365betÌåÓýÔÚÏßÊÀ½ç±­

The Flagstaff Folk Festival will be underway at the Coconino Center for the Arts (CCA), managed by Creative Flagstaff, and at the Pioneer Museum June 14-15. Since 2002, the Flagstaff Folk Festival has provided an opportunity for the community to engage in family-friendly fun while enjoying live music.

Tickets this year are $15 a day, with children aged 15 and younger attending for free, Gretchen Vollbrecht and Amy Horn, co-directors of the 2025 event, explained. The event organizers said they hope the price encourages community attendance across all ages.

Saturday, June 14, the festival will run from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Both days will be chock-full of musical performances across five stages at the festival’s two venues.

Horn said it also offers a unique opportunity for the community to learn from musicians through workshops scheduled throughout the festival at two workshop locations.

Food vendors, including Wil’s Grill, Single Speed Coffee Roasters, Cheeky Kiwi Ice Cream and Lopez Street Dogs will be setting up shop at the festival.

“We have quite a few different retail vendors as well,� Horn said. “Stuff from pottery to jewelry to scented candles.�

After facing challenges presented from COVID-19, the Flagstaff Folk Festival had temporarily relocated in prior years, but organizers and community members alike are eager to see the festival take place at CCA again.

“It’s a venue that really lends itself to this event, so people are very excited to get back there,� Vollbrecht said.

The co-directors explained that with its edge-of-town location and the fact that it houses indoor and outdoor spaces for stages, CCA is a great fit for the festival, as is Flagstaff’s Pioneer Museum.

There, the Flagstaff Folk Festival will occupy a refurbished cabin and amphitheater.

“[The Pioneer Museum] lends itself to people moving around outside under the trees -- it’s very aesthetic,� Vollbrecht said.

Since 2002, the Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music have sponsored the Flagstaff Folk Festival along with other music-centered community events and organizations, such as Pickin� in the Pines, Young Jammers and more -- all furthering the nonprofit’s mission to share, promote, preserve and present bluegrass and other forms of traditional American folk music and dance for the community’s enjoyment.

The Flagstaff Folk Festival doesn’t spotlight strictly bluegrass or old-timey music, Vollbrecht said. In the past, the Flagstaff Folk Festival has presented steel drums, Americana, folk music and even classic rock music.

“Our aim is for a wide diversity of music and genres,� Vollbrecht said. “There will be something for everyone!�

The stages will be occupied by both seasoned musicians and up-and-coming performers of all ages. One special feature will be a Young Jammers performance, providing an audience to youth musicians who have been working hard to refine skills for the festival.

With a variety of acts, a selection of vendors and good vibes all around Vollbrecht said they are hoping for around 1,000 attendees at the festival this year -- which would bring it back close to the number of attendees it saw postpandemic.

Various local sponsors helping put on this year's event include Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters and Abundant Family Financial Services. According to Horn, support has also been provided by Nackard Pepsi, KNAU, the Arizona Daily Sun, KAFF Radio, the Flagstaff Unified School District Music Department and others.

“We want everyone to come to listen to music all day,� Vollbrecht said. “It’s a community event, run by the community, sponsored by the community.�

And, if more community members are interested in getting involved this year, the festival presents a volunteer opportunity through which helpers get a free pass to the festival for the day they volunteer, plus a free T-shirt. Those interested are encouraged to sign up using the festival SignUpGenius site, where participants can pick their hours and what they are most interested in helping out with.

“There’s a little description of what we need, and then you and your best friend can sign up for whatever you want to do,� Vollbrecht said. "We are in need of a little over 80 volunteers to help run the festival for the two days."