Attendees celebrate at the 2024 Philly Music Fest. (Credit: Frank Jacobs, Philly Music Fest)
The Philly Folk Festival returns this weekend, Aug. 15-17, for its 62nd concert series. The event features an exclusive Thursday night show, interactive and educational workshops, and a lineup packed with Folk artists and songwriters, including John Flynn, who shares his excitement to be returning to the festival for his 14th year.
Flynn, who co-hosted the festival multiple times and is this year’s main host, emphasized the festival's close-knit atmosphere and the importance of live, participatory music. He said the festival has turned into a family over the years.
“When you're sitting in a crowd of people and experiencing the joy and community of music, and especially this kind of music, which encourages participation … it nourishes something inside of you that is not nourished by a screen,” Flynn said.
The festival’s lineup includes numerous Folk singers and songwriters, including Alejandro Escovedo, Cedric Watson and Eileen Ivers. In addition to performances, the festival is jam-packed with family-friendly activities, including craft tables and several food trucks.
Flynn will perform Sunday evening and lead a workshop on topical songs. As host, he’ll also introduce center stage artists—some he’s never heard before. Flynn said that, in addition to seeing old friends, he’s also excited to discover new artists and their music.
During his performance, Flynn will be playing his new single, “The Victim Tree.” Flynn said he wrote the single in direct response the Big Beautiful Bill, emphasizing the “cognitive dissonance” he believes many Americans have when it comes to their political views versus morals.
“[The Victum Tree] looks at the values behind the decisions that we're making and the values that we purport to have as a society, and how those things don't match up again,” Flynn said. “You say one thing about yourself, but then you support this.”
Flynn said many of his songs are fueled by the deep political fragmentation in the United States, which he often speaks on during his performances. Among other things, he has been a strong advocate against the death penalty, especially in Delaware, his home state.
Host and Folk veteran John Flynn returns for his 14th year participating in Philly Music Fest. (Credit: Philly Music Fest Facebook)Flynn also shared his background in social justice, particularly his work with New Beginnings-Next Step, a nonprofit that provides emotional support and other crucial resources to post-release offenders. As the non-profit’s executive director, Flynn travels to three different prisons and serves as an advocate for inmates.
Through New Beginnings, Flynn leads weekly “sharing” meetings where members discuss their lives and hardships. Their stories often inspire his songs, which explore themes of human brokenness and the healing power of connection.
“I learned that people are more than the worst or dumbest things they've ever done,” Flynn said. “And in getting to know these folks, I have come to stand more in awe of what they've had to carry in their lives than in judgment about how they've carried it.”
Flynn said the weekly gatherings also help post-release inmates build community during their transition to life outside prison. He likened the Folk Festival to this, describing it as a “city in itself” that invites people to share their stories and sing together in a colorful, welcoming setting.
Last year, volenteers gathered for a group photo in honor of Ellen Superfine who passed away just after the 2022 festival. (Credit: Eric Ring of PMF)In addition to live performances, the festival offers camping, a variety of food trucks, artisan crafts, and activities for all ages. The Dulcimer Grove area caters specifically to families, featuring enrichment programs for children, while workshops throughout the weekend give attendees opportunities to learn and engage with music.
“It's part of the folk tradition that everybody brings something to the table, if it's only a couple of spoons to bang on your leg,” Flynn said.
The Philadelphia Folksong Society, the nonprofit organizer of the festival, has staged the event each year since 1962. Its mission is to keep folk music traditions alive while providing a platform for up-and-coming artists in the genre.
The festival spans from today’s exclusive campers-only concert through to Sunday evening. Tickets and additional festival details are available at folkfest.org.
