Sold-out Sisters Folk Festival rolls into town

Music will fill the air across downtown Sisters all weekend as the Sisters Folk Festival brings some of the finest acoustic roots music in the country to town.

For the second year in a row, the event is sold out, except for a limited number of tickets available for Sunday performances.

"We added some venues, expanded others and had an additional 500 all-event passes to sell this year - and we sold out again," said festival board chair Jim Cornelius. "We appreciate all the support from local folks as well as music-lovers from across the Northwest - and the whole country."

The Sisters Folk Festival is unusual in that its venues are dispersed throughout town, many of them right on the premises of local businesses.

"We have venues at The Open Door, The Depot Café, Angeline's Bakery & Café, Sisters Coffee Co. and a new one at FivePine," said Cornelius. "We've always put emphasis on keeping the festival in town, rather than on some big field on the outskirts. It's important that the festival is integrated into the community."

This year, the venue at Melvin's Fir Street Market will include a street closure on Fir Street between Cascade Avenue and Hood Avenue.

"This year, City Manager Andrew Gorayeb asked (festival executive director) Brad Tisdel and myself what the city could do to enhance the festival," Cornelius said. "He threw out the idea of closing a street and Brad and I immediately jumped at the idea of closing Fir Street right in front of our Melvin's venue.

"Melvin's has a fun, dance-party vibe and this will make it even better, like a block-party. It will be easier and safer to walk around with no vehicle traffic. It's going to be a great place to just hang out and enjoy the music."

Festival Operations Director Pete Rathbun said, "Fir Street, between East Cascade Avenue and South Hood Avenue, will be closed to incoming vehicle traffic at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 6, and will remain closed until approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 8. Pedestrian traffic will be unaffected. In fact, we encourage people to take advantage of the closure through the weekend to enjoy the food Sandee and Melvin Herburger will be dishing up in front of Melvin's Fir Street Market and Cork Cellars. I'm told they'll be putting picnic tables out in the closed street."

All of the dining establishments that act as venues will be serving food and drink, and there are food vendors at each of the large tented venues.

The festival's two largest venues are at the Village Green and at Sisters Art Works on Adams Avenue. This year, Sisters' newest concert venue, The Belfry, will also host intimate shows, including the Dave Carter Memorial Songwriters Showcase on Saturday evening.

With the addition of a new venue and fine art gallery at FivePine Lodge and Conference Center from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, festival organizers will be running a shuttle from The Belfry to Sisters Art Works, the Village Green, and then to FivePine every 15 minutes to make it easier for attendees to get to venues without driving. Bikes are strongly encouraged and bike valets will be set up at the two largest venues through a partnership with sponsor Blazin Saddles of Sisters.

For complete information on festival activities, performer information and a schedule, visit www.sistersfolkfestival.org.