Left: Exciting Cuban/ Caribbean jazz combo to perform on Friday, August 9, 2013 from 9:30 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. and Saturday, August 10, 2013 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Courtesy photo
Bottom: Paulette Brockington doing a Swing Dance and Lindy Hopperformance on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Highland Park, MI
Courtesy photo
2013 GREAT LAKES FOLK
FESTIVAL SET FOR
AUGUST 9-11
The MSU Museum’s Great Lakes Folk Festival has always been known as an eclectic exhibition of music, dance, arts and culture from across America and around the world, and the 2013 program is shaping up to be one of the most diverse in the event’s history.
The event is set for August 9-11 in downtown East Lansing, featuring a variety of program areas including: “campus and community,” which consists of presentations that explore the many ways universities turn education into action; “Best of the Midwest,” featuring music, dance, and traditional artist from Midwestern states.
The popular music and dance program features tradition-bearers sharing Celtic, bluegrass, Québécois, Slovenian polka, contra dance, Hawai’ian Ukulele, Cajun, Balkan, Hmong, Chicago and Memphis blues, and more! Musical artists perform two to four times throughout the weekend, so visitors have a chance to see the bands they like and discover new genres. The 2013 line-up, sponsored by the City of East Lansing, is:
-Paulette Brockington | Swing Dance and the Lindy Hop | Highland Park, Mich.
-Clear Fork Bluegrass Quartet / Boy=Girl | Bluegrass | Chardon, Ohio
-Dentdelion | Québécois | Sainte-Béatrix, Québec
-Mike Espy & Yakity Yak | Chicago and Memphis blues | Fenton, Mich.
-Kaivama | Finnish-American | Minneapolis, Minn.
-Johnny Koenig | Slovenian Polka | Allison Park, Penn.
-Lanialoha and Aloha Lives! | Hawai’ian Ukulele/Hula | Chicago
-Les Bassettes | Cajun | Lafayette, La.
-Les Poules à Colin | Québécois | Sainte-Béatrix, Québec
-Joel Mabus / Top Drawer String Band | Old-Time Strings and Contra Dance | Portage and mid-Michigan
-Lee Murdock | a special repertoire in honor of the 75th anniversary of folklorist Alan Lomax collecting songs of Northern Michigan (in partnership with the Library of Congress American Folklife Center) Kaneville, Ill.
– Red Tail Ring / Bowhunter | Old-Time String Band and Contra Dance | Kalamazoo, Mich.
-Cathie Ryan | Irish-American Celtic | Hartsdale, N.Y.
-Tumbao Bravo | Cuban/Caribbean | Ann Arbor, Mich.
-Svetla Vladeva and the Eastern European Ensemble | Balkan | Bloomington, Ind.
-Mai Zong Vue | Hmong Vocal Music | Madison, Wisc.
-Traditions Showcases — where artists from different groups take the stage (accordion, fiddlers, bass players) to share and compare traditions and techniques.
-Also, for festival-goers to participate: a musicians’ jam, community sing, and ukulele jam!
Check online for a performance schedule: greatlakesfolkfest.net, see “Schedule” tab.
Meanwhile, the MSU Museum’s annual Michigan Heritage Awards ceremony will take place on the “Campus and Community” stage on Sunday at 3:30. The 2013 Michigan Heritage Awardees include:
-Wesley V. Cooper | Bamboo Fishing Rod Maker | Fremont, Michigan
-Carlson’s of Fishtown |Great Lakes commercial fishing and fish processing| Leland, Michigan
The award-winning Great Lakes Folk Festival, produced by the MSU Museum’s Michigan Traditional Arts Program, is a celebration of culture, tradition and community. The Michigan State University Museum works year-round to develop this festival program that reflects the immense variety and vitality of art, skill, knowledge, and wisdom of our cultural heritage for the public. GLFF offers a one-of-a-kind mix of music and dance stages, demonstrations of traditional arts and storytelling, authentic ethnic food, an arts marketplace, and many special activities for kids and their companions.
Great Lakes meets Midwest — at the East Lansing epicenter
A special feature for 2013: GLFF plays host for the first time to the 13th annual traveling Midwest Folklife Festival, a free outdoor public festival that highlights the ethnic and folk arts, customs, and practices of the Midwestern states.
(See: www.midwestfolklifefestival.org.)
‘Campus and Community’
Presentations and sessions on the Campus and Community Stage explore the many ways universities turn education into action to solve programs and advance knowledge. See the schedule for more details.
Children’s Area ‘Kidlore’ Activities
Inspired by Midwest traditional folk artists visiting GLFF, activities for children include:
Scandinavian rosemaling – kids will use rosemaling designs (decorative painting) to paint a bench; quiltmaking – making quilt blocks; Metalsmith arts – repurposing recycled materials to make small metal sculptures; and demonstrations from the “Best of the Midwest” artists, such as clogging and carving.
Drawing on a “Campus and Community” theme, additional children’s activities will explore campus lore and MSU traditions, including:
Decorating graduation caps; and service projects – kids will be making fleece blankets for Project Linus
(a non-profit organization that provides homemade blankets to children in need http://www.projectlinus.org/)
The MSU Dairy Store will also be on hand!
The GLFF Marketplace returns with recycled and upcycled green goods, from jewelry to art, repurposed garden ceramics, repurposed textiles and sculpture. The MSU Museum also showcases master artists in textiles, basketry, henna art and other traditional arts.
Taste of Traditions Foodways: with authentic regional and ethnic food – French, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Polish,
Thai and more.
The festival site — across the street from the MSU campus — spans the downtown core of the city for three days of festival fun. Find out more at http://greatlakesfolkfest.net or follow GLFF on facebook and twitter.
FESTIVAL FAST FACTS:
HOURS: Friday, Aug. 9, 6 – 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 10, noon – 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 11, noon – 6 p.m.
For more information, call the MSU Museum at (517) 432-GLFF (4533) or learn more at http://www.greatlakesfolkfest.net and on facebook (Great Lakes Folk Festival) and twitter (twitter.com/GLFF).
GIVE: Admission is by donation (suggested $10 per day) and contributions leading up to the event and on-site — sustain GLFF.
PARKING is available in downtown ramps and across Grand River Avenue on the MSU campus (in designated areas; free on weekends). GLFF also provides bike parking on-site.
This was printed in the July 28, 2013 – August 10, 2013 Edition
