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Gays Mills Folk Festival coming up
timfriend
GAYS MILLS FOLK FESTI-VAL is coming up on Mothers Day weekend. The event will provide an opportunity for folks to get out after a long, hard, winter, get back in touch with old friends and listen to great folk music. Fiddler Tim Jenkins is shown here wearing a maycrown and waiting to play some music for the traditional maypole dance.

GAYS MILLS - Spring is here and the Gays Mills Folk Festival of Music and Danceis just around the corner! Come on down to beautiful Gays Mills, Wisconsin on Mother's Day weekend, May 10, 11 and 12, for music, dancing and fun activities for all ages.

New Location!This year, all Folk Festival activities will take place at the new Community Commerce Building at 16381 Highway 131, Gays Mills.

The festival kicks off Friday evening at 7 pm with a square, contra and old timey dance to live music. All dances are taught, no experience or partner needed, and all ages are welcome.

Saturday activities for the whole family start at noon and include May crown making, a May Pole dance, open jams and an open stage (bring your talent), instrumental workshops conducted by evening performers, and the ever-popular fiddle bee.

The Saturday evening concert begins at 7 p.m. and features performances by The Sweet Sheiks, Spencer and Rains, and Lou Shields. 

The Sweet Sheiksof Milwaukee will bring the energy of early jazz, vintage pop, delta blues and originals to the Festival stage, and will lead a workshop on unusual instruments like the washboard, tuba, and musical saw.

Spencer and Rains are known for their talented twin fiddle harmonies and vocals and for keeping traditional old time fiddle music alive. They'll teach a workshop on Old Time Fiddle of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and the Midwest. 

Folk musician Lou Shields shares his rich guitar, banjo, harmonica and foot percussion sound on the Folk Fest stage this year. He'll teach a guitar technique workshop and share about art, music, and the creative process.

Folk Fest winds down with a good old-fashioned Gospel Sing on Sunday at 11 a.m. Be sure to check out all the concurrent Gays Mills Spring Festival events, including an antique tractor pull, Little Britches Rodeo, Sunday Pancake Breakfast, and much more: www.gaysmillswi.com.

Ticket prices for the Gays Mills Folk Festival are $7 for the Friday night dance ($2 children), $17 for the Saturday night concert ($5 children). Saturday afternoon activities are by free will donation. More information may be obtained by calling 608-632-2720 or visiting the website at www.gaysmillsfolkfest.org.

The Gays Mills Folk Festival is a project of the Kickapoo Cultural Exchange. And is sponsored by WDRT 91.9 FM