Chicago Folk & Roots Festival - 2008

Saturday, July 12th & Sunday, July 13th | Noon - 9:30 PM
Welles Park - Lincoln and Montrose in Chicago

Festival Information

When is the festival?

The 2008 Chicago Folk & Roots Festival will be held Saturday, July 12th, and Sunday, July 13th. The gates open at noon each day - and the music runs until the city shuts us down at 9:30PM.

Where is the festival?

The festival is held in Welles Park - between Montrose and Sunnyside along Lincoln Avenue, directly across from the Sulzer Library. Here's a map.

I'd like to be a vendor at the Festival this year - who should I talk to?

Contact Tim Harkins at tharkins@oldtownschool.org or 773.751.3342.

Click for Vendor Info and Application and the Additional Application Required for Food Vendors.

I'd like to market my company through a sponsorship- who should I talk to?

Sponsors provide critical support for the Festival and are vital to its success. Contact Mary Ruth Coffey at mrcoffey@oldtownschool.org or 773.751.3308 for more information. You can also check out this sponsorship information packet.

How do I get to the festival?

Please avoid the hassles of trying to find parking, and don't drive.

The Western station on the CTA's Brown Line is two blocks north of the festival on Lincoln Avenue, and both the Lincoln Avenue bus and the Western Avenue bus stop within blocks of the festival as well. The CTA has a handy little trip planner on their web site to help you speed your way here.

If you bike, we'll have plenty of rack space near each of the three entrances - no bikes will be allowed on the grounds of the festival.

How much does it cost to enter?

We kindly ask for a $7 donation ($3 for seniors, 65 and over, and $3 for kids). Your donation helps support not only our ability to put on the festival each year, but also all the rest of the School's programs - did we mention that we're a not-for-profit organization?
$50 and $100 bills, while perfectly valid currency, won't be accepted - please don't take it personally.

Is there an ATM around here somewhere?

North of the festival, there are two banks near the corner of Lincoln and Wilson Avenues. South of the festival, there is an ATM at the Golden Angel Pancake House and another at the Jewel at Lincoln and Cullom.

Can I bring my dog?

Sorry, but dogs are not permitted at the Folk and Roots Festival unless they are service animals.

Can I bring refreshments?

We can't allow coolers, glass bottles or cans into the park.

Can I record any of the performances?

Sorry, but at the request of our artists no recording devices will be allowed.

Where is the lost and found?

Any lost items we find will be kept at the Old Town School's Membership tent on Lincoln Avenue.