Great River Folk Festival

Annual event, 8/24-26, Riverside Park, LaCrosse, with dance, crafts, kids' activities, workshops. Friday: Pert Near Sandstone, Them Coulee Boys 7 pm. Saturday: Dead Horses, Willy Porter & Carmen Nickerson, Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, Five Letter Word 5 pm. greatriverfolkfest.org. 608-784-3033.
press release: The Great River Folk Fest welcomes back Pert Near Sandstone and Them Coulee Boys for a raucous Friday night kick-off concert.
Pert Near Sandstone burst onto the American roots music scene in a flurry of fiddling, picking, and stomping. The Minneapolis based bluegrass/newgrass band earned performances everywhere from the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival to “A Prairie Home Companion,” and shared bills on the road with the likes of Trampled by Turtles, Del McCoury, and Yonder Mountain String Band. Their music has been described as a “Midwestern stamp on Appalachian” and “masterfully and jubilantly plucked.” Bring your dancing shoes!
Them Coulee Boys are back to open a Friday night of high energy and dancing. They have crafted a brand of Americana that blends punk, bluegrass, and rock ’n’ roll. And somewhere underneath the energy, the exuberance, the wit, and the passion lies a heart of sincerity, honesty, and the will to make our world a better place.
Soren Staff, Beau Janke, Jens Staff, and Neil Krause work together as a well-oiled alt-folk machine to craft songs and shows that have impressed audiences nationwide.
Music, Crafts and Fun All Weekend
Three stages, children’s activities and entertainment, juried crafts, craft demonstrations, dance, and fine food and drink all day Saturday and Sunday!
Here are some of our featured performers:
- Pert Near Sandstone
- Them Coulee Boys
- Dead Horses
- Five Letter Word (photo at right)
- Jordan Tice
- Peter Mulvey with Sista Strings and Nathan Kilen
- Willy Porter and Carmen Nickerson
- The Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers
- Tom Draughon
- Michael Scott
- and many more
See more information on Performers at GreatRiverFolkFest.org/