Ann Arbor Folk Festival Mixes Things Up for its 49th Edition
The Ann Arbor Folk Festival, which celebrates its 49th year, is shaking things up for its next event. Gone are the traditional two nights of folk and roots acts at Hill Auditorium; instead, the festival will kick off with a full concert featuring a headlining artist on Friday, January 30, followed by the usual format on Saturday, January 31.
According to festival organizers, this change is a response to audience feedback. By mixing things up, they aim to create a more dynamic and engaging experience for attendees. The exact reason behind this decision remains unclear, but it's evident that the festival is committed to listening to its community and making adjustments accordingly.
As of now, the Friday night headliner will be announced on November 17, while the full Saturday lineup has been revealed. Performers include 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, and University of Michigan student Nat Timmerman (performing as Rabbitology). Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau will also take the stage, serving as the festival's MC.
Tickets to the event range from $56.60 to $281.50 and are available for purchase starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. for members and Friday at 10 a.m. for the general public. More information can be found on The Ark's website (theark.org).
The Ann Arbor Folk Festival, which celebrates its 49th year, is shaking things up for its next event. Gone are the traditional two nights of folk and roots acts at Hill Auditorium; instead, the festival will kick off with a full concert featuring a headlining artist on Friday, January 30, followed by the usual format on Saturday, January 31.
According to festival organizers, this change is a response to audience feedback. By mixing things up, they aim to create a more dynamic and engaging experience for attendees. The exact reason behind this decision remains unclear, but it's evident that the festival is committed to listening to its community and making adjustments accordingly.
As of now, the Friday night headliner will be announced on November 17, while the full Saturday lineup has been revealed. Performers include 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, and University of Michigan student Nat Timmerman (performing as Rabbitology). Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau will also take the stage, serving as the festival's MC.
Tickets to the event range from $56.60 to $281.50 and are available for purchase starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. for members and Friday at 10 a.m. for the general public. More information can be found on The Ark's website (theark.org).
and i gotta say, it sounds like they're trying to breathe some new life into the event! mixing up the format by having a headliner on friday night is gonna be a game changer for those who love live music. and yay for more diverse lineup 
with acts from all over the world! 
can't wait to see what other surprises they have in store for us 
! It sounds like the organizers are really tuning in to what the audience wants, and I gotta respect that. By starting with a full concert featuring a headlining act, they're definitely shaking things up and trying something fresh.
. I'm also loving the mix of local and national acts - it'll be awesome to see Nat Timmerman (Rabbitology) get his chance to shine on the big stage 
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! I've been going to this fest for years, and it's always amazing to see all these talented artists come together. This change feels like a breath of fresh air - who doesn't love a good headliner to kick off the weekend? 
I'm curious to see how the Friday night concert will set the tone for the rest of the festival...and also hope that Nat Timmerman's set will be lit! 
the lineup looks pretty cool tho, i'm lowkey hyped to see nat timmerman perform as rabbitology 
i've been to the festival b4 and it's literally my fave event of the year every year i try 2 get tickets 4 the whole weekend but this yr i managed 2 snag 1 4 saturday 
can't w8 2 see amos lee & dawes live!!! 
. The crane wives from Grand Rapids are gonna bring that indie rock vibe and Amos Lee is always a soulful treat 
... its all about variety this year and I'm here for it!
Better or worse? Only time'll tell 
. And can we talk about the lineup? The Crane Wives are one of my fave indie rock bands ever 
. Dawes too, they're like, so underrated 
. I'm super stoked to see Nat Timmerman perform as Rabbitology, he's such a talented artist 
? it's like they're trying to keep the excitement under wraps or something. and what's up with the price range tho? $56.60 for a tix is basically affordable, but $281.50?! that's just crazy 
anyway, i guess some people might say it's a good thing the festival is listening to its community and making changes, but idk if it's really gonna make it more "dynamic" or not... maybe they should've asked me first 
. so now there's gonna be a headliner on friday instead of just having a bunch of smaller acts. sounds cool, not sure if i'd wanna go see amos lee though 
. are they still gonna have all the other folk and roots vibes that we love? and whats up with rabbitology being on the bill? is nat timmerman some kinda big deal or what? 
. So yeah, I'm all about this bold move by the Ann Arbor Folk Festival crew – it's gonna be lit! 
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. I mean, who doesn't love a surprise headliner? It's like they're giving us a little present on Friday night 
. And the lineup looks amazing too - Amos Lee, Dawes, and Ryan Montbleau are always killing it on stage 
. I'm already counting down the days until January 30...