Sisters Folk Festival set to roll into town

For three days this weekend, Sisters will raise its voice in song during the 20th anniversary Sisters Folk Festival.

The festival will feature 45 acts performing more than 140 sets over three days, September 11-13. All artists are scheduled to play at least twice - many three times - to maximize the opportunity to see as much music as possible.

Festival artists include: The Subdudes, a New Orleans blues-rock and soul band; Canadian super group The Bills; the 2014 encore artist Eric Bibb; songwriter Tift Merritt; and last year's crowd favorite Darlingside. Additionally, festival organizers are proud to bring Session Americana; Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards; Ryan Montbleau, Mandolin Orange; Shinyribs; Gretchen Peters; Zydeco master Andre Thierry; hit songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman; Canadian roots band New Country Rehab; Liz Longley; Australian-songwriter Jordie Lane; Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboys; Possessed by Paul James, Patchy Sanders; Lance Canales and the Flood, and many more.

The festival has grown tremendously from its origins back in 1995 as a one-day event at the end of September.

"The first festival was held at what was then Sisters Middle/High School on the last Saturday of September," recalled festival co-founder Jim Cornelius. "It's amazing that the whole thing came off. We were going to have it in an open field at Pine Meadow Ranch and moved it indoors at the last minute. All the performers were from Oregon. We had music, folk dancing, storytelling. It was small-time but people really enjoyed it. The next year, we upped the ante and booked Guy Clark and Ian Tyson and we were off and running."

There were bumps in the road, but the festival continued to grow and thrive as key members of the community stepped up to lend their support. A key moment came when Dick Sandvik and Kathy Deggendorfer contracted with Brad Tisdel to create a music education outreach program for the schools called The Americana Project.

"That really tied the festival and the community together, and it contines to be a model that other communities want to adopt," said Cornelius.

Sandvik reflected on the development of the festival that, during its early years, he and wife Diane Campbell ran out of their business, Paulina Springs Book Co.

"I'm amazed and incredibly satisfied that what ... started as a pretty rough, unsophisticated one-day show has blossomed into such a very special community offering, one that has survived and thrived over two decades," he said. "The festival has evolved in wonderful ways. Too many people to name have been instrumental in the festival's success, but all in all it's a community-wide effort that has made the event become what it is today.

"I'm especially proud that we created and have fostered The Americana Project - its music, art, instrument-crafting and other offerings have proved invaluable and inspirational to so many young folks in Sisters."

The festival will give something back to the community that has supported it for 20 years with several free shows and workshops. Free venues include the Americana Stage at Fir Street Park, with performances starting at noon on Saturday and Sunday by Americana Project students and alumni, as well as festival artists both days.

The Sisters Coffee Co. venue will run Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. with workshops from some of the biggest acts at the festival. Workshops are informal performances with Q&A between songs.

On Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9:30 p.m. at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, Pickin' Central is open to anyone looking for a place to jam. Last - and anything but least - the free Sunday-morning Community Celebration is always a beautiful music and community experience at the Village Green, with inspiring performances by festival artists, and hosted by artist and songwriter Beth Wood.

The festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an installation featuring a brief history and compelling images from the past 20 years of festival performers. Twenty banners will grace the inside of the Sisters Art Works tent, and will be complemented by an interactive display at the Village Green for patrons to share their favorite memories of the past 20 years.

Brand-new Sisters Folk Festival merchandise is now available, both commemorative and souvenir items. A selection of merchandise is currently available at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters. The full array of festival gear will be on sale at Village Green and Sisters Art Works during the festival.

The 2105 Sisters Folk Festival schedule can be viewed and printed at http://www.sistersfolkfestival.org. Sunday-only tickets are still available for $65 adults and $40 for youth (18 and younger). For more information visit sistersfolkfestival.org/tickets/.