Arcadia Folk Festival Returns for Fourth Year On Saturday, Sept. 17—And Greenest Ever!
Press Release
August 29, 2022
EASTHAMPTON and NORTHAMPTON, MA—The fourth-annual Arcadia Folk Festival at Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary is less than a month away!
Presented by premier concert promoter Signature Sounds, the festival will take place at the popular wildlife sanctuary in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley on Saturday, September 17, from 10 am to 6:30 pm.
Headliners for the all-day celebration of music and nature include Bonny Light Horseman, Brett Dennen, Sean Rowe and the Valley’s own Heather Maloney, Kimaya Diggs, and Cloudbelly.
And Arcadia Folk Festival 2022 will rank among the “greenest” concerts in the country, with a full-on commitment to environment/climate-centered actions and sustainable practices, including:
- Completely solar powered through Arcadia’s photo-voltaic arrays
- Zero waste
- Carbon neutral
- Food truck menus will be will 100% plant based
- Opportunities to engage in Climate Advocacy at the event
- Promotion of biking, including prizes for those who bike to the event
- Environmental education will be integrated into the festival
The concert aligns with Arcadia’s sanctuary-wide commitment to sustainability.
Arcadia Folk Festival is also family friendly—Carrie Ferguson and the Grumpytime Club Band will be on hand with music for kids and there will be nature arts and craft projects for kids throughout the day. Children 10 and under are always free.
“We’re super thrilled to play at Arcadia Folk Fest and be part of a festival that is so actively committed to sustainability,” says Bonny Light Horseman’s Anaïs Mitchell, who returns to the Folk Fest after having first performed at the Arcadia concert in 2019. “Festivals are a window into ‘the way the world could be’ and Arcadia is pointing the way so beautifully!”
Peter Hamelin, Director of Music for Signature Sounds, noted, “These days, many music festivals are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints. What’s different about Arcadia Folk Fest is we are focused on eliminating our carbon footprint and it’s not something we’re doing on the side.
“It is actually the reason for the event, Hamelin stressed. “We want to be the new model.”
Mass Audubon Director for Connecticut River Valley wildlife sanctuaries Jonah Keane said, “Not only are we showing how to minimize the impact of community events on the planet, we’re using the proceeds to advance our urgent work to actively protect the planet for people and wildlife.
“People who attend get to be a part of a beautiful event and enjoy a stellar lineup while also making an impact by supporting Mass Audubon’s important climate work,” Keane added.
Folk Fest tickets are $60; children 10 and under free.
About Mass Audubon
Mass Audubon is the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the greatest challenges facing the environment today: the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. With the help of our 160,000 members and supporters, we protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programs for adults and children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoors at our wildlife sanctuaries. Explore, find inspiration, and take action at massaudubon.org.