NEFFA attracts over 2000 attendees from all over the country and overseas and features close to 1000 performers. The Festival is unique because of the participatory nature of the events. Not only are there concerts and performances, but there are also opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with music, dance, and folk arts culture.
There is music everywhere! You will find jam sessions, instrument workshops, group singing, and traditional music throughout the Festival.
This year, we are bringing back the activities space, with crafts projects for people of all ages, and we we offer family-friendly dances and music events throughout the daytime hours on Saturday and Sunday.
Schedule of Events:
7:00pm
Israeli Dancing for All -- Joan & Jim Savitt -- Ballroom AB (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Welcome to NEFFA ECD! -- Barbara Finney, Caravan -- Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) (50 min.)
A Cappella Coachfest -- Colleyospin -- Duchess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Intro to International Folk Dance -- Val Medve -- Marlborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Sound Basics -- Nick Loy -- Princess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Contemporary Sea Songs of Survival and Distress -- Charlie Ipcar -- Seminar (Hotel East) (50 min.)
A Tale or Two -- Tampico -- Sterling (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Favorite Old Time Tunes Slow Jam -- Berlin Jam Friends -- Trade Center Tent (50 min.)
Smooth and Crunchy Contras -- Carl Levine, Roaring Jelly -- Trade Center West (50 min.)
Romanian Jam/Teach -- Ralph Iverson -- Westborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
7:30pm
Fiddle without Pain -- Carol Kycia -- Southborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
8:00pm
Greek Dance -- Platana -- Ballroom AB (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Remembering Christine Helwig (ECD) -- Sam Rotenberg, GCD Demo Team Band -- Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Echoes of Caledonia -- Anna Seda and the Scottish Cello Revivalists -- Duchess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Contra for Beginners -- Ben Sachs-Hamilton, Cojiro -- Marlborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Songs from All Over -- The All Girl Band -- Princess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Exploring Beyond the Traditions -- Casey Murray & Molly Tucker -- Seminar (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Old Time Backup Guitar Basics -- Chris Reckling -- Sterling (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Sea Chanteys 101 -- Chris Maden -- Sudbury (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Songs with Boisterous Shouting!! -- Red Kovatch -- Trade Center Tent (50 min.)
Keen Contras -- Rick Mohr, Dogtown -- Trade Center West (50 min.)
FSSGB Song Swap -- Folk Song Society of Greater Boston -- Westborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
8:30pm
Southern New England Fiddle Tunes -- Southern New England Fiddlers -- Southborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
9:00pm
International Folk Dance -- Cambridge Folk Orchestra -- Ballroom AB (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Beautiful Waltzes -- Confluence -- Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Tunes from Old England -- Tim Cunningham -- Duchess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
English Country Dance: A Gentle Introduction -- Alan Winston, Alias -- Marlborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
The Irish Tradition Influence -- Jim Sharkey -- Princess (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Ginger Sea 'Neath the Celtic Moon -- Harbortown -- Seminar (Hotel East) (50 min.)
Folk & Fusion Music & Dance -- Meraki Caravan -- Sterling (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Supernatural Songs and Stories -- Heidi Slaney, Jess Accetta -- Sudbury (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Pub Sing -- Jeff Keller, Mike Gibson -- Trade Center Tent (150 min.)
Contra Medley -- Kingfisher -- Trade Center West (20 min.)
Whistling Whorkshop -- Jonathan Danforth, Ari Erlbaum -- Westborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
9:30pm
Old Time Fiddle and Banjo Duets -- Long Lost String Band -- Southborough (Hotel West) (50 min.)
Go with the Flow! Contras -- Alexandra Deis-Lauby, Kingfisher -- Trade Center West (50 min.)
10:00pm
Bulgarian Line Dances -- Divi Zheni, Zornitsa -- Ballroom AB (Hotel East) (90 min.)
The Gaze in the Dance: Challenging ECD -- Anna Rain, Pandora -- Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) (90 min.)
Fusion Dance -- Boston Fusion Dance Community -- Marlborough (Hotel West) (90 min.)
10:30pm
Will They, Won't They Contras -- Dylan Simpson, The Orphans -- Trade Center West (60 min.)
