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

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Ann Arbor Folk Fest Shakes Up Lineup for 49th Edition, Taps Audience Feedback for Change.

For its 49th anniversary, the beloved Ann Arbor Folk Festival is breaking away from tradition. The festival's organizers have decided to mix things up by presenting a full concert from a headlining artist on Friday, January 30th, followed by the traditional format on Saturday, January 31st at the iconic Hill Auditorium.

According to the festival, this change was prompted by audience feedback, which suggests that fans are craving more variety and excitement in their festival experience. The decision to feature a full concert headliner on one night allows for a bigger stage presence and an immersive experience for attendees.

While the Friday night headliner has yet to be announced, the Saturday lineup is already taking shape. Performers include a diverse range of artists from various genres, including indie rock, folk rock, and singer-songwriter acts. The schedule boasts names like Grand Rapids' Crane Wives, Philadelphia's Amos Lee, Los Angeles-based Dawes, and Massachusetts' Ryan Montbleau, among others.

The festival is not only exciting for music fans but also serves as a fundraiser for the nonprofit venue The Ark, which plays a significant role in supporting local musical talent. Tickets to the event are now available, with prices ranging from $56.60 to $281.50. Fans can secure their spots starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday for members and 10 a.m. on Friday for the general public.

The Ann Arbor Folk Festival's willingness to adapt and innovate reflects its commitment to staying true to its artistic roots while catering to the evolving tastes of its audience. With this change, the festival aims to create an unforgettable experience that will leave attendees eager for more.
 
🎉 I'm all about it! The Ann Arbor Folk Fest is finally listening to their fans and shaking things up for a reason - to make it even better! 🙌 Giving us a full concert headliner on Friday night is a genius move, trust me! It's gonna be insane! 💥 And the fact that they're still keeping the tradition on Saturday just shows how much they care about preserving the soul of the festival. I'm stoked to see some amazing acts like Crane Wives and Amos Lee performing live. 🎸 This new format is a win-win for both the artists and the attendees! Can't wait for January 30th and 31st! 😆
 
Just got wind of the Ann Arbor Folk Fest changing things up for its 49th edition and I am STOKED 🤩! I mean, who doesn't love a good lineup shake-up? The fact that they're listening to fan feedback and trying out something new is really cool. It's all about giving the people what they want, right? A full concert headliner on Friday night is gonna bring some serious energy to the festival 🌟. And can we talk about the lineup for Saturday? I'm loving the mix of genres and local talent! Ryan Montbleau and Dawes are definitely two of my faves 👍. This festival is all about preserving its roots while still being modern and fresh, which is so admirable 💕.
 
Ugh, I wish my school had a music festival like this 🎵😍. We're always stuck in the auditorium and it's just so boring. I think it's awesome that they changed up the lineup though, it'll be way more fun to see some different acts on Friday. I'm kinda hoping they play some indie rock bands, we don't get much of those around here 🤘. And yay for supporting local talent, my school has a music program and it would be great if The Ark got some funding from events like this 💸. Tickets are pretty pricey tho, but I guess it's worth it for the full concert experience on Friday 🎟️.
 
🎸 I'm so stoked about this new direction for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest! I mean, who doesn't love a good concert headliner? 🤩 It's like a mini music fest on Friday night and then you get to see all these awesome artists on Saturday. My kids are going to freak out when they see Dawes on stage - their dad is obsessed with them! 😂

But what I love most about this change is that it shows the festival organizers are listening to the fans. They want to mix things up and try new things, and that's so cool. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we know you guys love us, but we also wanna shake things up a bit!" 💖 I'm already planning on getting tickets for my family - this is gonna be an unforgettable weekend! 🎉
 
I'm so stoked about the new direction the Ann Arbor Folk Festival is taking 🎉! I mean, who doesn't love a good surprise? Giving the audience some feedback and asking them what they want is a total win in my book. It's all about creating an immersive experience that keeps people engaged and excited throughout the festival 🤩. Plus, getting to see more artists and genres is always a bonus! I'm definitely checking out the lineup and hoping to snag some tickets 🎟️. The fact that it's also supporting a great cause like The Ark venue is just icing on the cake ❤️. Let's keep celebrating music and community in all its forms 💕
 
🤕 The fact that they have to shake things up like this is kinda worrying... I mean, what's next? 🚨 They're making changes based on audience feedback, but are they considering the long-term effects? 😬 Will this new format ruin the traditional vibe of the festival? 🎸 And what about the people who just wanna stick with the classic setup? 🤔 Not sure if I'm down for more variety, but hey, I guess it's their 49th anniversary and all... 🎉
 
I'm so stoked about the new format for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest 🤩! I mean, who doesn't love a good headlining show? And it's awesome that they listened to their audience and are trying out something new. I've been going to this fest since I was like 16, and I have to say, it's gonna be so cool to see some of my favorite artists perform in a whole concert format 🎸. Dawes is on the lineup? Yes, please! 😆 I'm also loving that they're supporting local talent through The Ark nonprofit venue - it's all about giving back, right? ❤️ Tickets are looking pretty sweet too, especially for die-hard fans like me who have to splurge a bit 🤑. All in all, I think this change is gonna make the fest even more epic than usual 🎉!
 
I love how they're shaking things up for their 49th edition 🤩! I mean, who doesn't want a bigger stage presence and an immersive experience? It's all about giving the fans what they want, you know? 😊 The decision to have a full concert headliner on one night is genius. And can we talk about how cool it is that they're featuring a diverse range of artists from different genres? 🎵 I'm definitely down for seeing some new names like Crane Wives and Dawes on the lineup! 💯 The fact that tickets are going up to $281.50 might be a bit steep for some people, but I guess you get what you pay for, right? 😅 Either way, it's always awesome to see events like this that support local talent and non-profits like The Ark 🎶💚
 
🎵 I'm so down with this new vibe for Ann Arbor Folk Fest 🤩! Giving the crowd what they want is always a great move, and it's awesome that the organizers are listening to feedback from fans. A full concert headliner on one night? 🔥 That sounds like an amazing way to get the festival started, and I'm stoked to see the lineup for Saturday too 🤩. And hey, supporting The Ark is always a good thing 🎶. Tickets seem reasonable enough too. Only downside is that it's gonna be pretty pricey for some people 💸. Still, if you're into folk and indie rock, this might just be the festival for you 🎵.
 
I'm loving this new vibe they're bringing to the Ann Arbor Folk Fest 🎉! It's so great that they're listening to their audience and making some changes to keep things fresh and exciting. I mean, who doesn't love a good headliner on Friday night? 😍 And it's awesome that they're still keeping the traditional format on Saturday, but with a few extra surprises thrown in. The lineup looks amazing too - can't wait to see Crane Wives, Amos Lee, Dawes, and Ryan Montbleau live 🎶! It's really cool to see an event like this not just about the music, but also about supporting local talent and giving back to the community ❤️.
 
I'm loving this new direction the Ann Arbor Folk Fest is taking 🤩🎸! Changing up the format and incorporating a full concert headliner on one night sounds like a great way to keep things fresh and exciting for fans. I mean, who doesn't love the idea of having an artist take over the whole stage for one night? It's gonna be lit! 🔥 And the fact that they're still keeping the traditional format on Saturday means there'll be plenty of variety for everyone. Plus, it's awesome to see the festival giving back to the community by supporting The Ark and local musical talent 🎶. I'm already stoked to get my tickets and experience this new vibe!
 
idk why they're doin this 🤔 - a full concert headliner on Friday? it sounds like they just wanna charge ppl more for the same old fest vibes 🤑 and what's up with the prices? $56.60 to $281.50? that's outta control 💸 still, i guess its cool that the festival is listening to audience feedback and tryin to mix things up a bit 🎉 but i'm all about keepin it traditional at the end of the day 👌
 
I love how they're listening to their fans and making changes to keep things fresh! It's all about giving people what they want 🎉🔥. I mean, who doesn't want a bigger stage presence and some extra variety in their festival experience? The lineup looks awesome btw - can't wait to see Crane Wives, Amos Lee, and Dawes live 🤩💕! The fact that it's also supporting local talent is a big bonus too 🙌. It's all about giving back to the community and making something special for everyone involved 🎶👍.
 
OMG, I'm literally hyped about this 🤩! The Ann Arbor Folk Fest is shaking things up and it's so on point 🔥! I love how they're listening to their audience feedback and making changes to bring them what they want. It's all about that immersive experience, you know? 🎵 And the lineup? Yaaas, it's a dream come true for music lovers like me! I'm low-key excited to see Amos Lee perform 😍. The fact that it's a fundraiser for The Ark is also giving me all the feels ❤️. It just goes to show that festivals can be so much more than just a fun event – they can also make a real difference in their community 🌟. Can't wait to get my tickets and enjoy this epic fest! 🎉
 
I'm loving this move by the Ann Arbor Folk Fest! They're really listening to their audience and adapting to keep things fresh. I mean, who doesn't want a bigger stage presence on Friday night? It's all about giving fans what they want - excitement and variety. The fact that it's still staying true to its artistic roots is awesome too 🤩. And supporting local musical talent through the non-profit venue The Ark is just another reason to be stoked. Let's keep festivals pushing boundaries and innovating for their audiences!
 
I'm loving the fact that they're shaking things up at the Ann Arbor Folk Fest! 🎉 It's awesome that they listened to fan feedback and made a change that'll bring some excitement to the event. I mean, who doesn't love a good headliner show? 💥 Plus, it's great that they're still keeping it traditional on Saturdays, so fans of all genres can still enjoy the music they love. The lineup looks amazing, btw - Dawes and Ryan Montbleau are two of my faves! 🎸👍 I'm curious to see who they'll get for Friday night's headliner... 🤔
 
I'm stoked they're shaking things up! I mean, it's great that they're listening to fan feedback and trying to mix things up. But, I gotta wonder, what if it doesn't quite work out? 🤔 Are they gonna be stuck with a headliner who's not really their cup of tea on Friday night? 🎶 Still super excited about the lineup though - love that it's got some great indie rock and folk acts. Not sure about the pricing tho... $281.50 is a bit steep for me 😬 Guess you'll just have to wait and see how it all comes together! 👀
 
omg i'm so down for this new lineup idea 🤩🎵!!! it's always cool to see festivals take feedback from fans and use it to make some changes. i love how they're mixing things up with a full concert headliner on friday night, that's gonna be epic! 🌟 the Saturday lineup looks pretty awesome too, can't wait to check out crane wives and amos lee 🎸👏

i think this is a great example of how festivals can stay relevant while still staying true to their roots. it's all about finding that balance between tradition and innovation 🤝. and let's be real, who doesn't love a good fundraiser? 😊
 
🎸 Ah, great, because what every music fest needs is a full-on concert on Friday night... sounds like a recipe for burnout 🤯. I mean, who doesn't love overpaying for tickets and dealing with crowds? 😂 On the bright side, it's cool that they're listening to audience feedback and trying to mix things up. Let's hope they don't end up just playing the same 10 artists on repeat all weekend... 🎶
 
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