American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront
Folk Festival Friends;
Though the 2010 American Folk Festival is still more than 11 months away (August 27, 28 & 29), we are already starting the discussions about what next year’s event will look like.
The largest challenge that we have to face is that for the past eight years, we have presented the Festival, and during only one of those years did we make enough money to cover 100% of its costs. This has left us with a debt that has accumulated since 2002, and has become too large a weight for us to continue to carry.
Because the Festival has so much to bring to the community, and because you – our festival-goers, volunteers, and stakeholders – have been such loyal supporters, we want to give you the opportunity to share your thoughts and solutions with us.
First, in full gratitude for the very generous donations that many of you have made to the Folk Festival, we would like to ask you to consider an additional gift to the Festival. You can donate online or by mail - American Folk Festival, 40 Harlow Street, Bangor ME 04401.
Second, we would like to ask for your thoughts on the following question: “Should the Festival consider becoming a paid-admission event in 2010?” We know that there are many benefits to operating admission-free, but there are downsides as well. Would you continue to attend the Festival if there were a $5 or $10 admission fee? Would your business continue to support the event? Your comments, suggestions, and other feedback is most appreciated, and will be considered very strongly by the Festival’s Board of Directors. You can send in your comments HERE.
Thank you!
The Folk Festival Board of Directors and Staff
To everyone involved in the 2009 American Folk Festival,
Thank you all so much for another wonderful year! Despite the rain on Saturday, there is much to celebrate about this year’s Festival, and we hope that you will take a moment to celebrate with us.
Festival Sponsors: Thank you for making it all happen. Your generous contributions of funds, supplies, and in-kind services made it possible for us to present the highest-quality performers, sound systems, and venues for our guests.
Festival Volunteers: From the Board of Directors to the Volunteer Committee to the on-the-ground volunteers who drove golf carts, sold t-shirts, logged music, and dozens of other tasks…thank you. Thank you for your time, your creativity, your dedication, and your love of the Festival. We absolutely, unquestionably couldn’t do it without you.
Producing Partners: Immense thanks go to our Producing Partners, for their unique contributions to this event. The City of Bangor – for the beautiful waterfront Festival site, staff and crew from many City departments who all bring their expertise to the smooth running of the Festival, and the Cultural Commission, for supporting the event with grant funding.
The National Council for the Traditional Arts – for continuing the tradition of excellence that was established with the National Folk Festival in our community. This programming of this 2009 AFF has continued to astound us with its quality and diversity!
The Maine Folklife Center at the University of Maine – for bringing together diverse Maine artists who all rely on the bounty of the land for their arts.
Eastern Maine Development Corporation – for their organization expertise, staff support, and guidance, and for hosting the Festival’s business offices.
The Maine Discovery Museum – for creating a bounty of games and activities for the Festival’s younger attendees.
Partnering Nonprofits: There are many areas of Festival production that rely on other Greater Bangor nonprofit organizations to support. We thank you for your community spirit, and for your time spent in making the Festival go smoothly: The Second Section of Anah Shrine, the Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bangor Breakfast Rotary, the Unitarian Universalist Church, MEDLIFE Galapagos Medical Mission, Bangor Noontime Rotary.
Festival-goers: YOU made it happen! You gave us our largest Friday evening and largest Sunday attendance ever! Together, you combined to build the largest Bucket Brigade contribution ever! You packed the tents even on Saturday, under the pouring rain. And you celebrated with us as we welcomed performers from across America and the world. It was a pleasure to welcome you to the Festival.
We are working now to close out the 2009 Festival, and to start developing the 2010 event. Stay tuned for details as they develop.

The American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront brings the world to Bangor.
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The American Folk Festival is a large-scale, three-day event. Held each year at the end of August in downtown Bangor, Maine, the Festival presents the music and dance from the many cultures that make up America today.
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Here's what awaits you at the American Folk Festival:
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over two dozen of the nation's finest performing groups sharing the traditional arts of their region, culture and heritage
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5 stages of continuous music and dance
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traditional craft demonstrations and exhibits
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a children's area with performances and activities for the whole family
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dozens of food vendors offering ethnic food, regional specialties and traditional festival favorites
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a Folk Art & Craft Marketplace offering unique, handcrafted items for sale
The American Folk Festival is produced in Bangor by the Bangor Folk Festival, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, with partnering support from:
Donations made to the American Folk Festival are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.
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