GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The 2026 NC Folk Fest kicks off this weekend in downtown Greensboro.
The North Carolina Folk Festival is a free, annual celebration of traditional arts, music, dance and food set for Sept. 18-20.
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The three-day festival features 14 stages for musical groups and demonstrations spanning three city blocks from East Lindsay Street to East Washington Street, bordered by North Davie Street and North Church Street, in the heart of downtown Greensboro.
Executive Director of the NC Folk Festival Jodee Ruppel said the build-up for the event starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. at The Pyrle, a live music venue located at 232 South Elm St. in Greensboro.
Ruppel said crews are busy this evening putting the finishing touches on all of the stages before the festival starts tomorrow.
“So if you’ve never been. Come on. I promise you, if you come once to this festival, you will fall in love and you will always come back. And if you’ve been before, come back. I think this is going to be the biggest festival we’ve ever had,” said Ruppel.
“This festival has such a legacy since it started as a national folk festival here in Greensboro, and what’s been really cool the last three years we’ve seen, we’ve gotten some of that energy back that we had pre-COVID. People are coming out and they want to be with their communities. They want to put their phone down and just listen and vibe to the music, to see beautiful art and to eat at our 40 food trucks. You can’t go wrong. There’s something for everyone.”
According to the NC Folk Fest, 95 artists from 61 musical genres will be playing everything from acoustic to West African music and everything in between, in addition to performance dance groups.
Headlining the event are acclaimed eight-piece Southern soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones on Friday, three-time Grammy-winning hip hop group The Roots on Saturday and two-time Grammy-winning bluegrass performer Molly Tuttle on Sunday.
Festival food vendors will be serving local fried favorites as well as global street eats, while downtown restaurants offer full menus and a chance to rest your feet and take in some of the local cuisine.
Since 2018, the festival has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to Greensboro to experience the rich cultural heritage of our state and beyond.
The North Carolina Folk Festival honors, celebrates and shares the meaningful ways communities express their creativity and cultural traditions through music, dance, food, crafts and other folk arts to enhance appreciation of diverse traditions.
The festival is open to all ages.
To view the NC Folk Fest map or for more information about the amenities, acts and vendors, visit the NC Folk Fest website or download the mobile app.
Want to Go?
Friday, Sept. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Family Jam is 9:30-11:30 a.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 20 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Parking
Several parking decks and lots are available within walking distance of the festival grounds. The cost is $10 per car per day. In addition, free shuttle service runs from overflow parking at the Greensboro Coliseum.
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