A Folk Celebration

With events as airy as a dulcimer workshop and as earthy as a dirty-song sing-along, this weekend’s folk festival at Cal State Northridge promises something for everyone.

Called the Summer Solstice Folk Music and Dance Festival, the two-day, two-night show is in its 10th year and has attained a national reputation.

The $20 daytime admission buys participation in a wide variety of workshops and browsing at crafts and food booths. There will be dozens of workshops Saturday and Sunday. Instruments to be taught include Celtic harp, bagpipes, handbells, bones and spoons and more common folk instruments such as guitar.

“If you want to play the bowed psaltery, you can borrow one at the festival,” said principal organizer Elaine Weissman of Tarzana. “It’s a diamond-shaped instrument with about a dozen strings, and it’s a lot of fun.”

There will be 14 singing workshops daily, numerous others on dances from several countries and some designed for children. For lovers of primitive music, there will be a workshop on Cahuilla Indian bird songs.

Also scheduled are small concerts every 20 minutes on an outdoor stage.

Much larger concerts will take place tonight and Saturday night in the 1,000-seat Northridge Center. The 3 1/2-hour events will feature dozens of performers. Audience members will be free to leave and return as they wish.

There also will be dances both nights in The Pub. Tonight’s theme will be American folk, featuring contra dances, combination reels, square dances and line dances. Saturday’s dance is Cajun.

The concert and dance tonight cost $8 each. The prices are $10 Saturday night.

“You’ll learn how to become a nonprofit group, how to write a grant request, how to become part of a touring roster,” Weissman said. “You’ll meet the people who are out there in the multicultural arts community.”

Dinner will be sold from a variety of ethnic food stands between 6 and 8 each night.

“People come from all over the U.S. and Canada for this,” Weissman said. “We’re the biggest participatory folk music event in the United States. About half our 110 musicians will be in from out of town. Then there are people who come in because they can’t learn or hear these instruments from live people any place else.”

Among the major folk artists to appear will be Irish fiddler Seamus Connolly, Scottish guitarist Tony Cuffe and Southern fiddler Ralph Blizard.

“It’s an opportunity to sit in with some of the top artists in the field,” said Frank Javorsek, owner of the Blue Ridge Pickin’ Parlor music store in Canoga Park. “But a lot of people don’t realize that the workshops are entertaining. You don’t have to be a player to enjoy them. Some of them can be as lively as a stage performance.”

Among this year’s workshops will be a panel session for folk music lovers who wish to form organizations. It is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Clarita Room.

“You’ll learn how to become a nonprofit group, how to write a grant request, how to become part of touring roster,” Weissman said. “You’ll meet the people who are out there in the multicultural arts community.”

A workshop featuring Cahuilla Indian bird-song singers is also scheduled.

Summer Solstice Folk Music and Dance Festival runs tonight, Saturday and Sunday at Cal State Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St. Daytime events are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $20, free to children 6 and under. Nighttime concerts and dances begin at 8 and cost $8 each tonight, $10 each tomorrow. For information, (818) 342-7664 or (818) 885-2251.