Ann Arbor Folk Fest announces new format, partial lineup for 2026 - Detroit Metro Times

Ann Arbor Folk Festival Shakes Up Format for 49th Edition

The iconic Ann Arbor Folk Festival is making a change for its 49th edition, departing from the traditional two-night format in favor of a more eclectic approach. Instead of consecutive nights of up-and-coming and established folk and roots acts at Hill Auditorium, the festival will now feature a full concert by a headlining artist on Friday, January 30, followed by the classic format on Saturday, January 31.

According to festival organizers, this new format was inspired by audience feedback, signaling a shift towards more flexibility in the festival's programming. While specific details about the Friday night headliner remain under wraps until November 17, when they will be announced, the festival has already revealed its diverse and exciting lineup for Saturday.

Saturday's performances include an impressive array of local and international talent. Grand Rapids indie rock band the Crane Wives, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Amos Lee, Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes, Uganda-via-Texas act Jon Muq, University of Michigan student Nat Timmerman (performing as Rabbitology), and Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau will all take to the stage. Notably, Montbleau has been chosen to serve as the festival's MC.

Tickets for the 49th edition of Ann Arbor Folk Festival are now on sale, ranging from $56.60 to a whopping $281.50. Members can secure their spots starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, while the general public will have to wait until Friday at 10 a.m. More information and ticket purchases can be found on The Ark's website.

This bold move by the Ann Arbor Folk Festival promises to bring fresh energy to the beloved event, which has long been cherished by music enthusiasts in the community.
 
I'm so down for this new format! Giving one artist a solo night on Friday is gonna be lit ๐Ÿคฉ๐ŸŽธ. I mean, can you imagine seeing an amazing act like Dawes or Amos Lee go head-to-head without any other acts to open them up? It's all about the experience now, right? The Ark has gotta be thinking of their fans and wanting to make this a weekend to remember ๐Ÿค. And btw, Nat Timmerman as MC is genius! ๐Ÿ’ฏ
 
I'm so done with festivals that are just a rehash of the same old thing every year ๐Ÿ™„. I mean, who wants to sit through two nights of the same folk-y vibes? Give me something new and exciting for once! ๐Ÿคฏ The idea of having a big-name artist on Friday night sounds like a total game-changer. Like, imagine seeing Dawes or Amos Lee bring the house down on a Friday night ๐ŸŽธ. And let's be real, the fact that MC duties are being handed over to Ryan Montbleau is a genius move - he's already got a strong stage presence and can keep the energy going all night long ๐Ÿ’ƒ. Bring it on, I say!
 
๐ŸŽธ Omg I'm so down for this new format! It's all about mixing things up and giving fans a more dynamic experience ๐Ÿคฉ. I mean who doesn't love a surprise headliner on Friday night? ๐Ÿ˜ฎ The fact that it's been inspired by audience feedback is pretty cool too ๐Ÿ‘. It's all about catering to what people want and delivering something special ๐ŸŽ‰. And can we talk about the lineup for Saturday? ๐Ÿคฏ So many talented artists, I'm hyped! ๐Ÿ˜† MC duties for Ryan Montbleau? Yes please! ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™‚๏ธ The prices are a bit steep, but if it's all about the music then I say go for it ๐ŸŽต. It's always gonna be a blast at Ann Arbor Folk Festival, no matter what format they choose ๐ŸŽ‰
 
Omg ๐Ÿคฏ I'm so down for this new format! Having a headlining artist take over one night is gonna be SO cool ๐Ÿ˜Ž I mean, who doesn't love a good surprise performance? And having Montbleau as MC on Saturday sounds like a great idea ๐Ÿ™Œ He's got that chill vibe going on. What do you think about the ticket prices tho? $281.50 seems kinda steep ๐Ÿค‘ is it worth it for the whole festival experience?
 
Ugh, this new format sounds like a cash grab ๐Ÿค‘. I mean, who needs the excitement of not knowing what you're gonna get on Friday night? Now it's all about the big headliner and the rest is just filler. And $281.50 for tickets? Are they kidding me? That's highway robbery ๐Ÿ˜ฑ. I swear, they just want to milk the festival goers dry.
 
๐Ÿค” I'm not buying it, you know? They're trying to shake things up for the 49th edition, but what's really going on here? Maybe they're trying to make a quick buck with those super pricey tickets? ๐Ÿค‘ I mean, $281.50? That's just ridiculous! And what's with the surprise announcement of the headliner? Sounds like some kinda marketing ploy to me... ๐Ÿ˜ Plus, who's the mastermind behind this whole thing? The festival organizers or someone else entirely? Let me tell you, I'll be keeping a close eye on this one... ๐Ÿ‘€
 
omg I'm so hyped for the new format ๐Ÿคฉ! I mean, who doesn't love a surprise headliner on Friday? it's like Christmas every year ๐Ÿ˜‚. and can we talk about how awesome it is that MC Ryan Montbleau is part of the lineup too?! he's got such a great vibe going on ๐ŸŽถ. I'm all about trying new things and the festival is giving us that, so let's just go with it and see what we get ๐Ÿคž. also, who cares if tickets are a bit pricey? ๐Ÿค‘ it's worth it for an epic weekend of music!
 
Yaaas, I'm so hyped for this year's Ann Arbor Folk Fest ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽถ! The new format is gonna be SO much fun, and I love that they're shaking things up to cater to their amazing audience. Friday night headliner? Who cares who it is yet ๐Ÿ˜... just know it's gonna be EPIC! And the rest of Saturday's lineup is straight fire ๐Ÿ”ฅ! Montbleau as the MC is a great touch - can't wait for him to get this festival party started ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿ•บ!
 
the ann arbor folk fest is trying something new and i gotta say its kinda cool ๐Ÿค” they're thinking outside the box and giving the audience more options for friday night instead of just a bunch of up-and-coming acts. plus, having a headlining artist on friday adds an extra layer of excitement to the whole event ๐ŸŽ‰. im not gonna lie, the ticket prices are a bit steep, but hey, you get what you pay for and this is ann arbor we're talkin' about ๐Ÿ˜Š
 
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