folk fest 2025
Performances
3 - 3:45 pm
Storytelling Workshop
Explore story structure and experiment with oral storytelling, a time honored folk tradition, with the founder and facilitator of "Stories in the Time of" (@storiesinthetimeof on insta), Nicole Gallagher. Chime in with your own stories, or just listen. No experience necessary!
4:30 - 4:45 pm
Office B**ches Fighting Capoeira Dance
Dante (they/them), Luis (he/him), Air (they/them) perform "Office B**ches Fighting"; which blends vocabulary from various movement and performance traditions including but not limited to, capoeira, stage combat, and vogue to tell an everyday story about contemporary labor. Tensions rise as bubbles surface at the workplace for a nondescript desk job. Two salary people have something within them that needs to get out, but the elevator music drowns out any semblance of dialog. It’s not clear if they’re trying to help each other genuinely or if they’re trying to hurt each other. They both just want to act normal.?️
5 - 5:30 pm
Original folk tunes w/ Howling Mob
Howling Mob @howlingmob - Howling Mob is a Pittsburgh Folk and Country band formed by Art Lindsay and Hannah Standiford. We play the music of the rivers and hills that surround our region. We sing to the hard times of the past, and the hard times right now. Rooted in solidarity of the working class folks. ⛰️
5:45 - 6:15 pm
Traditional Choctaw dance and meditation on the land with Emeyuwa
6:15 - 7:00 pm
SCIBurgh Poetry Slam w/ special guest Keivon "Harly" Brown
SCi-Burgh is an eclectic fusion of voices and visions. An artistic collective rooted in steel, soul, and story. Though our mediums may vary through poetry, spoken word, photography, and visual arts, we are all united in language, rhythm, and the act of creating. SCi-Burgh isn’t just a name; WE are a living poem.
Workshops & more
4 - 4:45 pm
Local Pigments & Place w
/
@sierraweir - Pigments provide a glimpse into the voice of the land that exists around us and within us. Our contemporary landscape reflects not only a beautiful native ecosystem, but also the violent effects of colonialism and industrialization which has resulted in pollution, biodiversity loss, and cultural disconnection from place. Foraging and mark-making with colored materials increase our ecological connections and results in visual records of the land that are permeated with the feelings, experiences, and histories of those who live here.
Local Pigments & Place Workshop w/ Sierra Weir
(in the Art tent)
Local Pigments & Place w
/
@sierraweir - Pigments provide a glimpse into the voice of the land that exists around us and within us. Our contemporary landscape reflects not only a beautiful native ecosystem, but also the violent effects of colonialism and industrialization which has resulted in pollution, biodiversity loss, and cultural disconnection from place. Foraging and mark-making with colored materials increase our ecological connections and results in visual records of the land that are permeated with the feelings, experiences, and histories of those who live here.
5 - 5:45 pm
Tour of the Historic Pump House w/ Jon Engle of Rivers of Steel
Join Jon Engle, tour guide and folk arts programming manager with the local heritage organization Rivers of Steel (who are also our fiscal sponsor), to learn about the steel mill that used to occupy the land and the exciting and tragic historic labor strike, the Battle of Homestead of 1892, which shaped American labor rights movements and union solidarity for decades to follow. The very first shots of the violent clash took place right on the Pump House grounds.
1 - 7 pm
Open all weekend, Low Sensory Hour 1pm - 2pm, Masks required hours 1-3pm
folkFEST Art Exhibition: New Folk for Today's Folk
(inside the Pump House)
Open all weekend, Low Sensory Hour 1pm - 2pm, Masks required hours 1-3pm
Food Truck
2 - 6 pm
Kilamangaro Flavour
Our mission is to bring the taste of Tanzania to your table, blending East African culinary traditions with modern convenience. https://www.kilimanjaroflavor.com/menu
Performances & Talks
3 - 3:30pm
Musical performances by Aaleah Oliver & ICONIC TONIC
3:45 - 4:15pm
Beans, Agro Policy, & Farmworkers' Rights (a chat) w/ Adrienne Nelson
Adrienne not only runs a farm of her own growing beans and grains galore, but also helps advocate for and steward the next generation of farmers as Northern Appalachia Regional Organizing Manager with the @youngfarmerscoalition. Whether advocating for farmworker rights, creating solidarity in the worker movement, or considering climate change and farming, Adrienne is kind of like the beans she grows — leaving the environment a little better than it was before.
4:30 - 4:45 pm
Songs with the Pittsburgh Labor Choir
Sing along (or not) with some traditional union songs & anti-fascist songs, no experience required!
5:45 pm - 6 pm
Office B**ches Fighting Capoeira Dance
Dante (they/them), Luis (he/him), Air (they/them) perform "Office B**ches Fighting"; which blends vocabulary from various movement and performance traditions including but not limited to, capoeira, stage combat, and vogue to tell an everyday story about contemporary labor. Tensions rise as bubbles surface at the workplace for a nondescript desk job. Two salary people have something within them that needs to get out, but the elevator music drowns out any semblance of dialog. It’s not clear if they’re trying to help each other genuinely or if they’re trying to hurt each other. They both just want to act normal.?️
6:15 - 6:30 pm
Soundscaping with Viii Dorsey
Viii (she/her)'s magical musical practice combines rhythm, music, vocals and ambient sound to create transformative, spiritual experiences. Listen or chime in to help Viii build a soundscape, live and in action!
Workshops & more
2 - 6 pm
Quiltivate screenprinting workshop w/ Quaishawn Whitlock
Quaishawn Whitlock will be teaching and demonstrating screen-printing throughout the day at his table in the art tent.
3 - 5pm
Atmospheric DJ sets w/ DJ Mary Mack & DJ Malzof
Inside the Pump House! DJ Mary Mack (she/her) 3-4pm, DJ Malzof (they/them) 4-5pm
3 - 3:45 pm & 5 - 5:45 pm
Tours of the Historic Pump House w/ Jon Engle of Rivers of Steel
Join Jon Engle, tour guide and folk arts programming manager with the local heritage organization Rivers of Steel (who are also our fiscal sponsor), to learn about the steel mill that used to occupy the land and the exciting and tragic historic labor strike, the Battle of Homestead of 1892, which shaped American labor rights movements and union solidarity for decades to follow. The very first shots of the violent clash took place right on the Pump House ground. This does involve walking or moving around the property outside.
5 - 5:45 pm
Clowning: A Workshop Exploring Place w/ Bayley Brown the Clown
w/ @bayleybbrown.Clown is an important art form that allows the clown and the audience the freedom to discuss inequalities in our society and discover solutions by finding bridged experiences. Appalachia is in my bones and it filters into everything I do. It means to be hard working, and yet caring. To feel at home when surrounded by mountains. To come up with creative solutions. To help your neighbor. I hope to hold a workshop to allow people to explore these themes, to come together, to heal.
6:30 - 7pm
Join us (and our puppets!) as we move together and joyfully and ceremonially bring folkFEST 2025 to a close! Not to be missed!
"These Hollow Hills" Closing Ritual & Puppet Parade
w/ Sara Tang, Greg Manley, Fitzhugh Shaw, Viii Dorsey
Join us (and our puppets!) as we move together and joyfully and ceremonially bring folkFEST 2025 to a close! Not to be missed!
Food Truck
1 - 7 pm
Los Gallitos Tacos PGH
We’re Los Gallitos PGH, and we’ve been serving Mexican food here in Pittsburgh, PA, since 2022. We offer tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more. We started this business because we love cooking Mexican food. https://losgallitospgh.com/