BANGOR – The National Folk Festival, Aug. 23-25, was the brainchild of Kentucky-born Sarah Knott. It was held first in St. Louis in 1934 and defined this form of presentation, according to the National Council of Traditional Arts Web site, www.ncta.net.

What Sarah Knott began has become a movable folk feast that includes food, arts and crafts, as well as music. For the next three years Bangor, one of seven sites in the last 19 years, will be home to the event.

The organization invented the workshop, put the first craft demonstrations at festivals, mixed religious and secular music presentations and used scholars as presenters. It was the first festival to present a Cajun band, a polka band, and blues and black shape-note singers. It put the arts of many nations, races and languages in one place, each with equal importance, which made the festival a leader in defining the concept of ethnic inclusion.

Festival admission is free for all programs, but a Bucket Brigade will be on hand to accept donations to help cover festival costs.

Most festival stages are covered by tents, and the show will go on even if it rains.

Most stages have seating, but the Railroad Stage does not. Festival-goers are advised to bring folding chairs or blankets.

Folk Festival Schedule

Friday, Aug. 23

Heritage Stage

. 5:30 p.m. – Festival kickoff, Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun, dieselbilly.

. 6:30 p.m. – Parade from Heritage Stage to Railroad Stage, Treme Brass Band.

Railroad Stage

. 7 p.m. – Papantla Flyers, flying Indian pole dance.

. 7:45 p.m. – Trio Chalchihuecan, Veracruz jarocho.

. 8:45 p.m. – Liz Carroll and John Doyle, Irish.

. 9:45 p.m. – BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Cajun.

Kenduskeag Dance Stage

. 8 p.m. – The Holmes Brothers, blues and r & b.

. 9:15 p.m. – Viento de Agua, Puerto Rican salsa, bomba y plena.

Street Performances

. 7:45 p.m. – Treme Brass Band, New Orleans parade band.

. 8:30 p.m. – N.B.S. (Nothing But Skill), hip-hop dance and bucket drumming.

Saturday, Aug. 24

Railroad Stage

. 12:15 p.m. – Papantla Flyers, flying Indian pole dance.

. 1 p.m. – La Bottine Souriante, Quebecois.

. 2:15 p.m. – BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Cajun.

. 3:30 p.m. – Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Louisiana zydeco.

. 4:45 p.m. – Giles Roy and the Steppin’ Ambassadors, Franco-Canadian step dance and music.

. 6:45 p.m. – Papantla Flyers, flying Indian pole dance.

. 7:30 p.m. – Viento de Agua, Puerto Rican salsa, bomba y plena.

. 8:30 p.m. – Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fan, dieselbilly.

. 9:30 p.m. – La Bottine Souriante, Quebecois.

Penobscot Stage

. Noon – Hula Halau ‘O Lilinoe, traditional Hawaiian hula.

. 1 p.m. – Mary Jane Lamond & Friends, Gaelic songs and music from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

. 2:15 p.m. – Chaksam Pa, Tibetan opera, folk song and dance.

. 3:30 p.m. Fiddle Traditions – Liz Carroll, Andre Brunet, Fletcher Bright, Charlie Walden, Bonnie Jean MacDonald.

. 4:30 p.m. – Aziz Herawi, Afghan music and dance.

. 5:30 p.m. – Trio Chalchihuecan, Veracruz jarocho.

. 8:15 p.m. – Chaksam Pa, Tibetan, folk song opera and dance.

. 9:30 p.m. – Hula Halau ‘O Lilinoe, traditional Hawaiian hula.

Two Rivers Stage

. Noon – Ana Vinagre, Portuguese fado.

. 12:45 p.m. – Trio Chalchihuecan, Veracruz jarocho.

. 1:45 p.m. – Upland South and Heartland Fiddlers, southwest Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

. 2:45 p.m. – Ana Vinagre, Portuguese fado.

. 3:45 p.m. – French Traditions: Quebecois and Cajun, Michael Doucet, Jimmy Breaux and Yves Lambert.

. 4:30 p.m. – Bluegrass Tradition Band, bluegrass.

. 5:30 p.m. – Mary Jane Lamond & Friends, Gaelic songs and music from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Heritage Stage

. Noon – Bluegrass Tradition Band, bluegrass.

. 1 p.m. – Giles Roy and the Steppin’ Ambassadors, Franco-Canadian step dance and music.

. 2 p.m. – Liz Carroll and John Doyle, Irish.

. 3 p.m. – The Holmes Brothers, blues and r & b.

. 4:15 p.m. – Guitar Traditions, John Doyle, David Doucet, Wayne Henderson, Will Jones.

. 5:30 p.m. – Upland South and Heartland Fiddlers, southwest Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

. 6:15 p.m. – Parade from Heritage Stage to Railroad Stage, Treme Brass Band.

Kenduskeag Dance Stage

. Noon – Brian Marshall and his Tex-Slavik Playboys, Texas-Polish polka.

. 1:15 p.m. – Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun, swing dance set.

. 2:30 p.m. – Viento de Agua, Puerto Rican salsa, bomba y plena.

. 3:45 – Brian Marshall and his Tex-Slavik Playboys, Texas-Polish polka.

. 5 p.m. – The Holmes Brothers, blues and r & b.

. 8 p.m. – BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Cajun.

. 9:15 p.m. – Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Louisiana Zydeco.

Street Performances

. 2:30 p.m. – N.B.S. (Nothing But Skill), hip-hop dance and bucket drumming.

. 3:30 p.m. – Treme Brass Band, New Orleans parade band.

. 7:15 p.m. – N.B.S. (Nothing But Skill), hip-hop dance and bucket drumming.

Sunday, Aug. 25

Railroad Stage

. 12:15 p.m. – Papantla Flyers, flying Indian pole dance.

. 1 p.m. – Bluegrass Tradition Band, bluegrass.

. 2 p.m. – Trio Chalchihuecan, Veracruz jarocho.

. 3 p.m. – Liz Carroll and John Doyle, Irish.

. 4 p.m. – Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun, dieselbilly.

. 5 p.m. – Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Louisiana zydeco.

Penobscot Stage

. Noon – Chaksam Pa, Tibetan, folk song opera and dance.

. 1:15 p.m. – Songs of Woe, Mary Jane Lamond, John Doyle, Ana Vinagre, Bill Kirchen.

. 2:30 p.m. – Giles Roy and the Steppin’ Ambassadors, Franco-Canadian step dance and music.

. 3:30 p.m. – Chaksam Pa, Tibetan, folk song opera and dance.

. 4:45 p.m. – Hula Halau ‘O Lilinoe, traditional Hawaiian hula.

Two Rivers Stage

. 12:30 p.m. – Aziz Herawi, Afghan music and dance.

. 1:30 p.m. – Music from the Blue Ridge Mountains, Eddie Bond, Kirk Sulphin, Wayne Henderson.

. 2:30 p.m. – Ana Vinagre, Portuguese fado.

. 3:30 p.m. – Mary Jane Lamond & Friends, Gaelic songs and music from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

. 4:30 p.m. – Maine’s Native Americans, Wabanaki music, dance and stories.

Heritage Stage

. Noon – Maine’s Native Americans, Wabanaki music, dance and stories.

. 1:15 p.m. – Hula Halau ‘O Lilinoe, traditional Hawaiian hula.

. 2:30 p.m. – Aziz Herawi, Afghan music and dance.

. 3:45 p.m. – Trio Chalchihuecan, Veracruz jarocho.

. 4:45 p.m. – Upland South and Heartland Fiddlers, southwest Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

Kenduskeag Dance Stage

. 12:30 p.m. – Richard Felt’s Orchestra, old-time Maine dance hall music.

. 2 p.m. – Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Louisiana zydeco.

. 3:30 p.m. – Brian Marshall and his Tex-Slavik Playboys, Texas-Polish polka.

. 4:45 p.m. – Cape Breton Square Dance Sets, Teacher-caller Wendy MacIsaac, Dave MacIsaac, Bonnie Jean MacDonald, Mary Ann Jewell.

Street Performances

. 2:30 p.m. – N.B.S. (Nothing But Skill), hip-hop dance and bucket drumming.

. 3 p.m. – Bluegrass Tradition Band, bluegrass.