New Bedford Folk Festival

05/02/2024

Nice overview about the New Bedford Folk Festival on the Music Museum of New England webpage. Helene and I booked the performers and programmed the festival from 1996 until 2022.. We are proud of what we accomplished.

While the Newport Folk Festival became the genre’s preeminent showcase soon after George Wein founded it in 1959, it wasn’t the first of its kind in New England, nor is it the region’s longest running. The oldest is the New England Folk Festival, which started in 1944 – when the folk-revival...

02/10/2023

“It’s been such a central part of the music scene in New England for 25 years. To have it just suddenly evaporate was a bit of a shock.” Tom Rush.
Thanks to Lauren Daley for a fine article on the New Bedford Folk Festival's farewell.

It was a “gut-wrenching” decision, but organizers recently decided the 2022 festival would now be its last.

02/05/2023

02/04/2023

“It’s hard to thank people enough for the support from the city, from the Zeiterion, from the other entities that we worked under, and then an audience that just kept coming, and that’s what kept us going.” - Alan Korolenko

“It never dawned on us when we started this … that it would become what it became. Never did I think there would be so many people so dedicated to an event.” — Festival musical co-director Alan Korolenko

02/03/2023

Following a triumphant 25th anniversary event in 2022, the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center announces the conclusion of the New Bedford Folk Festival. While alternatives were explored, rising costs made the event unsustainable. The Zeiterion produced this annual festival for five years, keeping it alive after the founders retired as producers. Those additional years brought together hundreds of artists, attracted over 15,000 tourists to the city, employed scores of production professionals, contributed $3M to our local economy, and filled downtown New Bedford with fantastic folk music.
We honor and thank all involved who created a brilliant twenty-five year tradition: the founders and recent musical directors Alan and Helene Korolenko, the dedicated festival staff, the City of New Bedford, musicians, vendors, downtown businesses, sponsors, donors and, of course, the faithful festival goers.

10/03/2022

Winner of 2022's NPR Tiny Desk Contest and Folk Fest favorite, Alisa Amador brings her style of rock, jazz, funk, alt folk and Latin music to Stage Door Live in just one month. Thurs, Nov. 3. Get your tickets (from $20) at www.zeiterion.org/events/alisa-amador

09/19/2022

We are so glad Alisa Amador appeared at the the last two New Bedford Folk Festivals, in 2019 with her parents Rosi and Brian Amador and this past July solo. A superb singer and songwriter.

It’s here that I stopped caring about other people’s labels and honed my 'Boston Boricua Chicana emotional crybaby funky jazzy folk.'

07/25/2022

Send us your photos of the 25th Anniversary New Bedford Folk Festival held July 9 and 10. Love to see them. These fine photos are from friend of the festival, Steve Ide. More to follow.

07/21/2022

Although this was posted several years ago, we thought you would enjoy this. Spontaneous music at the 2016 New Bedford Folk Festival. A little over 90 seconds but does capture some of the magic.

A little jam session broke out at a vendor's booth when musicians from the festival and festival goers started playing together.

07/13/2022

What were your favorite moments from the 2022 New Bedford Folk Festival this past weekend?

07/10/2022

Kudos to the Korolenkos! New Bedford Folk Festival founders and current Musical Directors Alan & Helene Korolenko are honored for their quarter-century of dedication by Mayor Jon Mitchell and Zeiterion Performing Arts Center's Executive Director Rosemary Gill.

07/10/2022

Halfway through the festival! Many more fantastic acts and workshops on the schedule today. Day passes for six music stages available at newbedfordfolkfestival.com. Southcoast Stage, Artisan Marketplace, and Food Court are open to the public, no ticket needed.

07/09/2022

Look for Artistic Director Alan Korolenko on WPRI 12 tonight talking about New Bedford Folk Festival!

07/08/2022

The 25th New Bedford Folk Festival is this weekend, July 9 and 10. Music, crafts, food and historic New Bedford. Join us and celebrate. https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

07/08/2022

Just received this photo from our Zeiterion Stage Host and performer, Art Tebbetts. It shows Art at the very first festival in 1996 on what was our Main Stage. Yes our main stage is a loading dock platform on the State Pier on the New Bedford Waterfront. Behind Art is a refrigeration unit powered by two noisy refrigerated trucks parked near the stage. We determined that they were loudly humming away in the key of G. We have certainly come a long way and we're still here.

07/07/2022

Through the years! Do you still have any of these vintage t-shirts?

07/07/2022

"The festival is more than the music. It’s the total experience."
Here is a link to an article about the New Bedford Folk Festival in New Bedford Light. Thanks to Sean McCarthy for a fine interview.

https://newbedfordlight.org/the-korolenkos-make-the-music-happen-at-the-new-bedford-folk-festival/

Festival info: https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

07/06/2022

3 days to the New Bedford Folk Festival. Make sure you look at the info link on the festival webpage. Useful information on directions for driving to us, hours , parking, and accessibility. Our goal is to do what we can so you have a great time. https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

07/06/2022

Check out this article and photographs on the New Bedford Folk Festival in the New Bedford Standard Times. Then answer the question - how do you define folk music? Come to the festival this coming weekend and find out.

After a two-year COVID break, New Bedford Folk Festival returns to celebrate its 25th year, with new and must-see unique experiences.

07/05/2022

If you are interested in a printable schedule to plan your musical weekend, here is the link to the webpage. Scroll down the page to find the "Print At Home Schedule". Happy planning: https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/schedule

07/05/2022

"After a two-year pandemic hiatus, New Bedford Folk Festival looks to celebrate the big 2-5 with a standout lineup this weekend. " Thanks to Lauren Daley for this article in the Boston Globe.

The 25th annual folk fest Saturday and Sunday brings all facets of folk — contemporary to traditional, blues to Celtic — to seven stages throughout 11 downtown blocks.

07/04/2022

After a 3 year wait, the 25th New Bedford Folk Festival is happening this coming weekend, July 9 and 10. The streets of this historic city come alive with contemporary and traditional folk and acoustic music featuring heavy doses of Celtic, French-Canadian, old-time, and acoustic blues. Join in the music, laughter, excitement and joy of that weekend. Do you have your festival passes? What are you waiting for? https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

07/02/2022

Countdown to the 25th New Bedford Folk Festival...7 days to go!
https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

07/01/2022

Here's a link to some fun memories of the New Bedford Folk Festival over the years. What do you remember from past festivals? The Main Stage on the State Pier? The huge food tent? The Ferris Wheel? Custom House Square? The Street Corner? The first Celtic Extravaganza? New memories to come on July 9 and 10. https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/history

06/28/2022

Premium Passes and Weekend Plus Passes have sold out. Thank you to all who have bought these special festival passes. You really help to support the festival. And thank you to all who have purchased Single Day and Weekend Passes. You are the foundation of the festival. Weekend and Single Day Passes to the special 25th New Bedford Folk Festival on July 9 and 10 are still available online and at the Zeiterion box office. If you don't have your passes already, what are you waiting for? Here's the link and there ya go! https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/

06/24/2022

We were asked whether the Celtic Extravaganza is happening this year at the New Bedford Folk Festival as they did not see it on the schedule. Yes, our big festival music and dance finale is indeed happening this year on Sunday, July 10th starting at 8:00pm in the beautiful Zeiterion Theatre. It is on the festival schedule. If you think the schedule you are seeing is not complete, try refreshing the page. Often that resolves the issue. Here's a link to the schedule: https://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/schedule

06/23/2022

Calling Food Vendors! There's still time to apply for space at New Bedford Folk Festival July 9 & 10. Click for details: www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com/information/vendors