Sisters gets ready for a musical weekend

Sisters is getting set for its signature music event, as the Sisters Folk Festival rolls into town this weekend.

Tickets are still available for the September 9- 11 event, held in downtown Sisters. This year's performers bring an array of musical talent and diversity to the stage.

Since its inception in 1995, the Sisters Folk Festival's national reputation has grown, and so have the audiences. What started in 1995 as a one-day festival has grown into a nationally renowned event, drawing loyal fans from around the world. 

"The lineup this year is stronger than ever, and has legendary performers mixed with musicians that are on the festival circuit and have devoted fan-bases, but may have never played Central Oregon before," said Executive Director Brad Tisdel. "We do everything we can to introduce new artists to the Northwest, and our Central Oregon audience, while bringing international artists of stature and long-standing excellence in many genres of music."

The Sisters Folk Festival strongly encourages audience members to experience the whole event with the $95 all-event pass for the weekend, which includes all music and workshops Friday through Sunday afternoon. A limited number of individual day passes are available as well.

"For those who are new to the festival, our patrons come back year after year because of the talent, the value and the unbelievable performances that take place in intimate settings. Audience members have the ability to see our artists in venues as small as 85 and as large as our Village Green stage, with a capacity of close to 1,100... it is something very special," said Tisdel.

This year the festival will feature legendary California troubadour Dave Alvin, Steve Forbert, Southern songwriter Mary Gauthier and SFF fan favorites Willy Porter and Martyn Joseph. Additional confirmed acts are Chatham County Line, Tony Furtado Band, Anais Mitchell, Joe Pug and the Hundred Mile Band, Rita Hosking and Cousin Jack, Hoots and Hellmouth, Cow Bop, Red Molly, JT and the Clouds, Dala, Johnsmith, Sweet Talk Radio, Matt the Electrician, Hanz Araki Band, Betty and the Boy, Thad Beckman Band, Shook Twins, Nathaniel Talbot Band, Cahalen Morrison and Eli West, Willie Carmichael, The Anvil Blasters, Laura Curtis, Consider the Fox and Heroes of Telemark.

"The beauty of the area, combined with seven concurrent stages, all within walking distance, give people plenty of options to see their favorite artists," said Katy Yoder, Sisters Folk Festival's development director. "Generally speaking, if you can't fit them in on one day, you can catch them the next."

Sisters Folk Festival artists will also be mentoring and performing in the Sisters School District at all three schools. Artists will be visiting the schools as guest artists for the festival's award-winning outreach program, the Sisters Americana

Project.

Tickets are available online at sistersfolkfestival.

org and the Sisters Folk Festival office (541-549-4979) until Wednesday, September 7 at 3 p.m., after which time they will be available at the will-call tent on Friday afternoon. Tickets are also available at these remote ticket locations: FootZone of Bend, 845 N.W. Wall St.; Paulina Springs Books, 252 W. Hood Ave. in Sisters, or 422 S.W. 6th St., Redmond.

For more information e-mail [email protected]