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!

2008 Memories
Yet again the entire Johnstown community helped pull off the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest, which took place August 29-31, 2008. The Johnstown Area Heritage Association extends a sincere thank-you to the sponsors, in-kind sponsors, and volunteers who made it possible. We also thank everyone who attended -- including people from 30 states, Washington, D.C.; Canada; and even a few from Europe. The performances were amazing - Jason & the Scorchers, reunited for their first North American performances outside of Nashville in five years, lit up the Dodge Stage and seemed as thrilled to be together as we were to have them. We were flattered when Jason Ringenberg (of the Scorchers) told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the FolkFest was "one of the coolest festivals in the world," and repeated that remark to the crowd from the stage.
As in 2007, the weather cooperated beautifully, after an iffy forecast on Friday especially. The tents were full for virtually every performance, and for many you could hardly find a seat. Highlights included the Born Again Floozies, whose tap-dancing neo-vaudeville was an unqualified hit; Stacie Collins and Red Collar, who both put on extremely high-energy shows; Deke Dickerson and Barrence Whitfield, playing together and delighting the audience; Del Castillo, whose virtuoso flamenco guitars thrilled the crowd; Amy LaVere, whose sultry vocals and string bass playing packed the tent; and others too numerous to mention. Many of the performers sat in with each other, which was delightful - including Webb Wilder as the "Moose on the Loose" during one of Farmer Jason's sets; and Stacie Collins with Jason & the Scorchers for a terrific rendition of Stacie's song "Baby Sister," as well as a Gram Parsons cover. It was a thrill to see so many of the artists enjoy and even take part in each others' performances.
As in 2007, a variety of performances were captured and posted on YouTube -- many thanks to festival fans who did so, especially Tim Roolf! Check out Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys doing "Jackson Shake", "I'm Thinkin' It's Better This Way" (along with his intro by Jason Ringenberg), playing a mean steel guitar, and "Harlan Town"; Jason & the Scorchers with "Absolutely Sweet Marie", "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait,", "Blanket of Sorrow," a cover of "Great Balls of Fire," "Help There's a Fire, and their encore, "Country Roads"; Stacie Collins with "The Bottle Let Me Down" and "It Ain't Love"; Farmer Jason with Warner Hodges on guitar, playing "Opossum in a Pocket," and with Arty Hill on "Guitar Pickin' Chicken; Webb Wilder & the Beatnecks with "Human Cannonball" ; Jason Ricci & New Blood; the neo-vaudeville of The Born Again Floozies; Jordan Valentine & the Sunday Saints, Del Castillo, Dallas Wayne (also singing "Big Thinkin'), Deke Dickerson, Red Collar.
The FolkFest is free to attend, but it is not free to produce. Johnstown Area Heritage Association would like to thank our sponsors, who make this party financially possible -- we especially thank AmeriServ Financial, our title sponsor of 13 years, and stage sponsors Dodge, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Conemaugh Health System. A big thank-you as well to pub sponsors Von's United Beverage, Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Anheuser Busch & Yuengling Brewing Co.; gateway sponsor Re/MAX Team Realtors; Inclined Plane sponsors Somerset Trust and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies; midway sponsor Geico Insurance; and Sponsor Lounge sponsor Atlantic Broadband.
Our media sponsors WJAC-TV, Tribune-Democrat/Johnstown Magazine, 96 Key, Froggy 95, Hot 92, Rocky 99, WNTJ/WNTW, and Cool 101.7 were instrumental in helping us spread the word about the festival, and we thank them so much for their contributions.
Thank you to our performer sponsors, who include Ace Rental Place & Cambria Ace Hardware; CBIZ Insurance Services; Concurrent Technologies Corp.; First Commonwealth Bank; First Energy; 1st Summit Bank; Jerry's Records (whose custom Johnstown T-shirts made us smile); Laurel Management; MetLife; Northwest Savings Bank; and Spence, Custer, Saylor, Wolfe & Rose.
JAHA also thanks our members and friends who bought a $75 individual sponsorship (receiving a prime parking spot and two passes to the sponsor lounge in return) or a $20 pass to the sponsor lounge. We are grateful for your support! As a membership-based organization, JAHA relies on the support of our members year-round for all our special events and museums, and we thank you.
The FolkFest is grateful to the owners who graciously allow us to use their properties. Our sincere thanks go out to Conemaugh Health System, Walnut Management, FreightCar America Corp., The Sargent's Group, JEMCOR, Carole Furst Gigliotti, John Bortoli, Harvey Supowitz, MaryAnn McCaffrey, and SFB Partnership.
There are many, many businesses and individuals who make in-kind donations to FolkFest that are vital to the festival's operation. We express our thanks to Ace Rental Place & Cambria Ace Hardware; Advantage Car & Truck Rental; Borco Equipment Co.; Cambria County Emergency Management Agency; Cambria County Transit Authority; Carpenter's Joint Apprenticeship Committee; Carpenter's Local #1419; Cernic's; City of Johnstown; Clark Productions; Coast to Coast Cellular; Comfort Inn; Conference Archives; Cox Broadcasting/WJAC; Cool 101.7; Ebensburg Yamaha; EconoLodge; 1st Summit Bank; Flower Barn; F.M. Sheesley Construction; Forever Broadcasting; Hampton Inn; Holiday Inn; Holiday Inn Express; Hornick's Auto; JWF Industries; Johnstown Chemical; Johnstown Magazine; Johnstown Redevelopment Authority; Johnstown Rental & Leasing; Johnstown Water Authority; Johnstown Wire Technologies; Lamar; The Long Barn II; Martin Marine; McAneny Brothers; Mindsight, LLC; New Pig; Pristow's; Quaker Sales; Rent-A-Center; Dave Rickabaugh; The Sargent's Group; SFB Partnership; Sheesley Supply; Sleep Inn; State Chemical; State Correctional Institution/Somerset; Super 8; Thomas Automotive Group; The Tribune-Democrat; Valley Proteins; Wagner Dodge; Walnut Management; Waste Management; Senator John Wozniak.
FolkFest receives state art 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.
Finally, more than 400 volunteers come out every year before, during and after the festival to help us stage the event. The Johnstown Area Heritage Association is grateful to everyone who gave so much of their time, enthusiasm and energy to the FolkFest this year - this simply wouldn't be possible without you. Performers and festivalgoers often remark to us how friendly everyone here is, and how welcome they feel. That's due in large part to our volunteers, and we thank you.