Willow Creek Folkfestial .Stockton .Illinois

[Rollie]

Aug 10th thru Aug 12th .The Willow Creek Folk fest In Stockton Illinois is a fun camp and jam type event . Lots of spontaneous jams thruout the day and night . All acoustic styles from Bluegrass ,folk to Django ,old time etc... A good chance to camp and jam under the stars .:up: google for details

[jwbry]

Wow, did that dredge up memories! I went to the first couple. If you got up on the hay wagon and performed you'd get a bowl of the community stew free. John Prine drove out from Chicago, did a few numbers.....

If it's anything like it was, highly recommended!

/john

[Chicago Sandy]

darn--will be in DC the 10-11 and playing a service in Park Forest the 12th. Sounds like fun. There's always Fox Valley Folk Fest Laor Day weekend, though.

[Marshall]

Couldn't find much on line about Willow Creek Folk Fest. I might be able to swing out for part of a day, if I can find more about it. No camping for me, though. (May have to see if I can figure out how to safely strap a guitar on my motorcycle ;) ).

Labor Day I'll be at a friend's daughter's wedding.

[Rollie]

Hey Marshall ,Try this link www.folkjam.org/festival/us/illinois/stockton/willow-creek-folk-festival With this link you can also search for other festivals and jam sessions all over the the world .

[Marshall]

Thanks, Rollie. That's the link I found too. It doesn't say anything about schedule or what goes on. Are there scheduled performers? Is there an open mic? Or is this just an informal gathering?

[Rollie]

It's a small fest , maybe 300 + people . With an open mike . Informal jams taking place throut the pasture campground. Lots of campfire jams . Just strap on your guitar and walk the camp and meet folks and do some pickin:guitar: you can google willow folk festival for some vids of the fest last year .It comes up as the 5th hit on the first page . a harmony central video

[Marshall]

So how was it ? (I couldn't get away)

[jojo25]

I am the one that posted Willow on the folk jam site...this year was the 40th. It was good over all. We had a big wind (60 MPH) early Sunday morn (1 AM) that blew away a lot of tents and canopies (but not mine!!). Lots of folks left at that point, but I stayed and carried on with more tunes.

This year was a bit different in that the organizers were reacting to a brawl in the campground that happened 2 years ago. So this year, security came and told us to stop playing tunes at 1:30 AM on sat morn...bummer...but we lived with it as a temporary reaction to a bad scene...it should loosen up again in the future...in the past a lot of good tunes happened at 3 AM or so...but obnoxious drummers and other crazies also carry on at that hour and ruin it for the rest of us!!

Only other compliants are too many dogs...I love dogs but not at festivals!...the rules are supposed to prohibit dogs but the organizers haven't figured out hope to enforce this rule yet I guess

and...too many folks hogging the spotlight on the stage...they sign themselves up for their 15 minutes...then their wife/husband/lover signs up next...then their buddy next...then their uncle next...and they end up being on stage for an hour straight!!!...it's not supposed to be that way...no matter how good you are...do your 15 minutes and go away and let the rest of the folks have their time

[Rollie]

I had a good time . The setting is like going back in time 80 years . A barn built around the centennial , cows mooing in the pasture .Set the mood for an old time folksy feel . A welcome change to the hustle of every day life. No rowdies this year . Last years drum circle crowd were very annoying .Keep it at Bonnaroo .The wind storm did cause quite a stir . Tents and 60 mph winds don't mix to well. My tent held up fine. It would flatten out then pop right back up waiting for the next big gust.:eek:I admit to running for the cover of my Jeep . Luckily the worst part of the storm missed the campground , and stars were back out in 15 minutes .Had a good time ,good for the soul.