Festival offering 'holiday pass'

With memorable performances still fresh in people's minds, the Sisters Folk Festival has announced ticket prices for 2011. Beginning this month they're offering a $75 all events pass for next year's festival, held September 9-11.

"We had so many people excited about returning, we decided to offer the holiday pass earlier this year," said Events Director Katy Yoder. "We want to give people ample time to buy their passes and book hotel rooms for next year."

The "holiday pass" will be available through December 31; on January 1, 2011 passes go up to $85. The festival will offer patrons a signed 2011 festival poster as part of the purchase (to be picked up with tickets at the festival).

The festival celebrated its 15th anniversary this year with performances by Solas, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Martyn Joseph, Po' Girl, Peter Mulvey, The Hot Club of Cowtown, Slaid Cleaves, and returning performer, Ellis.

Festival organizers are already working on booking acts for next year. Welsh songwriter Martyn Joseph has been confirmed as the 2011 Sisters Folk Festival Encore Performer. They are also

hard at work on plans to address large crowds throughout the weekend at some of the venues.

"This is a great problem to have, ticket sales were up over 30 percent, and we had the most successful festival ever," said Brad Tisdel, executive director. "Our goals are clear; we will continue to offer world-class American Roots music at a variety of venues at affordable prices. We're looking at our options and will have solutions well in place before the 2011 festival."

For the past four years in a row festival attendance has risen dramatically. The word has gotten out nationally about the musical experience that is offered at the Sisters Folk Festival. This year roughly 3,000 people came to Sisters throughout the festival weekend.

The final plans are being made for the Sisters Folk Festival's Winter Concert Series. The lineup includes Tom Russell on February 4, and Moira Smiley and VOCO on February 25, 2011. The rest of the series will be announced soon.

"One of our goals is to bring nationally acclaimed artists to Sisters during the off-season months," said Yoder. "It helps keep the local economy healthy during the shoulder seasony."

To order tickets, visit http://www.sistersfolkfestival.org/tickets or call the Sisters Folk Festival at 541-549-4979 or e-mail [email protected]