By Kathleen Pierce, kpierce@lowellsun.com
Rosie Ledet
LOWELL -- The plaintive din of a foot-stomping Quebecois band may seem like a distant memory, but it's closer than you think. And the crunch of a pierogi in the sun? Start saving your calories. The first acts in the musical lineup of the 22nd Lowell Folk Festival, set for July 25-27, were quietly announced online this week. But it seems the word is out.
"There is starting to (be) a buzz," said Sue Ann Pearson, executive director of Lowell Festival Foundation, a key partner in the free outdoor celebration.
Looking to book a total of 23 musical acts over the next few weeks, Phil Lupsiewicz, media and communications director for the Lowell National Historical Park, said acts like Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys, a Creole fusion siren, are emblematic of this year's lineup. The Skatalites will land in the Mill City via Jamaica, Super Uba from the Dominican Republic, Réveillons! from Montreal, and the Alex Meixner Band will keep the polka tradition going strong. The Lonesome River Band brings the bluegrass, The Jerry Grcevich Tamburitza Orchestra, Croatian strings, and Henry Gray, a boogie-woogie great, will fan out over six stages downtown.
The Dutton Street Dance Pavilion will still be the place for the footloose, the Lee Street stage for more intimate acts; Market Street and St. Anne's performance stages will host eclectic acts. To catch some rays, head to the JFK Plaza or Boarding House Park.
"We've really gotten to the point where we are happy where it's located," said Lupsiewicz.
While the stages will remain in the same locations as last year, one key element is being tweaked.
"We are always looking to make the festival that much more exciting. This year what we are focusing on is the parade," said Lupsiewicz, who's planing to reroute the Friday night kick-off parade and Saturday afternoon promenade downtown to create more of a stir.
As has been the case from the beginning, all acts are selected by the National Council for the Traditional Arts, who look for musicians rooted in the living tradition of an ethnic genre.
The food offerings that showcase the city's cultural diversity will be as tempting as ever. From Armenian losh kebab, to Pilipino turon and Jamaican beef patty, the morsels help sustain Lowell-area cultural organizations.
Traditional crafters along Lucy Larcom Park add to the trinity of the event. New England's history will be displayed via wooden boat, hooked rugs, and Native American threads.
"It's such a family-friendly event and it's nice to know you can pack up, come to Lowell and have fun," said Pearson, who hopes recycling will become another arm of this educational event.
"We will be handing out compost this year made from leftover food and waste from last year's festival. Isn't that cool?"
To find out which acts have been added, visit www.lowellfolkfestival.org.
This article appeared in the Lowell Sun on Friday, April 11, 2008