A shot of a previous Great Lakes Folk Festival in East Lansing that the city used in its 2010-2011 Community Guide.

Planning Moves Forward for Possible 2025 Folk Festival

The last time East Lansing hosted the Great Lakes Folk Festival in 2017, police estimated the event drew between 70,000 and 80,000 attendees, as music lovers from around the region flocked to the city. 

A city committee working to revive the festival is exploring the idea of bringing back a smaller version of the festival this summer, paving the way for a larger festival in future years. 

The committee suggested that over four days–Thursday to Sunday–the city would host a performance typically offered at the full version of the festival, allowing people to experience a “Flavor” of what the full folk festival would look like in 2026. 

A draft proposal of events for the “Flavor” Folk Festival gives early indication of what the 2025 version of the event could look like. 

The draft event schedule shows four hours or fewer of programming each day Thursday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 10. The proposed festival this year would include a range of music and activities like dance lessons. 

A proposed schedule of events that was presented at the Feb. 24 Folk Festival Study Committee meeting.

The committee is forming recommendations for a new festival that will be passed on to City Council. 

“What we’re doing here is a feasibility recommendation to the council, it’s not a full-fledged plan for a festival,” explained Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission Chair Sarah Reckhow, who volunteers on the Folk Festival Committee. “I would say a lot of people on the committee have voiced recommendations about how we have a strong music scene here and the upsides of promoting local artists, and I think there’s a lot of agreement on that.”

Assistant Director of Parks, Recreation and Arts Justin Drwencke explained in an email that the study committee will review the recommended event schedule again at its next meeting later this month and then vote whether or not to send it to council. If it is sent to council for approval, the expenses for the festival would be approved as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget. 

A leading advocate for reviving the festival has been Councilmember Mark Meadows, who has served as a liaison to the committee. 

The festival prioritizes community building, “bringing together young and old for a shared experience that everyone can enjoy,” Meadows said. 

To gauge community interest and help steer the formation of a new festival, the Folk Festival Study Committee created a survey, available between Dec. 6, 2024, to Jan. 26, 2025, to gather feedback on the previously held festival. The survey fetched results from 623 respondents. 

Of the participants, 491 had previously attended either the Great Lakes Folk Festival or the National Folk Festival, and 70% rated their experience as “very satisfied.” 

Results of a survey showing community feelings about the Folk Festival. (From agenda packet)

There was a variety of opinions shared in the survey, with a common theme that many families looked forward to the festival, making it one of their most memorable local family experiences. Further, many participants enjoyed the fact that the event was free and featured a diverse range of music. 

Survey responses showed why many community members valued the festival. Some of these responses include: “It was one of the core activities for us, making the time when summer was drawing to a close and we were starting to transition to go back to school season.” “I loved the dance stages where you would see whole families dancing,” and “This was the best experience of my childhood. Very dear memories with my family that I will carry with me forever. Bringing this back would bring me and my parents so much joy.” 

Results of a survey showing community members’ favorite activities at the Folk Festival. (From agenda packet)

The festival also raises foot traffic in the downtown area, benefitting local businesses. As a result, some local companies have interest in sponsoring a new iteration of the festival. Reckhow, pointed out that the festival was held during the summer when businesses see a decrease in traffic with Michigan State University students gone. 

Finding sponsors for the event will be key. While feedback to the idea of bringing Folk Festival back was mostly positive, some respondents voiced opposition to using city resources to pay for a new festival. 

Survey respondents were asked to rank their priorities for the Folk Festival. The top priorities were: live music, culture/tradition sharing, sound quality (speakers/equipment) and nearby public restrooms. 

The most-voted music genres people want to hear are Folk, Blues, World, Jazz, R&B/Soul, and Latin. 

The committee will meet again Monday, March 31, where it may decide to send the draft event schedule to council to consider.