Salisbury, Md. – Downtown Salisbury will soon be bustling as the Maryland Folk Festival returns. This year, city officials are hopeful that the event will not be disrupted by severe weather, as it was last year. The three-day festival is expected to attract as many as 100,000 people.
This year’s festival brings several new features, including the full use of Unity Square, which opened to the public in May. The square will serve as a central meeting point during the event.
Police and fire officials have already conducted a security walkthrough, and tents are being set up for vendors. According to Caroline O’Hare with the City of Salisbury, the preparations are in full swing.
“The city is just sort of humming with excitement,” O’Hare said. “We have stages going up, tents going up, really large trusses going up over here.”
The Maryland Folk Festival was originally the National Folk Festival, which stayed in Salisbury for five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, the festival rotates to a new city every three years.
Salisbury University’s Museum of Eastern Shore Culture will once again play a significant role in the event. Raye-Valion Gillette, with the museum, emphasized the importance of showcasing cultural heritage.
“The mission of the Museum, as it is in the Folk Life area, is to coordinate and work with tradition bearers and cultural heritage communities that represent the whole state, not just our little corner here on Delmarva,” Gillette said.
O’Hare encourages those who have never attended the festival to experience it, saying, “You’re going to come across this incredible talent and this style of music or dance that you didn’t know anything about, and you’re going to fall in love. That’s what this festival is all about.”
In addition to the music and cultural performances, this year’s festival is partnering with the Downtown Salisbury Business Alliance. The alliance is selling wristbands that will provide attendees with access to deals at various downtown businesses.
The festival is set to be a vibrant celebration of culture and tradition in the heart of Salisbury.
