Welcome to the official site of the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest - one of the largest 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!

Labor Day weekend, September 2-4, 2005 - Johnstown, Pennsylvania

FolkFest History
The Johnstown Area Heritage Association (JAHA) has produced the FolkFest for 14 or 11 years-depending on how you count it. JAHA was involved when the National Folk Festival came to Johnstown in 1990, staying for two additional years before moving on to another American city. At that point, JAHA picked up the reigns and renamed the event, and the Johnstown FolkFest came into being. Past performers at the Johnstown FolkFest read like a "who's who" in traditional music. The festival brings a broad variety of musical genres to the area, allowing festivalgoers to see artists who might never play here otherwise. The festival has developed a national reputation for its high-quality programming, and best of all, it's still free. Here's a detailed listing of our past performers, with photos courtesy of Jim Alexander:
	Johnstown FolkFest 2004 For photography and information about FolkFest 2004, click here. Seven Nations -- Celtic rock Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band -- zydeco Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra -- polka Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters -- funk, soul & blues Chris Smither -- singer/songwriter Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys -- rockabilly Bill Kirchen -- honky-tonk Barrence Whitfield & The Savages -- soul The Recipe -- jam band Hot Club Sandwich -- jazz string band Anne McCue -- singer/songwriter Two Dollar Pistols-- alternative country Ernie Hawkins -- acoustic blues Big Leg Emma -- bluegrass/folk The Gospel Lights -- gospel Del Sinchak Band -- polka Little Buddy -- electric blues The Mavens -- roots country Grinning Mob -- blues The NewLanders -- Pennsylvania folk Jazz In Your Face -- big-band jazz
Johnstown FolkFest 2003 The Louisiana Blues Throwdown, with Harry Hypolite, Mathilda Jones, Eric Lindell and the Marc Stone Band -- soul, blues and R & B Alex Torres y los Reyes Latinos - Latin The Prodigals -- Celtic rock Those Darn Accordians - eclectic Wayne "The Train" Hancock - roots country Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics - rockabilly The Cool John Ferguson Band -- blues guitar Red Meat - country Chandler Travis Philharmonic -alternative Dixieland Two High String Band - bluegrass Caroline Herring - bluegrass& folk Cootie Stark - Piedmont blues Tarbox Ramblers - backcountry music Peter Mulvey - singer/songwriter Jazz in Your Face - big band Del Sinchak -- Slovenian polka The Newlanders -- acoustic folk The Delaneys - rock Ribbon Grass - dance rock John Charney with White Mojo and Friends - blues & rock John Stevens' Doubleshot - polka The Johnstown Button Box Band - polka Polka Express - polka
	Johnstown FolkFest 2002 Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys -- zydeco Asylum Street Spankers -- swing/blues/jazz novelty band Bio Ritmo - salsa Robbie Fulks -- honky tonk Michelle Willson and the Evil Gal Orchestra -- blues Campbell Brothers -- sacred steel guitar Greg Trooper -- singer/songwriter Ernie Hawkins -- Piedmont blues Hot Club Sandwich -- string-swing Countdown Quartet -- jazz Dog Run Boys -- bluegrass Hooley -- traditional Celtic Boilermaker Jazz Band - jazz Tim Dabbs --folk Jolly Joe and the Bavarians -- polka
Johnstown FolkFest 2001 Southern Culture on the Skids -- eclectic Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas -- zydeco Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers -- blues guitar Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers -- CuBop Acoustic Syndicate -- bluegrass Bonnie Rideout -- Scottish fiddle Ray Condo and the Ricochets -- Western swing Barrence Whitfield and the Groove Juice Symphony - R&B Dallas Wanye and the Hardcases -- honky-tonk Christy McWilson -- singer/songwriter Hugh Feeley and Talk is Cheap -- blues harmonica Walt Wagner and the Polka Serenaders -- Eastern polka Die Schlauberger -- alpine Simple Gifts -- acoustic Dead Irish Blues Band -- delta jug band The Fabulous Gunslingers -- Western/rock
	Johnstown FolkFest 2000 Buckwheat Zydeco -- zydeco The Seldom Scene -- bluegrass Miss Lavelle White - blues Those Darn Accordions -- eclectic The Prodigals - Celtic rock Chris Smither -- singer/songwriter Ronnie Dawson -- singer/songwriter Wendell Rivera's Latin Jazz All-Stars -- Latin Tim Dabbs -- singer/songwriter Irish Descendants - Irish folk Earthtones - reggae Dead Irish Blues -- delta jug band Crusade with Ed Biegaj - polka
Johnstown FolkFest 1999 - Our 10th anniversary reunion party Alex Torres and the Latin Kings (1994) -- salsa Sleepy LaBeef (1995) -- country John Cephas & Phil Wiggins (1990) -- Piedmont blues The Holmes Brothers (1990) -- blues Don Walser (1996) -- country Neil Anderson and Full Circle (1996) -- highland Jimmy Sapienza and Five Guys Named Moe (1994 & 1998) -- swing Rank Outsiders (1997) -- country/rock Heather Eatman (1995) -- singer/songwriter Hot Club of Cowtown -- Western swing/tin pan alley Hart Rouge - folk
	Johnstown FolkFest 1998 Walter 'Wolfman' Washington -- blues Austin Lounge Lizards Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys -- Cajun Corey Harris -- blues Mamou -- zydeco Cherish the Ladies -- irish Asylum Street Spankers -- eclectic Trout Fishing in America -- folk Steel Impressions -- steel drum Jimmy Sapienza and the Swingmeisters -- swing/big band Bill Bevac Band - polka
Johnstown FolkFest 1997 Laurie Lewis and Grant Street -- bluegrass Tab Benoit -- Louisiana blues Los Pinkys -- conjunto Solas -- Irish Rank Outsiders -- country/rock Lil Brian and the Zydeco Travelors -- zydeco Gathering Fields -- alternative rock Del Sinchak -- polka The Englishmen -- reggae Code Blue --blues Kevin Roth -- singer/storyteller
	Johnstown FolkFest 1996 Fat Possum Mississippi Juke Joint Caravan with R.L.Burnside, Dave Thompson and Junior Kimbrough The Persuasions - a capella Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas - zydeco Beaver Creek - bluegrass Don Walser and the Pure Texas Band - country Clan Na Gael - Scottish/highland Galla & Dan - russian/gypsy folk Earthtones - reggae Grooveyard - jazz/rock The Braxmen - a cappella Eddie and the Slovenes - polka
Johnstown FolkFest 1995 Maggie Christl -- Celtic folk/storyteller Greenfields of America - Irish C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band -- zydeco Tim & Mollie O'Brien and the O'Boys -- bluegrass Sleepy LaBeef -- rockabilly The Dixie Hummingbirds -- gospel Phillip Fankhauser and the Checkerboard Blues Band -- blues The Grace Family -- old time folk Heather Eatman -- singer/songwriter Joe Grkman Band -- polka
Johnstown FolkFest 1994 Johnny Clyde Copeland - R & B Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers -- blues Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band -- zydeco Alex Torres and the Latin Kings - Latin J.D. Crowe and the New South -- bluegrass Lenny Gomulka's Chicago Push -- polka Jimmy Sapienza and Five Guys Named Moe -- swing/blues Casco Bay Tummlers -- klezmer John Bagnato Quartet - jazz
Johnstown FolkFest 1993 Clarence Gatemouth Brown -- blues Kukuruza -- Russian folk Aine Minogue -- Celtic harp Rockin' Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters -- zydeco Queen Bee & the Blue Hornet Band -- blues/rock Glorius Rebirth -- gospel Drums for Peace -- rhythm Dynabrass -- Slovenian polka Douglas Miller -- gospel
National Folk Festival 1992 Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys -- Cajun Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama -- gospel Fontella Bass -- soul/gospel Southern Scratch -- Native American Warner Williams -- Piedmont guitar Eddie Pennington -- Western guitar Melvin Wine -- West Virginia fiddling Chatuye -- Belize drumming Shashmaqam - Bukharan Jewish Big Joe Duskin -- boogie woogie Brendon Mulvihill -- Irish fiddle Gillis Brothers -- bluegrass
National Folk Festival 1991 Fairfield Four - gospel Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys -- Cajun Wayne Henderson -- Appalachian guitar Roman Ritachka -- Ukrainian bandura Los Pleneros del Batey -- plena Ganga -- Bengali folk Ceilidh House -- Irish Tony Ellis -- Appalachian banjo Etta Baker -- Piedmont guitar Sun Rhythm Section -- rockabilly
National Folk Festival 1990 Holmes Brothers -- blues Lyman Enloe -- Missouri fiddler Liz Carroll -- Celtic Billy McComskey and Daithi Sproule -- Celtic Otonowa -- Afro-Cuban percussion John Cephas & Phil Wiggins -- Piedmont blues Preston Frank and the Zydeco Family Band -- zydeco Moses Rascoe -- blues guitar Charlie "Possum" Walden -- fiddler Bud Hudenski and the Corsairs