Folk in the road Looking ahead, festival organizers weigh changes, make fundraising pitch

The American Folk Festival, now in its third year (sixth if you count the three National Folk Festivals before it), has reached a critical juncture.

“Four of the five years we’ve done it, we’ve just barely had enough to put it on,” said Heather McCarth, executive director. “Just barely. So how it goes this year will predict how it goes in future years.”

There has been talk of changing the festival in certain ways, to save money. Shortening it to two days. Having less stages or performers.

Or, the dreaded “a” word: admission.

“We really, really don’t want to do that,” said McCarthy. “I think the fact that it’s free gives us a sense of ownership. It belongs to the community. That would be the last step.”

But what McCarthy does hope will happen this year is that local businesses and community members will step up to contribute money to the festival, held on Aug. 24-26, in a bigger way.

“We certainly don’t expect businesses to give $50,000,” said McCarthy. “What we do hope is that people can give us $100. If 10 businesses can give us $100, that’s great. That’s huge.”

Encouragingly, the Bucket Brigade had its most successful year ever in 2006, with $61,000 brought in from small contributions during the festival – up from $45,000 in 2005.

“The average person donated 38 cents, which is up from 32 in 2005,” said McCarthy. “Just think if people donated 50 cents or a dollar instead. We really hope that people will see how valuable this is to the community and would be willing to contribute a little extra, to ensure that this stays in Bangor for a long time.”

But fret not: The Folk Festival isn’t going anywhere yet. There may be a few small changes in the look this year, as development plans for the new Penobscot County Courthouse in between Washington and Exchange streets may change the placement of the Kenduskeag Dance Stage.

“We will have a dance tent,” said McCarthy. “I don’t think we could possibly not have a dance tent. Everyone loves it.”

There’s also the new Taste of Maine tent, where vendors will sell a variety of Maine specialty foods. Otherwise, though, it’ll be more of what you’ve grown to love: music, food, dancing, culture and community along the Bangor Waterfront.

Round 1 of the 2007 lineup for American Folk Festival

The Quebe Sisters are a fiddle trio from Texas who first appeared at the Folk Festival in 2004. They return in 2007 with a new sound, as they have added vocals to their take on Texan swing.

Acoustic blues will be represented this year by Larry Johnson, a fine guitarist who was taught by the legendary bluesman, the Rev. Gary Davis.

Electric blues will be at the festival too, as Bernard Allison, son of the late Luther Allison, brings his smokin’ six-string and soulful, spiritual voice.

Always a festival favorite, Cajun music returns this year thanks to Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, featuring one of the finest accordionists in Louisiana. He writes songs in French that are performed by Cajun bands both in Louisiana and in Acadian regions like New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles are a funk band that works in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition. Mardi Gras Indians reach back to the segregation era and earlier, when black neighborhoods in New Orleans developed their own styles of celebrating Mardi Gras. One of those ways was to create imaginary Indian tribes, to pay respect to the indigenous people for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery.

The Dixie Hummingbirds are one of the most prominent gospel groups in the U.S., and have performed together (with a few lineup changes) for more than 75 years.

The throat singers were the sleeper hit of the festival last year, so this year one of the other world cultures that performs this strange and beautiful style of singing will grace the stage: Nukariik is a group of Inuit women who share their culture through throat singing, drum dancing, songs and Inuit games.

Wilho Saari plays the kantele, a Finnish lap harp, and works in the Finnish-American tradition, helping to keep it alive in the U.S. despite the fact that many Americans know nothing about the culture. Saari will perform Finnish folk songs.

Just try to keep an eye on Eddie Pennington’s fingers. This master of thumb-picked guitar, made famous by Merla Travis, performs country and western music, in addition to being a county coroner in his home of Kentucky.

The Lamas of the Drepung Loseling Monastery are cultural and spiritual ambassadors from their homeland, Tibet, where most Buddhists now live in exile. Eleven Tibetan lamas will perform ritual music, dance and chant from their Himalayan home.