79th Original Folk Festival

Grab your fiddle and banjo — the 79th Original Folk Festival returns to the Ozarks on Labor Day weekend, with musical performances scattered throughout Eureka Springs Sept. 3-6.

Experience four unforgettable days filled with the rich sounds of folk, Americana and Ozark traditions, featuring three days and three nights of outstanding live music from the Ozark region and beyond.

“I’m really excited about this year’s lineup,” said Nancy Paddock, festival organizer.

Chucky Waggs & His Company of Rags kicks off the festival on Thursday at the Barefoot Ball, with a performance in the lower level of The Auditorium, followed by a performance from Ponder the Albatross.

Waggs is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and recording
artist based in Eureka Springs. He’s known for his energetic one-man-band performances using guitar, banjo, dobro, harmonica and even a makeshift foot-powered drum kit.

“Chucky is such a supporter of the Folk Festival,” Paddock said.

She encouraged everyone to come to the Thursday night show early, because the Eureka Springs Elementary School Hedgehoppers — the school’s third-grade class — will perform before the main acts. Still on the Hill will perform with them.

“They have performed at every folk festival in 79 years,” Paddock said. “It’s a wonderful tradition.”

On Friday, Steve Poltz & the Rainbow Girls will perform at The Auditorium. Poltz is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and founding member of the Rugburns, known for blending mischief, heart and off-the-cuff poetry into his music. Rainbow Girls are an eclectic folk trio hailing from the golden countryside just north of California’s
Bay Area.

Throughout the day, there will be free performances in Basin Park. Jesse Dean, Mountain Gypsies, Mountain Alice, Shannon Wurst, the Shandies and Patti Steel will perform. Saturday night’s headlining performance at
The Auditorium features James McMurtry & the Martial Law Revival and Beat Root Revival. McMurtry is an acclaimed singer-songwriter known for his sharp storytelling and road-tested sound. Beat Root Revival is a multi-instrumentalist roots duo, combining elements of folk, blues, country and rock n roll to create a melodic sound — built on the powerhouse harmonies of Andrea Magee and Ben Jones.

“It is just one of the best groups,” Paddock said. “James McMurtry is an amazing singer-songwriter.”

Free performances continue in Basin Park on Saturday, featuring Erik Brashers, March to August, Sophia Clark, Meadow Makers and The Creek Rocks. Additionally, Steve Green will host an Ozark Dance Workshop at 5 p.m., sharing the traditional Ozarks and Appalachian Mountains freestyle dance. Everyone will perform the dance at 6 p.m., with accompaniment from The Old 78s.

On Sunday, Carolina Mendoza, Red Dirt Rangers and Matt Axton and Bad Moon will perform for free in Basin Park. Paddock said she’s thankful for all the performers – they make the festival lively and fun.

“It’s the longest continuously running folk festival in the U.S., but more than that, it’s a friendly little Eureka festival,” Paddock said.

Paddock explained why folk music is so regionally important, saying the Ozarks are a folk music epicenter. The people in this area had to make their own music back in the day, Paddock said.

“They didn’t really have a choice,” Paddock said. “At the turn of the century all the way up to the 1960s, it was all local music and the Ozarks had its own strain of music.”

She continued, “We have our own musical culture that has evolved over the years, but even now with the renaissance of bluegrass music, there is a certain distinct style to Ozark music and it’s really good to support it.”

Paddock said she’s honored to keep the Folk Festival torch burning.

“It’s got a place in my heart, I swear. It introduced me to a lot of music, and I want to keep it going so other people can learn about Ozark music and other Americana and folk acts from around the country,” she said.