For all press inquiries, please contact the National Folk Festival:
BY PHONE: 406/497-6464
To download a .PDF of our latest press release with details about the 70th National Folk Festival and the coming 71st National Folk Festival, click here.
8/1/08
Planning begins for the 71st National Folk Festival in Butte to be held July 10-12, 2009.
7/11-13/08
The 70th National Folk Festival is presented on Butte's historic Hill to a crowd of nearly 75,000 over three days of perfect weather.
7/6/08
The offical National Folk Festival program guide, printed by festival sponsor The Montana Standard, is distributed through four daily newspapers throughout Montana in Helena, Billings, Missoula and Butte.
7/4/08
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle profiles the 70th National Folk Festival that will take place 80 miles west of that Montana city.
6/30/08
The Great Falls Tribune focuses on the 70th National Folk Festival in a comprehensive story about the upcoming festival.
6/19/08
REC Silicon with headquarters in Moses Lake, Washington, announces it will sponsor the 70th National Folk Festival at the $5,000 level. REC has a plant just outside of Butte with more than 200 employees that make solar cells and photovoltaic panels to generate electricity from the sun.
6/17/08
Montana Public Radio announces it will broadcast live from the Original Stage during the 70th National Folk Festival. They plan to share their signal with Yellowstone Public Radio to provide a statewide broadcast of the festival's main stage for those who cannot attend in person.
6/12/08
Small sponsors give their support to the 70th National Folk Festival, including Meriwether Ranch, and Glacier Bank. Also, Magic 101 and KANA Radio and Montana State Parks have joined as sponsors of the festival as well.
6/5/08
US Bank joins in as a sponsor of the 70th National Folk festival with a grant for $5,000.
6/4/08
Regional furniture store Steele's Furniture joins the 70th National Folk Festival as a sponsor with a grant for $5,000.
5/28/08
The Butte-Silver Bow Commissioners vote unanimously to support the National Folk Festival and other outdoor festivals in Butte with $225,000 from the Hard Rock Trust Fund to repair, restore and enhance infrastructure to accommodate festivals in Uptown Butte.
5/19/08
Remaining performers are announced for the seven stages of the 70th National Folk Festival in Butte, Montana, bringing the roster to 27. To see all of the acts booked for Butte July 11-13, visit the Performers Area.
5/14/08
National sponsor Anheuser-Busch announces that they will produce signs and banners needed for the National Folk Festival in their Los Angeles production facility, a contribution worth as much as $25,000 to the festival. This sponsorship was brokered by regional distributor Thompson Distributing, also a major supportor of the 70th National Folk Festival.
5/7/08
Julia Olin, Executive Director of the NCTA reviews the program for the 70th National Folk Festival and remarks that Native Americans from Montana tribes will have a part in almost every aspect of this year’s festival.
"Native American artists and craftspeople have always held an important place in the diverse mix of cultural traditions presented at National Folk Festivals since 1934, but I believe that the Native presence at the 70th National Folk Festival in Butte, Montana is the strongest in the event's history."
5/6/08
The Copper King Express, the Anaconda to Butte excursion train, and the World Museum of Mining team up to sponsor the 70th National Folk Festival.
4/28/08
Masters and their apprentices confirmed to participate as demonstrators at the Montana Folklife Area of the 70th National Folk Festival are announced.
4/25/08
US Bank signs on as the official bank of the 70th National Folk Festival.
4/21/08
Legacy Branding joins the 70th National Folk Festival as the official merchandise vendor on the site.
4/14/08
Native American craft vendors selected to sell their work at the First Peoples' Marketplace at the 70th National Folk Festival are announced. The First Peoples' Marketplace is made possible by support from Seacast, Inc., a Washington company with close Butte ties.
4/11/08
Food and beverage vendors selected to feed the folks are announced for the 70th National Folk Festival.
4/10/08
The Butte Silver Bow Arts Foundation signs on to coordinate the activites at the Family Area of the 70th National Folk Festival.They will apply their expertise in programming children's art activities throughout the year in Butte for the past several years.
4/9/08
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announces a $50,000 grant to support the 70th National Folk Festival in Montana.
4/7/08
KXLF-TV and other CBS TV affiliate stations in Montana sign on as a major media sponsor for the 70th National Folk Festival.
4/4/08
NewWest.Net, publishers of NewWest Magazine sign on as a sponsor of an information booth at the 70th National Folk Festival.
3/27/08
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation announce their support as a sponsor of the Family Area at the 70th National Folk Festival.
3/21/08
It's Coke. Mile High Beverages of Butte is announced as the exclusive beverage distributor for the 70th National Folk Festival with their sponsorship.
3/14/08
The second wave of performers coming to the 70th National Folk Festival are announced by the NCTA. To see (and hear) more, visit the Performers page.
3/10/08
Online forms that link to a volunteer database are added to make it easier for volunters to sign up to help out at the 70th National Folk Festival. Prospective volunteers can now sign up here.
2/28/08
Regional radio station KBOW-KOPR joins the National Folk Festival as a media sponsor.
2/26/08
The Montana Standard signs on as the sponsor of the Montana Arts Marketplace to emphasize their belief that Butte and the surrounding communities of Southwest Montana make for good places to do business.
2/18/08
iFob, free downloadable software that turns iPhones and laptops into wireless icebreaking beacons, joins as a sponsor of the 70th National Folk Festival.
2/15/08
Festival organizers select Denys “Denny” Dutton of Butte to serve as volunteer coordinator for the National Folk Festival. The new volunteer coordinator is a tour guide of Old Butte Historical Adventures and the head volunteer for Southwest Montana’s Red Cross. Dutton is a retired captain from the U.S. Army and among other duties he has served as a recruiting station officer.
The event calls on the energy and enthusiasm of as many as 900 volunteers to do a variety of tasks. Volunteer shifts can be from 4 hours. In return, volunteers receive a free T-shirt and an invite to a special recognition event on Saturday night where organizers and festival performers say thanks to volunteers.
2/8/08
The NCTA announces the first seven performers booked for the 70th National Folk Festival on July 11-13 in Butte, Montana.
1/29/08
PPL Montana joins as a sponsor of the 70th National Folk Festival.
1/14/08
Montana Historical Society signs on as a partner in the 70th National Folk Festival.
1/8/08
Butte Convention and Visitor's Bureau joins Gold West Country and Travel Montana as a tourism partner of the 2008 National Folk Festival.
12/19/07
Montana's Gold West Country joins Travel Montana as a sponsor of the 2008 National Folk Festival.
12/12/07
Seacast Inc., of Marysville, Washington, became the first corporate sponsor for the 2008 National Folk Festival at the $25,000 level to support the First Peoples Marketplace.
11/20/07
Want to see where the National Folk Festival has come from? Visit the sites of previous host cities where the festivals are still going on.
Richmond, Virginia (2005-2007)
Bangor, Maine (2002-2004)
Lowell, Massachusetts (1987-1989)
6/13/07
Governor Brian Schweitzer officially kicks off the fundraising campaign for the 70th-72nd National Folk Festivals by presenting $120,000 in funds from the Montana Department of Commerce to Butte officials on Wednesday, June 13th in Butte.
"There is no better place to hold the 70th Annual National Folk Festival than in Butte, Montana," said Governor Brian Schweitzer. "Butte has a rich and colorful history that is unsurpassed, and this festival is an outstanding opportunity for Montanans to highlight the unique qualities that draw more than ten million travelers to the state each year."
3/07
The National Council for the Traditional Arts announces that Butte, Montana has been selected over more than 20 other communities who applied to serve as the host city for the 70th-72nd National Folk Festival.