SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
The countdown is on. Santa Fe TradFest is less than 10 days away, and this year’s festival marks a major milestone: 10 years of bringing traditional music, musicians, families, and the Santa Fe community together.
The celebration gets underway Friday, August 28, with a full weekend of live music, youth performances, family activities, workshops, and plenty more.
Friday Night Kicks Off the Festival
The Main Stage comes alive Friday at 6 p.m. with Steve Smith and Tim May.
The duo combines original, traditional, and swing music with tight vocal harmonies and some serious musicianship on guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin, and twin mandolin.
Closing out the evening will be the return of The Onlies, a group of longtime friends bringing traditional old-time music to a new generation.
And that’s only Friday night. The festival continues throughout the weekend with even more performances and activities.
The Next Generation Takes the Stage
TradFest isn’t just about celebrating the musicians who are already established. It’s also about giving young musicians a place to play.
The Next Stage: A Youth Band Showcase returns this year, giving musicians under the age of 18 an opportunity to perform during the festival on Friday, August 28.
Young musicians interested in participating must submit their applications by Wednesday, August 26.
It’s a chance for Santa Fe’s next generation of musicians to get out of the practice room and onto the stage in front of a live festival audience.
A Full Saturday for Families
Families will have plenty to explore on Saturday, August 29, with this year’s Family Zone packed with activities throughout the day.
Wise Fool returns with circus activities, while The One Who Sees Clearly Arts will offer poetry and art activities. Kids can also enjoy face painting and get hands-on with music through the Queen Bee Music Association Instrument Petting Zoo.
There will also be a sing-along class for toddlers, ukulele strum-alongs, storytelling, STEM activities, a scavenger hunt, and additional workshops.
Whether your child already loves music or just wants to try something new, the Family Zone gives younger festivalgoers plenty of ways to join the fun.
TradFest Music Market and Silent Auction
Before the festival begins, TradFest is also inviting the community to help stock its Music Market and Silent Auction.
A special donation event takes place Saturday, August 22 at 3 p.m. at Iconik Red, 1366 Cerrillos Road.
Organizers are accepting gently loved musical items including sheet music, instructional books, CDs, LPs, and musical instruments. Those items will then be available during the festival at bargain prices.
One early donation is already getting some attention: an Epiphone cutaway dreadnought guitar upgraded with a Fishman preamp and internal microphone, with bidding starting at $110.
Additional donations will also be accepted at the festival on Friday, August 28.
TradFest Takes to the Airwaves
As excitement builds for the festival’s 10th anniversary, Santa Fe TradFest is also getting some time on the radio.
Ron Hale will join Andy Lovato on Our Santa Fe on 101.1 FM KSFR on Thursday, August 20.
The weekly program focuses on life in the City Different, and Hale will talk about TradFest and what organizers have planned for this year’s anniversary celebration.
Powered by the Santa Fe Community
Behind every performance, workshop, activity, and event are the sponsors and volunteers who help make Santa Fe TradFest possible.
Festival organizers say their sponsors and volunteers are at the heart of the event, and opportunities are still available for community members who would like to get involved.
Whether you’re performing, volunteering, bringing the kids, discovering a new instrument, or simply settling in to hear some great traditional music, Santa Fe TradFest’s 10th anniversary is shaping up to be a weekend built around music and community.
It all begins Friday, August 28 in Santa Fe.
