The Montana Folk Festival will remain a new and exciting event each year at the same time it remains very familiar to anyone who has attended in previous years. The Montana Folk Festival will continue to feature multiple stages with continuous live performances by some of the best traditional performers in the nation, including Montana’s finest, some of the region’s best traditional artists, ethnic and festival foods, a lively Family Area, two fine traditional art markets and Folklife demonstrations and workshops that focus on a new theme each year that highlight Montana’s heritage. The event is presented in the spectacular setting of Butte, Montana surrounded by iconic headframes that evoke Butte’s underground copper mining heritage, tall buildings from the late 19th century and early 20th century, and spectacular views of the Northern Rockies in every direction.

The Montana Folk Festival is one of the Northwest’s Largest FREE Outdoor Music Festivals.

The Montana Folk Festival features performances and demonstrations by over 200 of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers, and craftspeople. It showcases multiple performances by more than 20 Artists/groups on six stages including a dance pavilion dedicated to participatory dancing, a family stage with performances appealing to children of all ages, and a Montana folklife stage. In addition to the performance stages, there are several themed festival areas: the Montana Folklife Area, the Family Area, two Festival Marketplaces and the Festival Food Courts.

The festival site is situated in the heart of the nation’s largest National Historic Landmark District. Open-air and tented sites will provide a variety of performance venues ranging from intimate stages to amphitheater-sized venues. The Original Stage, which offers a panoramic view of Butte’s historic high rise buildings and the surrounding mountains, is located on the site of the historic Original Mineyard, with its dramatic headframe that is a remnant of Butte’s early days as an underground copper mining center.

Festival Marketplaces.
Up to 50 traditional artists and craft vendors will be hosted in the festival’s two marketplaces: the Montana Traditions Arts Market and the nearby First Peoples’ Market that will feature Native American artists and craftspeople.

Food and Drink Vendors.
Nearly 30 food and beverage vendors will serve ethnic and festival food representing the cuisine of natives and immigrants to the region as well as festival favorites such as kettle korn, funnel cakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade and huckleberry shakes.

Free to All.
Admission throughout the three-day event is free of admission to everyone.

Festival Music Sales.
Throughout the festival, there will be opportunities to purchase the recorded music of the performing artists who will also be available to sign CDs after their performances near the CD sales tents.

Beer and Wine Sales.
Beer and wine will be available for sale at special booths and imbibing areas.

General Information:

The festival grounds open at 5:00 pm on Friday evening with a grand opening ceremony at “The Original” Stage at 6:30 pm. The music starts at 7:00 pm on three stages, the Original, the Seacast Copper, and the Dance. All performers will be featured at one or more of the six venues throughout the weekend, including the Northwestern Energy Dance Pavilion.

Schedule:

Friday, July 14, 2023

Location: The Original

6:30pm: Opening Welcome
7:00pm: Red Volkaert
8:00pm: Kiki Valera y Son Cubano
9:15pm: Melody Angel

Location: SeaCast Copper Street

7:15pm: Panfilo’s Güera
8:15pm: High Fidelity
9:15pm: Teada

Location: NW Energy Dance Pavilion

7:30pm: Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Chas
9:15pm: Cyril Neville

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Location: Broadway

12:00pm: Mal Barsamian Trio
1:00pm: Fort Belknap Singers
1:45pm: Panfilo’s Güera
2:45pm: FIDDLE TRADITIONS
4:00pm: Edwin Colon Zayas
5:00pm: Chaksampa
6:00pm: Cheres

Location: SeaCast Copper Street

12:00pm: Chaksampa
1:15pm: Edwin Colon Zayas
2:15pm: SAFEKEEPERS
3:30pm: Fort Belknap Singers
4:15pm: Mal Barsamian Trio
5:15pm: Korean Performing Arts Institute
6:00pm: NATIVE FASHION SHOW
7:15pm: Musique a Bouches
8:15pm: Heart of Afghanistan
9:15pm: Catherine Russell

Location: The Original

12:00pm: Cheres
1:00pm: Musique a Bouches
2:00pm: Catherine Russell
3:00pm: High Fidelity
4:00pm: Red Baraat
6:00pm: Teada
7:00pm: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
8:00pm: Ricardo Lemvo
9:15pm: Cyril Neville

Location: Montana Traditions Stage

12:00pm: The Nations Largest Superfund Site
1:00pm: Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center
2:00pm: The Berkley Pits (Music)
3:00pm: Climate Stories
4:00pm: Conserving Wildlands and Public Access
5:00pm: Counting Coup (Music)

Location: ARCO Granite Street

12:00pm: High Fidelity
1:00pm: SWAMP BOOGIE and ROADHOUSE RIFFS
2:15pm: Korean Performing Arts Institute
3:15pm: Ken Heath and The True Disciples
4:15pm: Teada
5:15pm: The Blue Ridge Girls
6:15pm: Melody Angel
7:15pm: Redd Volkaert

Location: NW Energy Dance Pavilion

12:15pm: The Blue Ridge Girls
1:45pm: Kiki Valera y Son Cubano
3:30pm: Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Chas
5:15pm: Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca
7:45pm: Melody Angel
9:15pm: Red Baraat

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Location: The Original

12:00pm: Ken Heath and The True Disciples
1:00pm: Cheres
2:00pm: Teada
3:00pm: Redd Volkaert
4:15pm: Kiki Valera y Son Cubano
5:30pm: Red Baraat

Location: ARCO Granite Street

12:00pm: GUITAR GREATS
1:15pm: Edwin Colon Zayas
2:15pm: The Blue Ridge Girls
3:15pm: Chaksampa
4:15pm: Ken Heath and The True Disciples
5:30pm: Redd Volkaert

Location: NW Energy Dance Pavilion

12:00pm: Catherine Russell
1:15pm: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
2:15pm: Kiki Valera y Son Cubano
3:45pm: Melody Angel
5:15pm: Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca

Location: Montana Traditions Stage

12:00pm: Stream Access
1:00pm: Wildfires and Those Who Fight Them
2:00pm: Juniper Creek (Music)
3:00pm: Restoration Ecology
4:00pm: Environmental Education
5:00pm: Chad Okrusch (Music)

Location: SeaCast Copper Street

12:15pm: RHYTHM MASTERS
1:30pm: Heart of Afghanistan
2:30pm: SWEET HARMONIES
3:30pm: Fort Belknap Singers
4:15pm: Musique a Bouches
5:15pm: Korean Performing Arts Institute

Location: Broadway

12:15pm: Panfilo’s Güera
1:15pm: Fort Belknap Singers
2:00pm: BLUES WOMEN
3:00pm: Mal Barsamian Trio
4:00pm: Heart of Afghanistan
5:00pm: High Fidelity

Date: July 14 - 16, 2023

Location: Various Venues in Butte, MT 59703.

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