This year’s Maryland Folk Festival will again have multiple stages, a variety of performers and great food – but organizers are also bringing some new fun to the 2024 event. The Maryland Folk Festival is set for Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-22, in Downtown Salisbury. It’s free to attend.

The Toyota Narrative Stage

New this year is the Toyota Narrative Stage, which will feature storytellers, poets and panel discussions.

City of Salisbury Poet Laureate Nancy Mitchell will lead four programs at the Toyota Narrative Stage. They are:

• Give Sorrow Words: How Poetry Can Transform Grief and Trauma – featuring poets Sue Ellen Thompson and Beth Dulin
• Come Here/From Here – featuring “Come Here” Ladd G. Colston and “From Here” Lexine Lowe
• Young Rockstar Poets offer Fresh Perspectives on Poetry and Po-Biz – featuring poets Sarah Brockhaus and Lisa Compo
• Citizen Poet: The Role of the Poet Laureate in Community – featuring Maryland Poet Laureate Grace Cavalieri and City of Salisbury Poet Laureate Nancy Mitchell

In addition, the following storytellers will be featured on this stage:

• Harold “Stoney” Whitelock (skipjack captain) – Deal Island, Maryland
• Stoop Stories (storytelling) – Baltimore, Maryland
• TAHIRA (Black storytelling) – Claymont, Delaware

New artists

Every year, the Maryland Folk Festival – and the National Folk Festival before that – brings a wide variety of artists from different areas of the country to Salisbury. People can enjoy performances from artists they’ve likely never seen before.

Plenty of local musicians will be featured, including on the Salisbury University Locals Stage. Some of the musicians who will travel the furthest to perform are Melody Angel (blues) from Chicago, the Pine Leaf Boys (Cajun) from Lafayette, Louisiana, and Rebecca Frazier + Hit & Run (bluegrass) from Nashville. Poets Sarah Brockhaus and Lisa Compo will make the trip from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Binghamton, New York, respectively.

See the full list of performers here.

Folklife that celebrates the Maryland story

This year’s Maryland Traditions Folklife Area & Stage, sponsored by the Maryland State Arts Council and Maryland Traditions, will feature demonstrators and tradition-bearers around the theme of building upon the great Maryland story. Nine demonstrators will showcase folklife, from arts to oystering to beekeeping and more. There are also five musical groups and three dance groups that will take the Folklife Stage.

Learn more about the Folklife Area & Stage here.

An opening parade

The festival opens at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, and Heart & Sole Performing Arts, a step team based in Salisbury, will lead an opening parade. This parade will run from the Plaza on Main Street to the Perdue Dance Stage, which will be located on North Division Street near the Government Office Building.

More fun

In addition to the new aspects of the festival, the Maryland Folk Festival will bring back the Richard A. Henson Foundation Family Area – featuring additional activities for kids and families – and a Festival Marketplace, this year sponsored by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

Learn more about the Maryland Folk Festival and find information on schedules, parking and more at MDFolkFest.com. Hours are Friday from 6-9:30 p.m., Saturday from noon-9:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon-6 p.m. Food vendors open at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Photo by SMDi Photography