Schedule of Events:

Thursday, September 14, 2023

7 PM: FSU Appalachiam Festival Film Festival

Finding Home, by Frostburg State University Alumnus and Frostburg native, Sidney Beeman, follows the journey of a young Burmese immigrant, Cing Khek, and her family as they search for opportunities to build a new and better life in the conservative stronghold of West Virginia.

The film depicts the ethnic diversity of the Appalachian region, the economic forces causing people to migrate to this area, and the choices individuals make to stay within the region. At its core, the film empowers a diverse cast of Appalachian citizens to reclaim their own narrative in a region that is often dominated by stereotypes.

Artist Statement: My roots are Appalachian, in a small corner of western Maryland. I have been working in video storytelling for almost a decade, serving as editor, producer, and cinematographer on a variety of projects. Now, more than ever, I feel a profound need for stories that bridge the gaps between us and forge connections not only among ourselves but also with the very land we call home. As an Appalachian filmmaker, I have the privilege to offer a unique lens through which we can explore the diverse tapestry of this region, unveiling the triumphs, struggles, and rich cultural heritage that define our collective identity. I know that the stories I capture and bring to life have the ability to ignite empathy, understanding, and transformation. With every frame I shoot, every interview I conduct, I strive to illuminate the untold stories and amplify the voices to reclaim their own narrative in a region often dominated by stereotypes. The stories I choose to tell today hold the power to shape the world I envision for tomorrow-a world that celebrates the resilience, beauty, and untapped potential of Appalachia.

Friday, September 15, 2023

FSU Appalachian Festival Symposium

Experiencing the Feminine in Appalachia: Women, Gender and Place
on FSU’s Upper Quad, Behind Old Main

Free On-Campus Parking in Upper Lots

1 PM: Women Leaders at FSU

This panel will explore how women leaders have shaped FSU. Familiar names (Compton, Hitchins, Gira, Manicur and Atkinson) that grace the campus today will come alive as their impact is discussed. The culture for women in the early days will also be described, together with how current challenges to create a more equitable campus are being addressed by faculty, staff and student leaders.

Panelists will include Dr. Mary Anne Lutz (chair), professor emerita of English; Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas, professor of sociology; Carmen Jackson, assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs, emerita; and Dr. Angela Luvara, assistant professor of sociology and Women’s Studies coordinator.

2 PM: An Intergenerational Discussion on Gender

Join FSU students and members of Allegany County’s Women’s Action Coalition to explore the generational shifts in our definitions of the feminine and gender. This is a participatory event that is intended to provide reflection and promote understanding between generations.

3 PM: Women’s Monologues: Suffragist History in Mountain Maryland

Women in Mountain Maryland were active in the fight for the universal right to vote and instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which finally amended the U.S. Constitution to include that right. This session is coordinated by board members of the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center and supported by the Women’s Monologues Program of AAUW-Garrett Branch. The Women’s Monologues are brief, single-person portrayals of Mountain Maryland women who were active in the fight for women’s suffrage. They are based on the citizen research of AAUW-Garrett Branch members and friends and of students and faculty of Allegany College of Maryland. These monologues will introduce members of the audience to some of our local women of history who made a difference in securing the fundamental rights for all citizens and will bring them to life in a unique way. A narrator will provide context about the rights that were so “hard won” and amplify the fact that even in 2023, we are “not done.” The performers are not professional actors, but all have a passion for the work of these incredible women of history.

4:30 PM: Ordinary Equality

Kate Kelly, the author of “Ordinary Equality: The Fearless Women and Queer People Who Shaped the U.S. Constitution and the Equal Rights Amendment,” will discuss the more than 200-year fight against gender discrimination in our country and the lives of the incredible people who have helped waged that fight - specifically to get us into the U.S. Constitution. Kelly is an attorney, ERA advocate and author.

5:30 PM: Hill Women: Telling the Stories of Women in Appalachia

After rising from poverty to earn two Ivy League degrees, Appalachian lawyer Cassie Chambers pays tribute to the strong “hill women” who raised and inspired her, and whose values have the potential to rejuvenate a struggling region - an uplifting and eye-opening memoir for readers of “Hillbilly Elegy” and “Educated.”

Appalachian women face issues that are all too common: domestic violence, the opioid crisis, a world that seems more divided by the day. But they are also community leaders, keeping their towns together in the face of a system that continually fails them. With nuance and heart, Chambers uses these women’s stories paired with her own journey to break down the myth of the hillbilly and illuminate a region whose poor community members, especially women, can lead it into the future.

6:30 PM: FREE Dinner on the Grounds: Women Driving Change

With Michael and Carrie Kline and Sparky and Rhonda Rucker

Join us for dinner and songs that celebrate women and social activism.

Michael and Carrie Kline have spent years recording music and spoken narrative in Cherokee, N.C., the Appalachian coalfields and mountainside farms, along with industrial cities from Cincinnati to those of New England.

Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition.

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Chapel Happenings Outdoors:

10:00 AM: Frostburg Arion Band

Originally organized in 1877 to accompany a singing society, the Frostburg Arion Band has participated in many interesting activities over the years. Today, Arion Band members represent an intergenerational mix of male and female musicians, each member attracted to the band by his or her shared love of the music and the desire to perpetuate the longstanding tradition of the community band.

10:50 AM: Sparky and Rhonda Rucker

Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky has been performing for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo and spoons. Rhonda is a musician, children’s author, storyteller and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo and bones add musical versatility to their performances.

11:30 AM: Michael and Carrie Kline

Michael and Carrie Kline present their music as entertainment and social history, with engaging ease and hard-hitting passion. Michael and Carrie have spent years recording music and spoken narrative in Cherokee, N.C., the Appalachian coalfields and mountainside farms, along with industrial cities from Cincinnati to those of New England. The Klines’ high-mountain harmony vocals meld with their intertwining bass lines on two guitars, with Michael’s melodic flat-picking guitar playing and Carrie’s dynamic backup.

12:15 PM to 2:45 PM: Appalachian Storytelling

Jo Ann Dadisman, is a retired West Virginia educator and active storyteller. She realizes stories are one of the ways we learn, make connections with the past, and see the similarities we all share. While tales of the Appalachian Region are her favorite, she also shares stories from around the world including folktales, myths and legends, the tales of October, Christmas, Civil War and Coal, and many more. When children are in the audience, she includes activities that will help them to remember and pass on the story to others.

Mikalena Zuckett’s love of folk tales and stories drew her first to writing. She grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, in a family that loved to gather and tell stories long into the night. During the 1990s, she returned to writing and had just completed her first mid-grade novel when she discovered the West Virginia Storytelling Guild. Soon she found these past skills and experiences coming together in new ways. She then began an odyssey to find her own stories and came up with her own tellings of folk tales, Jack tales, ghost tales, historic tales, and personal tales.

Judi Tarowsky was a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 25 years and told other people’s stories. Now, as a storyteller, she gets to tell her own. Judi is a native of Latrobe, PA, and grew up in New Castle, PA. She discovered storytelling in 2006, and after winning first place in the inaugural Strand Theater Preservation Society Storytelling Festival Liar’s Contest in Moundsville, WV, began her study of the craft in earnest. She went on to earn a Graduate Certificate in Storytelling from the University of North Texas Library Sciences program. Since then, Judi has performed at festivals, libraries, museums, and special events in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wales.

Illene Evans performs, teaches, and lectures throughout the United States and overseas. She recently toured the Middle East and Columbia for the United States Embassy to share African American Culture. Her work is educational, entertaining, and enjoyable for all ages. Ms. Evans resides in West Virginia. She is co-founder of Voices from the Earth, a non-profit arts organization and has served as the President of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild.

In 1993, Katie Ross and her husband Otto formed a storytelling duo called Stories by the Score. Katie tells the stories and Otto plays music. The pair won first place at the Autumn Glory Tall Tales Contest in Oakland, MD in 1997 and 1999. Later, Katie went on to be the first runner-up in the 2004 National Storyteller of the Year sponsored by the Creative Arts Institute in Blacklick, Ohio. Katie and Otto have performed for the last several years in FSU’s Appalachian Festival with Katie coordinating the storytelling events.

3 PM: Workshop: Martha Redbone

Southeastern Intertribal Singing

Cultural Events Series ARTS FOR ENRICHMENT
Learn Cherokee and Choctaw Nations music traditions, including Cherokee language call-and-response singing and the incorporation of harmonies. Redbone will also share stories of her family's Kentucky homeland, including personal life experiences about the multicultural background of her Native and African American parents. The workshop will be presented virtually for those who are unable to attend in person.

Registration not required. This engagement of Martha Redbone is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Compton Music Stage:

10:15 AM: Bear Hill Bluegrass

Bear Hill Bluegrass takes pride in performing traditional bluegrass and gospel, while adding just the right mix of classic country and comedy to please the audience and have fun. They play the familiar bluegrass, gospel and a few country songs that everyone will recognize, done in a friendly down-home manner on stage. The audience is involved with the band and the songs throughout the show.

11:00 AM: Meadow Run

This husband and wife duo hail from the cozy hills of West Virginia. They play unique songs that blend the contemporary folk genre with a bluegrass spirit. Lindsey’s voice often carries her own lyrics which collects friendships, mountain scenery, thoughtful reminiscence and mixes them into a soothing energetic style while Ty backs up her sound with his beautiful melodic style of fiddle and vocal harmonies. Their love of music and for each other is evident as these two play from the heart.

11:45 AM: Marv Ashby and High Octane

From the West Virginia Panhandle comes that hard-driving ‘no holds barred’ bluegrass music courtesy of Marv Ashby and the High Octane band. Marv is joined by some the region’s finest entertainers delivering a quality and fast moving show. Both traditional and contemporary bluegrass genres are showcased during High Octane performances. High Octane features Marv’s aggressive flatpicking style and straight-ahead vocal arrangements.

12:30 PM: Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet

The dynamic father-son team Ken & Brad Kolodner weave together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer and clawhammer banjo blurring the lines of Old-Time, Bluegrass and American Roots music. Regarded as one of the most influential hammered dulcimer players in North America, they’ve sculpted their own brand of driving, innovative, tasteful acoustic roots music with a “creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation.” They are joined by bassist Alex Lacquement who locks everything together with his commanding presence and the dynamic multi-instrumentalist Rachel Eddy on fiddle and guitar. The quartet won 1st place in the Neo-Traditional Band Contest at the Appalachian Stringband Festival (Clifftop) in the summer of 2019. The Kolodner’s are at the heart of the old-time scene in the mid-Atlantic region, hosting The Baltimore Old Time Jam, The Baltimore Old-Time Music Festival, and much more.

1:15 PM: The Kevin Prater Band

Kevin Prater's lifelong journey in bluegrass music began with his first professional job at age seven. Now in his 43rd year his talents have taken him to 24 countries and 49 states. Kevin has shared the stage with many legends of bluegrass including The Osborne Brothers, Doyle Lawson & Quick Silver, Charlie Waller & The Country Gentleman. For the past 15 years Kevin has been leading his own band throughout the USA and Canada. They have released six CDs, most recently "Red Rocking Chair" recorded at Kevin's own studio, Sound Makers in Belcher, KY. Kevin could not create that "Coal Fired, Pure Kentucky Bluegrass" sound without the help of his multi-talented band. From North Carolina, Jake Burrows on banjo and dobro. Hailing from West Virginia, Mallory Hindman on fiddle and Alex Donahue on bass and on guitar, Lennie Centers of Jackson, KY.

2:05 PM: Devil in the Mill

'Devil in the Mill' is a trio composed of multi-instrumentalists Dakota Karper (Capon Bridge, WV), Meghan Mette (Baltimore, MD) and Julius Bjornson (Baltimore, MD). Devil in the Mill brings the pulsing groove of Appalachian music to center stage, whether weaving together their three fiddles and voices, or supporting each other with banjo, guitar and percussive dance. From haunting ballads to driving fiddle tunes, original music and traditional pieces reimagined, Devil and the Mill leaves listeners inspired and ignited after every show.

2:50 PM: Hickory Bottom Band

Tight three-part harmonies, solid pickin', and lotsa fun are the hallmarks of this fine western Pennsylvania-based band. Every member has a rich musical history in a variety of genres, so the material ranges from both well-known and obscure bluegrass classics, to grassy versions of select radio hits from the past 40 years. But no matter the music's source, it's "all bluegrass" from this talented bunch.

3:40 PM: Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira

Special Note: The FSU Appalachian Festival is delighted to host Ellen Gira, granddaughter of Dr. Catherine Gira, former President of FSU. President Gira was always a strong supporter of the Festival. From Squamish BC and Maryland USA, Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle & cello duo. Fusing traditional and contemporary influences, they create powerfully uplifting and soulful music, weaving a rhythmically driving and textured sound. They bring life and fire into original tunes and songs, and high-energy repertoire from Scotland, Ireland, North America, and Scandinavia, with vocal harmonies, lively stepdancing and podorythmie foot percussion. Each accomplished musicians in their own right, with extensive performance history and accolades, Jocelyn & Ellen first joined forces in 2018, in Scotland. Since then, the duo has been gracing stages and captivating audiences in both North America and the UK. They have performed for HRH Prince Charles, been featured in live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, and released their album, “All It Brings”, in Summer 2022. For this concert, Jocelyn & Ellen will be joined by excellent Maryland-based guitarist, Richard Osban. The trio will present a lively performance of traditional and original tunes and songs.

4:25 PM: Critton Hollow String Band

With fiddle, hammer dulcimer, banjo, and guitar, the band tends a stable of songs from the first settlements of Appalachia to the best of contemporary American folk music. Songs that express a range of experience that can make you laugh or make you cry and occasionally do both at the same time, ballads that tell stories of bad men and disappointed lovers. The three members of the band - Joe Herrmann, Sam Herrmann, and Joe Fallon - combine precise instrumentation, melodic interplay, and three-part harmony to create a warm and engaging sound.

5:10 PM: Day Old News

Day Old News grew its roots from the old-time, bluegrass, and americana folk sounds that surround them in the Appalachian Mountains of Western Maryland. Band members are Jeremie Hamilton, Tom Bond, and Sam Lauver.

Thomas Automotive Music Stage:

10:00 AM: Jay Smar

Armed with two guitars, baritone vocals, claw-hammer banjo and fiddling, singing and flat-footin’ (a form of clog dancing), Jay Smar serves his audience an “acoustic buffet” of traditional American and original folk, old-time mountain music, bluegrass and gospel tunes, as well as the coal-mining songs of Northeast Pennsylvania.

10:40 AM: The Time Travelers

Primarily based out of Hampshire County, W.Va., the Time Travelers are keeping folk traditions alive through their powerful rendering of some of the most traditional tunes, songs and coal-mining ballads of the Appalachian region. The group brings three-part harmony alive.

11:20 AM: Dakota Karper and Pete Hobbie

Pete Hobbie and Dakota Karper are a father daughter duo who embrace the heritage and traditions of oldtime appalachian music. Pete began playing music as a child, and in his teen years picked up the guitar. Through a lifetime of musical experiences he has been influenced by rock, blues, cajun, classical music and so much more. When he moved to West Virginia for the second time in the 80s and started a family he discovered a love for the banjo and mountain music. The Hobbie home was always filled with music. When Dakota was 8 years old he gifted her her first fiddle and she began learning folk music as well as studying classical violin through the Suzuki program. Now as an adult Dakota has continued to pursue music and has opened her own folk music school in Capon Bridge, WV called ‘The Cat and The Fiddle’ where Pete is now learning to play the fiddle as well. Through the years they have performed as a duo combining the haunting melodies of fiddle, driving rhythm of banjo and guitar and the earnest rising of their voices.

12:00 PM: Davis Bradley Duo

Kathy Davis and Bradley Bishop has teamed up to present a one of a kind musical experience for everyone! They draw from their individual Bluegrass, Oldtime and Swing influences to create something magical, while remaining true to the roots of the music they love. Fans can expect to hear fresh renditions of the classics as well as several original compositions, played on more than a dozen traditional instruments, and presented in a historic context. This dynamic song mix has helped to extend their combined reach, holding the door wide open to welcome those in search of something new and unique!

12:40 PM: Don DePoy and Martha Hills

Performing together since 2004, husband and wife duo Don DePoy and Martha Hills have earned a solid international reputation as authentic masters of Appalachian Mountain Music. Performing as Me & Martha from concert hall to street busking their crowd-matched mix of mellow folk, sizzling bluegrass, sultry swing, Jazz standards and a smattering of Classic Country delight audiences of all ages.

1:20 PM: Jeff and Myles Thomas

Father and son Jeff and Myles Thomas team up to present Traditional Irish Music. With decades of experience as a concertina maker and player, Jeff has nurtured a love for Irish Music in his twelve-year-old son, Myles. Determined to play fiddle, Myles began his musical journey at age six. Recently, he had a busy musical summer attending the Baroque Early Music Camp in Cumberland and the Catskills Irish Arts Week in New York.

2:00 PM: Amy Lough, Anne Lough and Amanda Barger

Anne Lough is an internationally known traditional musician with over thirty-five years’ experience in performance and education. With a Music Education Degree and a Masters of Music Education Anne now devotes her time to festivals, workshops, performances, Road Scholar classes and school residencies. In addition to being a frequent instructor of mountain and hammered dulcimer since 1991 at the prestigious John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, Anne has taught at major festivals and workshops throughout the country, in Ireland, the British Isles and Belgium. Her daughter, former Frostburg resident Amy Lough, a regional dulcimer player and ballad singer featured in the Mountain Traditions Project, will join her along with dancer Amanda Barger.

2:40 PM: Loretta Hummel and Paul Dix

Loretta Hummel and Paul Dix Local musician Loretta Hummel has been delighting regional audiences for many years. Residing near Frostburg, she is a singer and songwriter who has recorded and released several music albums. An ordained music minister, she plays guitar, mandolin and performs various country, gospel and bluegrass music in the tri-state area and throughout the US. Loretta has won 3 international awards in the past year. In July 2022, she was honored by being the recipient of the ICGMA Gold Cross Award as Bluegrass Artist of the year in West Plains Missouri. Paul Dix grew up in Westminster, Md., playing mandolin and guitar. He has played with many musical groups in Maryland and Pennsylvania, such as The Salem Bottom Boys, Maple City Bluegrass, and Loretta Hummel. Hummel and Dix will perform her original songs and cover songs.

3:20 PM: The Famous International Hillbilly Singin’ Stars

The FIHSS are multi instrumentalists who cover over 100 years of Rock, Bluegrass, Old Time, Blues, Country, Rockabilly, Folk, Gospel, Pre-War Jazz and Ragtime so that you’re sure to hear something that you like and want to sing along with.

4:00 PM: Black Guy Fawkes

Black Guy Fawkes emerges as a magnetic force in the realm of Folk Singer-Songwriters, having been deeply rooted in the DIY music scene throughout his upbringing. With a unique and captivating sound, he weaves together the threads of heartfelt folk music and the raw, energetic spirit of punk to create a truly memorable experience for his listeners. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic mix of renowned artists, Black Guy Fawkes pays homage to the likes of Frank Turner, Bob Dylan, and Against Me! while simultaneously infusing his own authentic voice into each song. This fusion of influences allows him to transcend musical boundaries, bridging the gap between the introspective nature of folk and the unapologetic rebellion of punk.

4:40 PM: Gilbert Lee and the Ghost on the Radio

Gilbert Lee & the Ghost on the Radio is an eclectic indie-rock, roots, & Americana band led by singer-songwriter Gilbert Lee Christian Cochrum. Since 2016, he has released a number of albums & EPs both solo and with the band. A reviewer for HuffPost (2017) described Gilbert’s voice as "wonderfully clear and rich... vaguely reminiscent of Paul Simon’s, but brighter and more lavish," while the Music Street Journal (2018) described the versatility of his songwriting, noting similarities to a wide range of classic artists from The Beatles to Sade. Similarly, the band is noted for its engaging, dynamic live performances, which includes multi-instrumentalists, Derek Shank (drums, guitar, organ, etc.) & Hanna Livingston (fiddle, trumpet) along with bassist, Tom Fair. Their most recent release is the 2023 EP, Cold, Cold Ground.

5:20 PM: Old Towne Strings

Old Towne Strings is influenced by members from Allegany County and Winchester, Va., which both have “old towns.” They perform standard bluegrass classics with solid vocals and traditional sound. The lineup includes Gregg Wolff on the five-string banjo and Chuck Andrews on guitar and features 2010 Maryland state fiddle champion Heather Twigg and former Johnson Mountain Boy, Dave McLaughlin.

Family Stage:

11 AM: The Imagineers

Multi-instrumentalist Ray Owen and entertainer and educator Christine Bass take children and families on a magical sing-along journey through Appalachian history and culture. They present a rich mother lode of frontier ballads, tall tales, mountain minstrel music and side-splitting stories and takes the audience trailblazing over terrain that abounds in wide-eyed surprises.

12 Noon: Jug Band With Slim Harrison and the Sunnyland Band

Come join the Sunnyland Band and play along on spoons, jugs, washboards, skiffle boards, limberjacks, washtub bass, Pennsylvania Dutch “Stumpf fiddles,” African tambourines, Cajun frottoirs, Native American whammy diddles, Chines “gao” bead drums, Latin maracas, castañuelas and güiros.

1 PM: ROCK N' ROLL FOR THE ERA!

Participate in an interactive family activity based on the 2022 creative AAUW-Garrett Branch project, EQUALITY ROCKS. Paint a rock and roll the dice to win a prize while learning about the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution! Sponsored by the Allegany County Women's Action Coalition.

2 PM: The Imagineers

Multi-instrumentalist Ray Owen and entertainer and educator Christine Bass take children and families on a magical sing-along journey through Appalachian history and culture. They present a rich mother lode of frontier ballads, tall tales, mountain minstrel music and side-splitting stories and takes the audience trailblazing over terrain that abounds in wide-eyed surprises.

3 PM: The Cat and The Fiddle Student Showcase

The Cat and The Fiddle is a folk music school established in Capon Bridge, W.Va., in 2019. The school’s mission is to foster a safe environment that promotes music education, practical folklife experience and support for growing musicians. During this showcase, students and teachers from The Cat and The Fiddle will share some of the music they have learned or taught at the school. More info is at www.thecatandthefiddlewv.com.

4 PM: The Barnstormers and RockCandy Cloggers - Showcase and Community Dance

The Barnstormers and RockCandy Cloggers provide an unforgettable immersion into the many joys of folk music. With more than 100 years of combined experience, Candy Ranlet, Rock Howland, Slim Harrison and Tom Jolin team up for toe tapping, energetic performances. They perform, then demonstrate, then teach audience members how to dance!

Explorations Tent:

11 AM: Brownsville Project Community Updates

Clory Jackson will share updates on the Brownsville Project, a Citizen Research Project launched several years ago to recognize and document the Frostburg’s historic Brownsville/Park Place Community, an African American Community that was displaced by the expansion of Frostburg College (FSU). This talk will discuss the theme of reparations and the public art project being done in tandem with FrostburgFirst.

12 PM: Citizen Research: A "clues" and "crumbs" approach to uncovering "herstory"

Want to research the life of a female ancestor or a local woman of note? You don’t need to be a trained historical or genealogist! Join local panelists involved in researching women's history for a conversation about the challenges and joys of citizen research - and hear their "how to" tips that will help you use "clues and crumbs" to uncover fascinating stories from our collective past. The workshop is sponsored by the Maryland Women's Heritage Center (WMHC) and features a panel of experienced researchers from the Allegany County Historical Society, the Garrett County Historical Society Museum, and the Brownsville Project. Moderators are Maryland Women's Heritage Center Board Members from Mountain Maryland who are working locally to "add HER story to history to tell OUR story."

1 PM: Scales to Tales

Join park staff to learn about one of the most charismatic pollinators around- the Monarch butterfly! Get the chance to meet these cool insects up close and learn about their migration and how you can support them! Leave with your very own native seed ball to plant and provide vital habitat for our native pollinators!

2 PM: Species of the Allegheny Front Story Jam

How well do you know your neighbors? Join this session to meet some of the other-than-human neighbors who live alongside us here in the Appalachians. A brief presentation will leave plenty of time for participants to swap stories of your own experiences with fish, wildlife, insects, plants, birds, and even fungi who share our mountain home.

3 PM: How to Encourage pollinators?

You don’t have to be a beekeeper or own acres of land to give pollinators a helping hand. Come join in a discussion about becoming a bee ambassador wherever you live. Ben Cooper is a long-time beekeeper, mentor, and educator at Allegany College of Maryland for over ten years. He’s also an author, having published three books and is contributing writer to Guideposts.

4 PM: Pioneering Women: Rebecca Boone with Ellen McDaniel-Weissler

Rebecca Bryan Boone, wife of the famous frontiersman and explorer, Daniel Boone, was the necessary rock at the foundation of the Boone legend. While Daniel hunted and explored, Rebecca held together a household which eventually included 10 of her own children, as well as other family members and orphans. She followed Boone into the Kentucky wilderness, losing her eldest son in the process, and supported Boone's desire to move on, to settle on the frontier, and braved death and deprivation to follow his dream. Rebecca was a strong, resourceful woman, supported by her own determination and courage.

Folkways Tent:

11 AM: Interactive Clog Dance with the Barnstormers & the RockCandy Cloggers

Rock and Candy have been clog dance partners for about 30 years. One of the elements of their routines that sets them apart from other clog teams, is their focus on interactive movements. Their dances are not just about couples turns and dosido's, but also clog steps that incorporate tricky hand positions. Their workshop will introduce an easy clog dance that includes some of these partner hand holds. If time allows, we will also play with the "pretzel" sequence. Bring a friend to dance with, or find a new one at the workshop!

12 PM: Dulcimer Workshop with Anne and Amy Lough

Mother and daughter duo Anne and Amy Lough invited festival attendees to come try their hand at playing a tune or two on the beautiful Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer. No musical experience is necessary to be able to play a tune or two and sound great from the beginning. With over thirty-five years’ experience in performance and education Anne Lough’s excellence as a performer, her artistic interpretation, sensitive playing style, versatility, creative arranging and skill as an instructor have earned her international acclaim. She’s shared that love of music with her daughter, Amy, who has become a talented dulcimer and singer in her own right.

1 PM: Folkways and Traditions of Plant Medicine in Appalachia

The Appalachian region is rich in botanical diversity and resources and has a rich history of using wild plants for food, health and healing. Samples of a variety of local medicinal plants will be shared, as well as identification and growing tips, and we'll discuss uses and the concept of "medicine of place". The session will also include a demonstration of making herbal teas and other extracts.

2 PM: Traditions Old and New

Sparky and Rhonda Rucker have long been ambassadors of cultural heritage, accompanying themselves with bottleneck slide guitar, old-time banjo, harmonica, piano, spoons, and bones. Over fifty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR's On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.

3 PM: Roots and Rhythm - Appalachian Music and Dance

Join Footworks as they take you on a journey through the roots of Appalachian Music and Dance in this performance/workshop. You will learn about the many influences that helped to create this genre, see and hear some great dancing and music, and get up and dance and sing along with Footworks in this easy, fun, informative, and entertaining workshop/performance.

4 PM: Folk Punk: A Round Table

Folk punk, sometimes called Rogue Folk-fuses folk instrumentation and themes and fuses them with punk energy, highlighting the close relationship between the two musical traditions. This panel will bring members from three Appalachian folk-punk acts (Local News Legend, Mink’s Miracle Medicine) for a discussion of the genre, those traditions, and more. On Saturday night Clatter, in Frostburg, will host a Punk Show with doors opening at 9 pm. The concert will be free with an optional donation.

Jam Tent:

Bring your instruments! The Jam Tent will be open throughout the day under the direction of Ken and Brad Kolodner, Don DePoy and Martha Hills. The Kolodners lead the highly successful Baltimore Old-Time Jam. DePoy is a fifth-generation bluegrass musician from the Shenandoah Valley and a multi-instrumentalist. He and his wife, Martha, have been leading no-tab workshops and jams for over twenty years, teaching how to, “play well with others.”

1:30 pm-2:40 pm:
Ken & Brad Kolodner, Rachel Eddy, Alex Lacquement - Old-Time Jam, Bluegrass, and Irish

2:40 pm-4:00 pm:
Don DePoy & Martha Hills- Bluegrass Jam

4 pm:
Neck Mastery Workshop with Don DePoy and Martha Hills; Banjo and Guitar

Capstone Concert:

7:30 PM: Capstone Concert: Martha Redbone Roots Project at Frostburg Palace Theatre

Date:
September 14-16, 2023

Location:
Frostburg State University,
101 Braddock Road,
Frostburg, MD 21532.

Frostburg Palace Theatre,
31 E Main Street,
Frostburg, MD 21532

Click here for More Information