Welcome to the official site of the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest - one of the best free music festivals in the nation! Produced by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, the FolkFest features more than 70 hours of free music over Labor Day weekend. Check back often for updates!

The Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend (August 29-31, 2008) - Johnstown, Pennsylvania

2007 Memories
What an incredible festival! This year, the FolkFest enjoyed three full days of perfect temperatures and clear skies. As always, the entertainment was spectacular - and the crowds came out to see it. All kinds of people were enjoying the festival, all ages, local and from out-of-town. Many of them approached festival staff and volunteers with compliments, and virtually every performer had something nice to say about how well-run the festival was - and how friendly everyone was, especially the volunteers. From the first note on Friday at the Jackson Monsour performance through the final thrilling encore by Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers on Sunday night, the mood was terrific.
The festival is free to attend, but it is not free to produce. FolkFest would simply not be possible without the support of our corporate sponsors, especially AmeriServ Financial, which celebrated its 11th anniversary as title sponsor this year; Toyota and Laurel Auto Group; Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; Conemaugh Health System; Von's United Beverage, Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Anheuser Busch and Yuengling Brewing Co.; Atlantic Broadband; Re/MAX Team Realtors; Waste Management; Somerset Trust.
We also extend a special thank-you to the owners who graciously allow us to use their properties during FolkFest: Conemaugh Health System; FreightCar America Corp.; Carole Furst Gigliotti; JEMCOR; MaryAnn McCaffrey; The Sargent's Group; SFB Partnership; Suppes Ford; Walnut Management.
Many thanks to these corporate sponsors: CBIZ Insurance Services; Community Foundation for the Alleghenies; CamTran; First Commonwealth Bank; First Energy; 1st Summit Bank; Bill Harris; Laurel Management; MetLife; Northwest Savings Bank; Spence, Custer, Saylor, Wolfe & Rose; P.J. Stevens & Milan Gjurich.
Thanks to our hotel supporters: Comfort Inn; EconoLodge; Hampton Inn; Holiday Inn Downtown; Holiday Inn Express; Sleep Inn.
We are also very grateful to the many businesses and individuals who support FolkFest through in-kind donations of products and services: Advantage Car & Truck Rental; Borco Equipment Co.; By George Trailers; Cambria County Emergency Management Agency; Cambria Hardware & Equipment Co.; Carpenter's Joint Apprenticeship Committee; Carpenter's Local #1419; Cernic's; City of Johnstown; Clark Productions; Coast to Coast Cellular; Conference Archives;
Cox Broadcasting/WJAC-TV 6; Cool 101.7; Ebensburg Yamaha; 1st Summit Bank; Flower Barn; F.M. Sheesley Construction; Forever Broadcasting; Hines Equipment; The Hite Co.; JWF Industries; Johnstown Chemical; Johnstown Magazine; Johnstown Redevelopment Authority; Johnstown Water Authority; Johnstown Wire Technologies; Hines; Laurel Auto Group; The Long Barn II; Martin Marine; McAneny Brothers; Mindsight, LLC; New Pig; Osborne Street Carwash; Pristow's; Quaker Sales; Rent-A-Center; The Sargent's Group; SFB Partnership; State Chemical; Suppes Ford; Thomas Automotive Group; The Tribune-Democrat; Valley Proteins; Wagner Dodge; Walnut Management; Waste Management; Senator John Wozniak.
FolkFest receives state arts funding support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, A federal agency. Financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
We would like to thank everyone who supports the festival by attending and spending money on food and drinks. Thank you to everyone who purchased a T-shirt, hat or other festival merchandise - and to everyone who purchased 50/50 tickets. Every dollar you spend at the festival helps make the event possible.
Feedback from performers was incredibly positive, too -- raved Tres Chicas, "I can't say this in enough places or to enough people: your festival is FANTASTIC. We love your town, we love your music lovers. . . .it was a warm reception, and we will remember it always." Bill Kirchen said to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "It harkened back, to me, to the Newport Folk Festival of '64-'65. As a teenager, I saw stuff that rendered me unfit for normal work after that. I saw the light. (Johnstown) reminds me of that in a lot of ways. In some ways, it's better -- it's still free." Last Train Home said, "Best festival ever. . . you were all tremendous and wonderful. . . We just had a blast and you all took such amazing care of us. . .we'll never forget it.." Adds Too Slim & the Taildraggers, "Thanks also to all the sound and stage people, and the volunteers. We had a great time in Johnstown!" Thank you to everyone who helped us show the performers such a great time -- including Feight Audio, the volunteer performer shuttle drivers, and the audiences who showed such appreciation for the music.
Finally, we send a special thank-you to the hundreds of volunteers who work so hard to make the event a success - starting in July when scrip is counted, through site preparation, the hundreds of shifts that need to be filled during the event itself, and finally the cleanup and aftermath. Many of you come back year after year, donating hour after hour of your time, and we are truly grateful for your commitment and enthusiasm. Staff, visitors and performers often comment on how wonderful our volunteers are. Thank you, and see you next year!