Stay tuned for future details to be posted here.

Dear Friends of CT Folk,

On behalf of CT Folk’s board of directors and staff, we hope you and your families keep well in the weeks ahead, and that we all take time to appreciate the people and things for which we are truly grateful. With the spread of the COVID-19 virus globally, and now in the US, we find ourselves living through unprecedented times (at least in our lifetime); it gives us pause to examine our place at home and in the world, and how we might contribute to the well-being of our neighbors, near and far. I am also using this time to declutter, taking stock of those things which take up less-than-necessary space in my home, heart and head. I hope we all come though this with a bit more insight, and a bit more empathy — while keeping our sense of humor and joie de vivre.

At this time, we wish to advise that CT Folk has canceled its Folk Friday concert on April 3^rd, our annual auditions night. Eight to ten finalists (comprised of both individuals and bands) were to have performed, while our viewing audience was to have helped us select two of these finalists, who will then perform at our Folk Festival & Green Expo on September 12th. To continue with this process, and to keep you all happily engaged with CT Folk, we will now take the audience part of the selection process online. Stay tuned for details about how you can provide feedback on your favorite finalists in the weeks ahead. We will update this info via e-mail, and post on our website, where we also ask you to consider making a contribution to CT Folk, no matter how small, to help make up for lost revenues, and as we look to new ways to keep the music and merriment coming.

We have also made the difficult decision to cancel our May 1^st concert, to have featured wonderful musicians, Joe Jencks and Windborne, with powerful vocal harmonies. This was to have been a celebration of May Day and the labor movement, as co-sponsored by the Greater New Haven Labor History Association. We hope to have these terrific artists perform for you during the next concert season. And in keeping with this theme, please do visit these musicians’ websites (links included above) to purchase merchandise, listen in with on-line opportunities and/or consider donating to them, keeping in mind that they, as well as our larger artist community, are looking to make up for canceled performances and other lost revenues.

While we do not know when the pandemic will subside, we have hopes that CT Folk’s festival and green expo will go on as scheduled on September 12^th, and provide a magical, musical and fun day for all. (CT Folk had also hoped to co-sponsor some fun outdoor concerts this summer, but have currently put these plans on hold.) While we all stay as close to home as possible, may you continue to connect with loved ones, enjoy lots of good music — and put on those walking… or (in-home) dancing shoes.

With best wishes,

Lisa Kaston, CT Folk Board President

and CT Folk Board of Directors