The 35th Anniversary Lowell Folk Festival, a staple cultural event of the region since its inception in 1987, will take place in person on July 29, 30, and 31. The 2022 festival will feature close to 20 performing groups sharing their unique musical traditions on stages throughout downtown Lowell. The Lowell Folk Festival attracts more than 150,000 people for three days of music, food, and art.

Ethnic food vendors will serve traditional dishes representing over a dozen different cultures. In the Folk Craft Area, the theme is Crafting Sound: Making & Restoring Musical Instruments, which will feature demonstrations playing and building the instruments. The Foodways Area will explore comfort foods from an array of communities. Art In The Courtyard will offer the opportunity for visitors to view and purchase some of the finest art and craftwork. The Family Fun area is back on Shattuck Street.

Schedule:

Friday, July 29, 2022

Boarding House Park

6:15 – 6:35pm: PARADE - Tremé Brass Band
6:35 – 7:15pm: Festival kick-off
7:15 – 8:00pm: Tremé Brass Band (New Orleans brass band)
8:15 – 9:00pm: Cherish the Ladies (Irish)
9:15 – 10:00pm: Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)

Dutton St. Dance Pavilion

7:00 – 7:45pm: The Carolyn Martin Band (western swing)
8:05 – 9:00pm: Los Pleneros de la 21 (bomba and plena)

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Boarding House Park

12:00– 12:45pm: Musique à Bouches (Québécois)
1:00 – 1:45pm: The Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble (Argentine tango)
2:05 – 2:45pm: Balla Kouyaté & Famoro Dioubaté (balafon masters)
3:05 – 3:45pm: Christine Tassan et les Imposteures (jazz Manouche and swing)
4:05 – 5:00pm: Cherish the Ladies (Irish)
5:20 – 6:15pm: Los Pleneros de la 21 (bomba and plena)
7:30pm: PARADE— Tremé Brass Band arrives at area
7:30 – 8:15pm: Dale Ann Bradley (bluegrass)
8:30 – 9:15pm: The Carolyn Martin Band (western swing)
9:30 – 10:15pm: Don Bryant (Memphis soul)

Market Street Stage:

12:00– 1:00pm: Fiddle Masters from Texas to Tehran—Belen Escobedo (Panfilo's Güera), Cedric Watson, Nollaig Casey (Cherish the Ladies), Mehdi Bagheri (Nava Persian Trio)
1:15 – 2:00pm: Nava Persian Trio (Persian santour)
2:20 – 3:15pm: Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole (Creole)
3:35 – 4:30pm: Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)
4:45 – 5:45pm: The Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble (Argentine tango)
6:05 – 7:00pm: Cherish the Ladies (Irish)
7:20 – 8:00pm: Balla Kouyaté & Famoro Dioubaté (balafon masters)

Saint Anne’s Churchyard:

12:00– 12:45pm: National Treasures: NEA National Heritage Fellows—Balla Kouyaté, Joannie Madden (Cherish the Ladies), Juan Gutiérrez (Los Pleneros de la 21), Tremé Brass Band
1:00 – 1:30pm: Kingfisher Singers & Dancers (Wampanoag social songs and dance)
1:45 – 2:30pm: Instrument Makers & Players— pipemaker Will Woodson and Joey Abarta (uilleann pipes), luthier Chris Pantazelos and Bahar Badieitabar (oud), luthier William Cumpiano and Juan R. Nieves (cuatro, tiple)
2:45 – 3:30pm: Panfilo's Güera (Tejano conjunto fiddle)
3:45 – 4:30pm: Nava Persian Trio (Persian santour)
4:45 – 5:30pm: Musique à Bouches (Québécois)
5:45 – 6:30pm: Dale Ann Bradley (bluegrass)

Dutton St. Dance Pavilion

12:00– 12:45pm: The Carolyn Martin Band (western swing)
1:00 – 1:45pm: Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push (polka)
2:05 – 3:00pm: Los Pleneros de la 21 (bomba and plena)
3:20 – 4:15pm: Tremé Brass Band (New Orleans brass band)
4:35 – 5:30pm: Don Bryant (Memphis soul)
6:30 – 7:45pm: Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole (Creole)
7:10pm: PARADE—Tremé Brass Band leaves area
8:00 – 9:00pm: Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Boarding House Park

12:00– 12:45pm: Harmonizing Stars of Boston (gospel)
1:00 – 1:45pm: The Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble (Argentine tango)
2:00 – 2:45pm: Christine Tassan et les Imposteures (jazz Manouche and swing)
3:00 – 3:45pm: Dale Ann Bradley (bluegrass)
4:00 – 5:00pm: Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole (Creole)
5:20 – 6:15pm: Don Bryant (Memphis soul)

Market Street Stage:

12:00– 1:00pm: Strings Together: Bowed, Plucked, Struck—Sourena Sefati (Nava Persian Trio); Joel Fox, Jonah Horton (Dale Ann Bradley); Aaron Till (Carolyn Martin); Mal Barsamian, Datev Gevorkian
1:15 – 2:00pm: Panfilo’s Güera (Tejano conjunto fiddle)
2:15 – 3:00pm: The Carolyn Martin Band (western swing)
3:15 – 4:00pm: Mal Barsamian & Datev Gevorkian (Armenian oud)
4:15 – 5:00pm: Musique à Bouches (Québécois)
5:20 – 6:00pm: Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push (polka)

Saint Anne’s Churchyard
12:00– 12:45pm: The View from the Front: Stories of Women Band Leaders—Diunna Greenleaf, Dale Ann Bradley, Christine Tassan, Carolyn Martin
1:00 – 1:45pm: Singers, Songs, and Stories—Musique à Bouches, Don Bryant, Tapani Demba (Balla Kouyaté)
2:00 – 2:45pm: Nava Persian Trio (Persian santour)
3:00 – 3:30pm: Kingfisher Singers and Dancers (Wampanoag social songs & dance)
3:45 – 4:30pm: Panfilo’s Güera (Tejano conjunto fiddle)
4:45 – 5:45pm: Christine Tassan et les Imposteures (jazz Manouche and swing)

Dutton St. Dance Pavilion
12:00– 12:45pm: Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push (polka)
1:05 – 1:45pm: Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole (Creole)
2:05 – 3:00pm: Los Pleneros de la 21 (bomba and plena)
3:20 – 4:30pm: Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy (blues)
4:50 – 6:00pm: Balla Kouyaté and Famoro Dioubaté (balafon masters)

Date: July 29 - 31, 2022

Location: Downtown  Lowell, MA 01852.

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