husband, Rich Higdon, adds bass and percussion, while Russell’s husband, Bruce Kaplan, adds mandolin and guitar. WFMT’s Rich Warren said of this “pop-up band,” “Paper Birds performed a delightful variety of original material, sang some great harmonies, and showed how much friends enjoy making music together. Lovely voices and great instrumental chops. Really a delight!” For more, go to claudiarussell.com. They will be on “Folkstage” on WFMT 98.7FM or wfmt.com on Saturday, July 20 from 8 to 9 p.m.

• SongSisters Amy Dixon-Kolar, Sue Fink, and Patti Shaffner are all accomplished performers in their own right but with their soaring harmonies, engaging lyrics, and wit, their distinctive styles come together to create something new. Lilli Kuzma of WDCB Radio said, “Top shelf talent times three and a pure delight! Sue Fink, Amy Dixon Kolar, Patti Shaffner are outstanding solo artist who shine alone but together become a solar force to be reckoned with, as they exchange their superb songs along with exceptional harmonies, friendly bantering and spot-on humor — great music and great entertainment from these lovely ladies!”

Fink’s whimsical songs, Shaffner’s forays into folk and jazz, and Dixon-Kolar’s impressive fingerpicking with folk, Celtic, and blues influences add up to a richer sound when played together.

They will open the festival and lead the all-sing finale. For more info, go to songsisters.net. They will be on “Folk Festival” on WDCB 90.9 FM or wdcb.org on Tuesday, July 16, between 8 and 11 p.m.

• Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter Jeff Talmadge is known for his storytelling and his fingerpicking style. Before turning to music full-time Jeff was a successful civil trial attorney in Austin, Texas. He has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his songwriting, including his selection as a finalist or showcase artist at places such as the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

He has toured in Europe as well as this country and has performed at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, as well as Club Passim in Boston and Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta. At Duke University, he won the Academy of American Poets Award, and his poems have appeared in numerous literary journals and magazines. His most recent CD was on the Folk DJ Top 10 List for several weeks this spring. Several of his albums have reached the Top 40 on the Americana charts. The Hill Country Sun called his album “Secret Anniversaries” “a nearly perfect recording.” Another writer described his music as “true and deep and surpasses the test of time.”

For more, go to jefftalmadge.com. Talmadge will be a special guest on “Folkstage,” along with Paper Birds, on Saturday night, July 20 from 8-9 p.m. CDT on WFMT 98.7FM or wfmt.com.

• David P. Callan is a singer, songwriter, and cancer survivor. While songwriting is his second career, the Chicago area resident has been performing since he was small. Originally from Maryland, David attended college on a performing arts and voice scholarship eventually deciding on engineering as his vocation. As an engineer, he designed notable buildings worldwide, including the redevelopment of the Old Chicago Post Office. As a songwriter, Callan explores familiar topics in the folk tradition. As a cancer survivor, his journey is woven into his songs reflecting on his life's experiences. Callan is the featured performer at the open mic stage. The festival will celebrate his CD release.

• Robinlee Garber was born and bred in Philadelphia but is now a proud Chicagoan. She brings a crystalline alto voice with gently burnished edges and an outsider’s point-of-view to the original and time-treasured songs she sings, focusing on a repertoire that harkens to the past without being a novelty act. Her repertoire includes folk, jazz standards, rock, and contemporary music where the voice is front and center. As someone with chronic health issues that often left her feeling isolated, music was also an especially potent antidote to loneliness. She was music director of Culture Cafe for the Chicago VeganMania Festival, has run an open mic, and has performed across the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Finland. A multidisciplinary artist herself, Robinlee’s “day job” is helping seniors navigating the aging process as an art therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor, helping people to plug into creative expression, a through-line that has brought so much joy and healing into her own life. Robinlee will be sharing “The Healing Power of Music” at her workshop at the open mic stage. She believes that music is a powerful way to build bonds in our increasingly disconnected lives. For more, go to robinleegarbermusic.com.

There will be plenty of live music on and near Woodstock Square over the weekend, so plan an overnight stay. On Friday, July 19, Stage Left Cafe will feature Jazz Night from 8-10 p.m. and the Emerson & Oliver Speakeasy at Ethereal Confections will present Stephen Schuch beginning at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday morning, July 20, the award-winning Woodstock Farmers Market on the Square has live music. That evening, Stage Left presents The Jerry and Robin Experience from 8 to 10 p.m. while Emerson & Oliver will feature The Chicago Cellar Boys at 7 p.m., and Winestock will feature Karen Shook at 7 p.m. More information about Stage Left performances is at woodstockoperahouse.com. For events at Ethereal go to eventsatethereal.com. Events at Winestock are posted on Facebook.

Gavers Community Cancer Foundation’s annual barn dance will take place on Saturday night, July 20, from 5 p.m. to midnight in Emricson Park, 1313 Kishwaukee Valley Road, Woodstock. For more information, visit gavers.org. Lodging information is at woodstockfolkfestival.org and realwoodstock.com.

Preview events

On Sunday, July 7, Ron Lewis will feature an interview with festival president and producer Carol Obertubbesing and selections from some of the artists on “The Folk Show” on WNUR/89.3FM or wnur.org between 10 a.m. and noon.

On Tuesday, July 16, Lilli Kuzma will present Brittany Jean and SongSisters on her “Folk Festival” radio show on WDCB 90.9FM or wdcb.org between 8-11 p.m.

On Friday, July 19, Two Way Street Coffee House in Downers Grove presents Brittany Jean at 8 p.m. Go to twowaystreet.org.

On Saturday night, July 20, Marilyn Rea Beyer will present Paper Birds and special guest Jeff Talmadge on “Folkstage” from 8-9 p.m. on WFMT 98.7FM or wfmt.com.

Details

Located about 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Woodstock is easily accessible via Routes I-90, 14, and 120, as well as by the Union Pacific/Northwest Metra train line that runs between Chicago and Harvard with many stops in between. The Woodstock train station is only one block from Woodstock Square. Handicapped accessible facilities are available.

Pets are not allowed in the park, only on the streets on the periphery. Please do not leave pets in hot cars.

Festivalgoers should bring a chair or blanket to sit on. Festival merchandise and performer CDs, books, and other merchandise can be purchased at the Festival. Mastercard and Visa are accepted but cash or check is preferred.

The festival is a 501(c)(3) Illinois nonprofit organization, made possible in part by radio partners WDCB, WFMT, and WNUR; the city of Woodstock; and Real Woodstock, but the festival’s main support comes from individual donors.

The purpose of the festival is to bring quality folk music — local, national, and international — to Northern Illinois. It began as a one-time event in 1986 and quickly became an annual event held on the third Sunday of July on Woodstock Square. For more information about this year’s festival and future events, go to www.woodstockfolkfestial.org.

For more information about Woodstock and events throughout the year, go to realwoodstock.com.