Folk Circle Association
Folk Circle Association
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Wild Asparagus
1st Berea Bluegrass String Fest
The Folk Circle proudly presents the inaugural
Berea Bluegrass String Fest 2023
on Saturday, May 6th 2023 from 1:00 PM - 10:00 PM at the Boone Tavern Event Center on 100 Main Street, Berea, Kentucky.
The purpose of the event is to engage community members, bring awareness to bluegrass music in Berea, Kentucky, showcase local and regional talent, reach new audiences, and promote business growth in Berea and Madison County.
The one-day event will consist of bluegrass bands who will perform throughout the day on a structured event schedule. Instrumental and vocal workshops will also be presented along with a raffle of items. Expenses will go toward promotions, sound system, festival programming, cost of musicians, emcee, rent, and other items.
Bands will include the legendary McLain Family Band, Laurel River Line, Sam Gleaves and Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble and more.
Berea Bluegrass String Fest is a non-profit, tax-exempt event and we are asking for your support in this amazing opportunity for our city and for our community.
Kelly Caldwell, Event Coordinator
606-875-3883
2023
Every 4th Saturday of the the month at the Folk Center:
10 AM: Open for meetings and other activities.
1 - 3 PM: Lexington Vintage Dance program.
2 - 4 PM: Berea Storytellers (office).
4 - 6 PM: Folk Circle English Country Dance.
7:30 PM: Contra dance walk-through, lesson.
8 - 11PM: Contra Dance.
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Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month:
10 AM - noon: Old time music jam. Meets May-September at the Farmer's Market, 635 Chestnut St, Berea. Meets October-April at the Union Church parlor, 200 Prospect St, Berea.
Led by Chip Bailey and Deborah Thompson.
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April 21-23: 20th Hands Four Spring Dance Weekend featuring Wild Asparagus.
Info: www.hands4-berea.com, 859-248-0690, FB group.
April 23, 7 PM: Four Shillings Short concert. World and Celtic Music. Free of charge, donations accepted. 859-248-0690.
May 6: Berea Bluegrass String Fest at Hotel Boone Tavern Event Center. Tickets at Eventbrite or at the door.
Info: 606-875-3883. Event Coordinator: Kelly Caldwell.
August 17-20: 14th Berea Celtic Fest and Gathering - a city-wide event with 50+ fabulous musicians, dancers and singers from twelve states.
Info:berea-celtic.com, or 859-248-0690, FB group.
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September 22-23: Balance The Star Dance Weekend.
A continuation of the Fall Mountain Folk Festival and Levi Jackson Dance Weekend.
Will include English, Danish, Contra and other American dances. Info: Deborah Thompson, Howard Carlberg.
October 13-15: Waltz Weekend sponsored by Lexington Vintage Dance.
Info: Gosha Sears, 859-302-2534.
December 3: 31st Danish American Yule Fest.
Info: Folk Circle FB group, 859-248-0690.
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The Folk Circle meets for regular meetings 8-10 times annually, but many committees meet at other times as well.
If you want to get involved or you have a good idea, feel free to contact a board member or President Sune Frederiksen. Info under the contact page.
Folk Center Office
Includes our music resource
store and office. Worth a visit.
14th Berea Celtic Festival
Traditional. Authentic. Grassroots.
3rd weekend in August each year.
Always excellent callers
and bands
Contra each 3rd Friday and 4th Saturday.
Trip to Denmark in the summer of 2022.
Kelly Caldwell Band, affiliated with the Folk Circle of Berea, KY, went to Denmark in late June and beginning of July to perform a number of times in North Jutland. The talented and well-known musicians from Kentucky, where the Bluegrass meets the mountains, are musically rooted in the pure and irresistible Bluegrass genre, but there is also plenty of space in the repertoire to perform traditional country and folk music from all corners of the US.
The members of the band have several recordings behind them with various bands that span from 80's pop to spirituals/gospel.
The members are: Kelly Caldwell (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocals), Deborah Thompson (banjo, guitar, vocals), John Fuglsang (bass), and Aviv Naamani (guitar, vocals).
Tour program:
July 2, 10 am - 11:45 am: Garrison and Defense Museum, Aalborg
July 2, 2 pm and 4 pm: Downtown Aalborg.
July 4, 10 AM: Breakfast music at Hotel Hvide Hus, Aalborg.
July 4 from noon, all afternoon and evening: Celebration of the American July 4th at the Heather Hills of Rebild.
July 6, 7 PM: Vraa Folk School.
July 7, 9 PM: Cafe Frandsen, Løkken.
July 8, 9 PM: Cafe Frandsen, Løkken.
July 11: Reception at Arena Nord, Frederikshavn.
2022
The Folk Circle Association Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that promotes participatory folk arts in Berea and beyond. We encourage people of all ages to express themselves and to create community through tradition-based dance, music, crafts, story-telling, international exchange, and other activities.
March 26, 2022: 1st Pinnacle Jazzfest sponsored by The Folk Circle.
April 22-24, 2022: 19th Hands Four Spring Dance Weekend sponsored by Hands Four.
Online registration go to Eventbrite and look for 20th Hands Four Spring Dance Weekend.
June 30 - July 12: Kelly Caldwell Band touring northern Denmark.
August 18-21, 2022: 13th Berea Celtic Fest and Gathering, sponsored by The Folk Circle.
December 11, 2022: 30th Danish American Yule Fest, sponsored by The Folk Circle.
2nd and 4th Saturdays
10:00 am - 12:30 pm: Old Time Music sessions. Locations: Union Church in the winter, Farmers Market in the summer.
3rd Friday and 4th Saturdays
7:00 PM: Contra Dance.
4th Saturday
2:00 - 4:00 PM: Storytelling
English Country Dance + meal.
NEW CDs
"A Touch Of Berea" is made possible by generous local musicians, who have donated a tune for this exciting album. Proceeds will go to the Folk Circle Association.
Multiple thanks to Zoe Speaks/Mitch Barrett/Carla Gover, Berea Castoffs/Al White, Blind Ricky/Randall Conn/Danny Barnes/The Music Makers, Kristi Miller, Steven Emery Johnson, Dove Creek/Pam Perry, Berea College Bluegrass Band/Al White, McLain Family Band, Al, Alice & Ruth, Skip Jack/Deborah Thompson, Deborah Payne, Jennifer Rose, Donna & Lewis Lamb, and Robert Tincher.
"Hands Four Spring Dance" anniversary CD. This CD is made possible by generous musicians from across America, who have donated a contra dance tune or waltz for this amazing album. Proceeds will go to the Folk Circle Association.
Gratitude to Berea Castoffs, Wild Asparagus, Hotpoint Stringband, Great Bear Trio, Groovemongers, Brittany Bay, Elixir, Perpetual e-Motion, Elftones, The Contrarians, Coffee Zombies, Contrary Travelers, Pigtown Alley, and Wake Up Robin.
This is a great GIFT FROM BEREA. It is easy to travel with, spreads joy, provides good memories, and it is affordable. $15.00, incl. tax.