Campers find some shade next to the iconic "Green Bus" - a fixture for over 30 years at  festival.  Adorning the side of the bus is a sign previously used at the festival entrance to welcome all/

            The 58^th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival took place last weekend in Upper Salford Township.  Like all of its predecessors, this year's installment was a whirlwind of music, merriment, and memories made. This year brought high temperatures and extremely high humidity, but those challenges do not dampen the enthusiasm of devoted attendees.

            As one can imagine, an event like "Fest" that draws roughly 20,000 participants each year takes months of planning and preparation. Most critical to the success of the

Singer/songwriter Amanda Shires performs on the Craft Stage on Sunday afternoon.

festival is the collaboration between Upper Salford Township officials and the Philadelphia Folksong Society. Township Supervisor Kevin O'Donnell summed it up nicely, saying, "Working with the folksong society is always a pleasure. It continues to be a great partnership, and we look forward to this event every year."

            While people attend folk fest for a multitude of reasons, it is the diverse offerings of world-class musical talent that keeps them coming back year after year. Friday night's music featured a fine blend of lesser-known acts and veteran performers. Joan Osborne's set featured the music of Bob Dylan, and offered some fresh interpretations of several old classics. 

            Our surprise of the night was "Cha-Wa", who play a fascinating fusion of New Orleans-style jazz, blues and funk that had everyone foot-tapping, if not up dancing. The night closed with jazz legends "The Preservation Hall Jazz Band", who continue to

Friday afteroon, on the Main Stage, the "Way Done Wanderers" performed.

wow audiences after more than 50 years on the road.

            Saturday kept the music coming in grand style. Americana/folk rocker "Langhorne Slim and the Lost at Last Band" got folks on their feet.  He first appeared here in 2009 and he impressed us right away. "Slim" (aka Bucks County native Sean Scolnick) reminisced about first coming to fest at age 15 as a volunteer. Like many in the crowd, the experience opened his eyes to something wonderful. Welcome home, Sean.

            The night's musical headliner was 30-year veterans "The Mavericks". This Miami-based powerhouse defies any real description. Think "Western Swing meets jazz-rock fusion" and be prepared for surprises. They closed with a rousing cover of the Beatles classic "Back in the USSR", to the delight of the crowd. Another unforgettable night of musical magic at Fest.

            After two and a half days of oppressive heat, Sunday evening brought back the time-honored tradition of rain at Folk Fest.  Fortunately, the rain and thunder passed quickly, and the crowd became huge in anticipation of what promised to be an epic closing night. We are confident that no one left disappointed. 

            Sunday night's show was truly amazing.  Nashville-based singer-songwriter and fiddle virtuoso Amanda Shires brought a powerful combination of thought-provoking lyrics and hard-driving country rock to the stage that dazzled the crowd, as she has been doing across the country for the past 8 years. Just as the audience was catching its breath, she was followed by fellow country-rock powerhouse Margo Price.  These two ladies continue to win over new audiences by proving that country music can still be both poignant and relevant.

            Festival headliner and country-rock pioneer David Crosby certainly needs no introduction. His performance was a musical tour-de-force that would make any venue proud. Crosby's set was a beautiful marriage of new songs and time-honored classics. His current band "David Crosby and Friends" is incredibly tight, and includes his son James Raymond on keyboards. The new compositions were beautiful, but the old classics were absolutely spell-binding. Such gems as "Guinevere", "8 Miles High", and "Wooden Ships" had us baby boomers singing along, if not teary-eyed.  The set ended with a mesmerizing cover of Neil Young's "Ohio", for which Shires and Price joined him. What a great wrap up to a weekend of incredible music.

            While musical diversity is the backbone of fest, this event offers much more to visitors. An impressive array of food choices is available for purchase. Gourmet offerings are many and varied, or try a "Firehouse Burger" or fries from the Upper Salford Township Volunteer Fire Department. (A tasty burger to support a worthy cause!) In between musical acts, festival goers can also shop for unique and one-of-a-kind crafts from some 34 artisans.

            In our opinion, coming for a day is a great way to experience fest for the first time. Daily visitors can enjoy up to 14 hours of music and entertainment for one admission price. For those who want to experience fest to the fullest, on-site camping adds a whole new dimension to the weekend.

            And so, another magical year at Philly Folk Fest has come and gone.  For our family and many others, this event has become a part of who we are.  From the first time you hear "Welcome home!" or "Happy Fest!" from a volunteer upon arriving, to the final words "See you next year" as you leave, you soon realize that for many people and their friends and family, this place is truly special, and really is a second home for many people. 

            Thomas Wolfe famously penned the words, "You can't go home again." With no disrespect to the author, Folk Fest may just be one exception to those legendary words.

            We hope to see you all next year down at the Old Poole Farm.