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

Scrip, Shuttles, Parking
Select a Topic Here Scrip Shuttles Parking VIP Parking
Updated August 17, 2005 Scrip When you come onto festival grounds, you'll see one of several booths where you can purchase scrip, which you then use to purchase all food and drinks from official FolkFest vendors. In short, scrip is festival currency! Through the use of scrip, the Johnstown Area Heritage Association collects commission on food and beverage sales to help cover costs associated with FolkFest, which total about $300,000. That's how we're able to keep the festival free. Scrip booths are also where festivalgoers can show identification and get a wristband in order to purchase beer and hard lemonade at the festival pubs.
Shuttles Festivalgoers are encouraged to take a free FolkFest shuttlebus to the festival grounds. The free shuttles will provide transportation from the Woodvale lot near downtown and the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Upper Yoder/Westmont. Free parking is available at all shuttle stops, and all shuttle parking lots will be clearly marked. All shuttles are handicap accessible.
In addition to the shuttlebuses, the Inclined Plane will be free during the entire festival. The free Inclined Plane rides are made possible through the generosity of Somerset Trust, which is launching a new Visa card featuring a photo of the Inclined Plane. For each use of the card, a donation will be made to an endowment directly benefiting the Inclined Plane through the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. From the bottom of the Inclined Plane, festivalgoers can ride a free shuttle from the corner of Vine and Union or take a short five-minute walk to festival grounds.
Shuttle pick-up locations, along with free parking, will be available at the following clearly marked areas: Upper Yoder/Westmont: The Hiram G. Andrews Center (at 727 Goucher Street, just off Route 271). Riders of this shuttle will be dropped off at the Inclined Plane, where they'll receive a free ride to the downtown area courtesy of Inclined Plane sponsor Somerset Trust. From there, festivalgoers may choose to take a five-minute walk to the festival grounds, or catch a shuttle from the intersection of Vine and Union. Note: this is also the shuttle that will stop at the Log House Arts Festival at the Community Arts Center of Cambria County. Downtown: A large lot will be available in the FreightCar America (formerly Johnstown America) lots Woodvale on Route 271, also called Maple Street. Shuttlebuses and the free Inclined Plane rides will be available on an ongoing basis beginning one hour before the scheduled opening of the festival and end one hour after the scheduled closing of the festival. Shuttlebuses will pick up and drop off festivalgoers at the corner of Washington and Johns Streets. Shuttles will also provide free rides to festivalgoers who park in city garages or on the street downtown. Look for the signs reading, "FolkFest Shuttle Stop." Click here for a downloadable map of the new festival park in PDF format. The map includes information on shuttle drop-off and pick-up points.
Parking Festivalgoers are encouraged to use free parking available at the shuttle stops and take a free shuttle to the festival grounds. Parking is available downtown in city-owned garages, and the city may charge $5 to park in these garages. To locate these garages from the downtown area, look for special FolkFest signage or the permanent blue wayfinding signs posted throughout downtown. The open city-owned garages are as follows: Lincoln Street garage Transit Center garage, also called the "Main Street garage" Intermodal Transportation Center on Vine & Walnut In addition, a limited amount of free street parking is available. Festivalgoers who park downtown may either walk to the festival grounds or catch a free shuttle--look for signs that read "FolkFest Shuttle Stop," particularly along Main and Washington Streets. Please note that there will be no vehicular access to the festival park from Minersville along Iron Street. Watch carefully for the many pedestrians making their way to festival grounds. Shuttles will continuously circle back and forth from the shuttle stops and through downtown to provide direct transportation to and from the festival grounds. Handicap parking spaces are available at any of the city-owned parking garages downtown, and a shuttle will provide transportation to the festival grounds. All shuttles are handicap accessible. To use handicap parking spaces, your car must be clearly marked with a state-issued permit or license plate tag. Violators will be ticketed or towed.
VIP Parking You can help support the FolkFest and get a prime parking spot by purchasing a VIP parking pass! The VIP parking lot will be located along Washington Street between Walnut and Johns Streets, as seen on this downloadable map of the festival grounds. For a $60 contribution, VIP parkers may park in this special lot close to the festival grounds, and also receive a coupon good for a free beverage at any of the festival pubs. Reminders about purchasing a VIP parking pass were sent out to JAHA members and past VIP parkers in early August. If you did not receive one and would like to purchase a VIP parking pass, contact Gwen Hartnett at 814-539-1889 x301.