The 71st National Folk Festival in Butte, Montana July 10-12, 2009

A message from Governor Brian Schweitzer and his wife Nancy, the honorary co-chairs of the 70th National Folk Festival Executive Committee.

VIEW THE GOVERNOR'S GREETING

The National Folk Festival features performances and demonstrations by over 250 of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers and craftspeople. It will feature 27 artists/groups on seven stages including a dance pavilion dedicated to participatory dancing, a family stage with performances appealing to both the young and the young-at-heart, and a Montana folklife stage. In addition to the performance stages, there are several themed festival areas: the Montana Folklife Area, the Family Area, two Festival Marketplace and the Festival Food Courts.

The National Folk Festival is a large, free outdoor event. The Butte, Montana festival site will be located within the nation's largest National Historic Landmark District. Open air and tented sites will provide a variety of performance venues ranging from intimate stages to amphitheater size. The Original Stage, which offers a panoramic view of Butte and the surrounding mountains, has been developed on the site of the historic Original Mineyard, with its dramatic deep shaft mine headframe that is a remnant of Butte’s days as an underground copper mining center.

Festival dates:	July 10-12, 2009
Hours of operation:	6 pm Friday - 6:30 Sunday
Schedule of performances:	SCHEDULE

Parking

Event parking and free shuttles will be available at the Butte Civic Center. Take Exit 126 (Montana Street) and head north. Turn right at the first traffic light (Front Street) and drive one mile to the Butte Civic Center on Harrison Avenue. Free regular shuttles from there to the festival stages that offer handicapped access will be available.

Special parking for RVs and tour buses will also be available.

In the Event of Rain

The National Follk Festival will go on, rain or shine. In the event of rain, please visit information booths located throughout the festival to receive an updated performance schedule. (There are three extra large tented stages so in the event of rain you can enjoy the performances in a dry environment.)

Admission

The National Folk Festival is a free event -- you can enjoy the performances, demonstrations, and family area at no cost. Food, drink and merchandise are for sale.

Emergency Services/First Aid

An emergency services center will be available.

Restrooms

Portable restrooms, including handicapped accessible bathrooms will be located in seven locations throughout the festival site.

No Pets

Please DO NOT BRING PETS (other than service animals) to the festival. We expect very large crowds and your pets will be more comfortable at home.

Lost People

If a child or person in your party gets lost -- please approach a volunteer immediately. Volunteers will have access to radios, and help can be brought to the situation right away.

Bucket Brigade

Help keep the National Folk Festival a free event! Community volunteers in specially colored T-shirts carrying red buckets will circulate the festival site asking you to drop a little bit into the buckets to help support the event. All donations made through the bucket brigade help directly cover the costs of the festival. Thank you in advance for your support!

Your Presence is Your Permission

Photographer's and videographers have been arranged for by festival organizers to document the event. Some images may be used in later promotional materials. Your presence at the event is seen as your permission for such promotional use by the non-for-profit organizers.

Festival Marketplaces

Close to 50 traditional artists and craft vendors from across the state will be hosted in the festival’s Marketplace.

Food and Drink Vendors

Food and beverage vendors will serve ethnic food representing the cuisine of natives and immigrants to the region as well as festival food favorites such as ketttle korn, funnel cakes, coffee and huckleberry smoothies.

Festival Music Sales

Throughout the festival there will be opportunities to purchase the recorded music of the performing artists who will also be available to sign CDs after their performances near the CD sales booths.

Festival Merchandise

At assigned booths, festivalgoers can purchase festival merchandise, too.

Information Booths

Strategically placed booths will be available for directions and answers to all questions. Try to stump the volunteers with questions about the festival, the community of Butte and the state of Montana.

Beer Sales

Beer will be available for sale by the cup at special booths.

Volunteer Registration

Volunteers who sign up in advance can check in at the volunteer registration booth to get their assignments to help complete a variety of tasks to help put up, operate and then tear down such a large festival site. To volunteer now and for future festivals, go here.

About Montana and Butte

Butte is earning a reputation as Montana’s Festival City. Located between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks at the crossroads of two major Interstate highways, I-15 and I-90, the National Folk festival will join Butte’s busy festival season that begins early in February with the world’s loudest and shortest Chinese New Year's Parade followed by one of the nation’s most famous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in March, Evel Knievel Days during the last weekend of July and the Montana Irish Festival during the second weekend of August.