: Published: 15 May 2024

72nd Annual Folk Festival
Coming Memorial Day Weekend

Visitors watching performers on one of 13 stages during a previous Folk Festival. -SVT Archived Photo

Staff Reports

The 72nd Annual Florida Folk Festival kicks off this Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26, 2024, on the banks of the historic Suwannee River at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, in White Springs. It is the oldest state-run folk festival in the Nation.

Since 1953 this event has paid tribute to Florida’s land, people, and diverse cultural heritage. Named a “Top 20 Event” in the Southeast, this family friendly festival has activities for everyone.

With over 300 performances on 13 stages by Florida’s greatest folk and roots artists, visitors are sure to enjoy the rich Florida heritage this festival provides, including national recording artists, songwriters, and musicians of folk, blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean, and zydeco music.

This year’s lineup includes the Sacred Steel Summit, The Lee Boys, Ben Prestage, Walter Parks, John Kay, The Firewater Tent Revival, The Peyton Brothers, Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band, Dodo Awoko, The Currys, Jeanie Fitchen, The Bullard Brothers & Friends, The Carr Sisters, Bing Futch, Sarah McCulloch, Raymi Dance School, The Byrne Brothers, 2pm Band, Karibbean Groove, Papaloko and Loray Mistik, Bob Patterson, Jim Stafford, and many more!
There are many activities.

Park Specialist Andrea Thomas said, “The performers also hold workshops or discussions all 3 days of the festival. We also have the children’s area that is a ton of fun! Crafts, Harmonica and Kazoo jams, and various kid friendly performances all three days as well.”

Visitors may participate in a jam session, take a workshop, and enjoy local eats and merchandise from various vendors.

Advance tickets for the Florida Folk Festival are $35.00 per day or $70.00 for the weekend for adults and $40.00 per day or $80.00 for the weekend at the gate. Children under six years of age are admitted free of charge. Ticket prices for children between the ages of six and 16 for the entire weekend are $5.00. Tickets are available online and at the gate. Visit www.FloridaFolkFestival.com for more information.

White Springs is centrally located between Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville and Valdosta, Georgia and makes the perfect day trip for visitors from these areas.

Camping at the state park will be closed to visitors during the event to reserve space for performers, vendors and volunteers. Camping and lodging are available at Suwannee River State Park, O’Leno State Park, Ocean Pond, Jennings K.O.A. and Spirit of the Suwannee, to name a few. For a listing of local public and private campgrounds, cabins, and motels in the tri-county area of Hamilton, Columbia, and Suwannee Counties, visit www.lakecityfl.com.

Thomas also provided the tentative lineup of night performers for the three-day weekend.

Friday night on the main stage we have:
6p The Bullard Brothers and Friends
Raymi Dance School
Bob Patterson
The Carr Sisters
Bing Futch
Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band
10:15p The Lee Boys

Saturday night on the main stage we have:
5:30p Fiddle Contest Winners
Dodo Awoko
Sacred Steel
The Peyton Brothers
John Kay
Walter Parks
Folk Heritage Award Winners
Ben Prestage
10:30p The Firewater Tent Revival

Sunday night on the main stage we have:
6p Banjo Contest Winners/Folkartist Memorial
2PM Band
Sacred Steel
The Byrne Brothers
Sarah McCulloch
The Currys
10:15p Jeanie Fitchen and Friends