Ann Arbor Folk Festival Shakes Up Tradition for 49th Year
The iconic Ann Arbor Folk Festival is getting a modern makeover. For its 49th edition, the festival will introduce a new format that deviates from its traditional two-night lineup. Instead of featuring multiple acts on consecutive nights at Hill Auditorium, the event will now showcase a full concert by a headlining artist on Friday, January 30, followed by the classic format on Saturday, January 31.
According to organizers, this change was made in response to audience feedback, demonstrating their commitment to evolving with the ever-changing music scene. The Friday night main attraction will be announced on November 17, and fans can expect a diverse lineup of artists for the traditional Saturday show.
On the Saturday bill, attendees can look forward to performances by Grand Rapids indie rock band the Crane Wives, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee, Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes, Uganda-via-Texas act Jon Muq, University of Michigan student and soundscape artist Nat Timmerman (performing under his Rabbitology moniker), and Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau. Montbleau will serve as the festival's emcee for the Saturday show.
Ticket prices range from $56.60 to $281.50, with tickets going on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday for members and Friday for the general public. For more information and updates, visit The Ark's website.
This bold change signals the Ann Arbor Folk Festival's dedication to innovation while maintaining its core spirit as a celebration of folk and roots music.
The iconic Ann Arbor Folk Festival is getting a modern makeover. For its 49th edition, the festival will introduce a new format that deviates from its traditional two-night lineup. Instead of featuring multiple acts on consecutive nights at Hill Auditorium, the event will now showcase a full concert by a headlining artist on Friday, January 30, followed by the classic format on Saturday, January 31.
According to organizers, this change was made in response to audience feedback, demonstrating their commitment to evolving with the ever-changing music scene. The Friday night main attraction will be announced on November 17, and fans can expect a diverse lineup of artists for the traditional Saturday show.
On the Saturday bill, attendees can look forward to performances by Grand Rapids indie rock band the Crane Wives, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee, Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes, Uganda-via-Texas act Jon Muq, University of Michigan student and soundscape artist Nat Timmerman (performing under his Rabbitology moniker), and Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau. Montbleau will serve as the festival's emcee for the Saturday show.
Ticket prices range from $56.60 to $281.50, with tickets going on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday for members and Friday for the general public. For more information and updates, visit The Ark's website.
This bold change signals the Ann Arbor Folk Festival's dedication to innovation while maintaining its core spirit as a celebration of folk and roots music.
I think this is so cool! It's all about evolution and adapting to what the audience wants. It's like how life is full of twists and turns, but if we stay true to ourselves, we can make changes that still keep our essence intact. The Ann Arbor Folk Festival is showing us that sometimes you gotta shake things up to find something even better 
also, i love dat they're giving a spot 2 Nat Timmerman, hes got talent for sho! 
The classic two-night lineup was always so iconic and nostalgic. I love that they're still bringing back the Saturday show with all those awesome artists lined up. And, you know, it's not like this new Friday night thing is gonna be a total disaster... 
I just hope they don't skimp on the quality of the performers or anything... that would be a total bummer! 
. I mean, it's not like they're abandoning tradition completely, just giving it a little tweak. And honestly, who doesn't love a good headlining act on Friday night? It'll definitely give people something to look forward to. The mix of old and new sounds on Saturday should be pretty cool too 
so i heard they're changing up the format this year which is kinda cool i'm all about trying new things, especially when it comes to music festivals like ann arbor. having a headlining artist on friday night sounds like an amazing experience and then the rest of the weekend can be more chill with the classic lineup 
so i'm thinking this new format is gonna be lit 
. plus, having a more relaxed saturday show with all those awesome acts sounds like a dream come true 
. and let's not forget about montbleau as the emcee 
! it's all about balance, right? want to have that special friday night vibe while still keeping the saturday show chill 
. i'm hyped for this new direction 
. This change shows the organizers are really listening to their audience.
. I predict this new format will bring in even more fans!
Amos Lee and Dawes are also making a comeback! 
I mean, $56.60 is like, fine, but who's gonna shell out that kinda cash just for one day? And what's with the ridiculous range? You get it for a few bucks or you pay top dollar, there's no in between. It feels like they're nickel and diming people to death 
I mean, having one epic headliner night on Friday is gonna be insane! The Saturday lineup looks amazing too, can't wait to see the Crane Wives and Amos Lee 
anyway i heard the headlining artist for friday is gonna be super famous... who do u think it'll be 
. all that fuss over a single headliner on Friday? what happened to the community vibe of the original format? still, gotta give them props for listening to audience feedback 
Changing up the format every now and then can keep things fresh for both the artists and the audience. The mix of having a bigger headlining act on Friday night and the classic Saturday lineup should give fans a fun surprise each year. Plus, it's awesome that they're listening to what their audience wants and adapting to fit their vibe. I'm curious to see how this new format will turn out in 2025! 
I'm loving this modern twist on the classic festival format! It's totally on point, if you ask me. Giving the audience more variety on Friday night with one big-name act is genius 
. Can't wait to see what this new format brings!