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Spokane Folklore Society Index

Calendar of Dances
Current Newsletter
Fall Folk Festival
  Lady of the Lake
Membership information
SFS welcome page
About SFS
Code of Conduct
Discipline Policy
History, old Newsletters
and Photo Archives


Performers' Referral List:
Bands
Contra  Dance Bands
Contra Dance Callers
Children's Entertainment
Dance Instruction
Dance Performance
 Musicians/instrumentalists
Music Teachers
Singers, Duos, Choirs
Spoken Word
OTHER CONTACTS:
Festivals & Camps
Local related organizations etc.
Instrument builders and repair
Local Folk Venues
Jams
Local related organizations
 Web resources

Contact Spokane Folklore Society (email link)

Support our Business Members:

David Lohman
Collaborative Lawyer
A healthier alternative for divorcing and separating couples
Licensed in Idaho and Washington
DavidWLohman@hotmail.com 
(208) 664-5544

The Mardi Gras Growlers
"The Best Mardi Gras Party Band" West of New Orleans. Funk, Jazz, Blues, Sultry Sounds and Powerful Vocals.
Booking Private Parties, Special Events and Festivals. Visit MardiGrasGrowlers.Com.

Geoff Seitz in St. Louis.
He makes violins and sells other violins and instruments. 

Interested? email Geoff  at Seitzviolins@sbcglobal.net.


You can promote your business and support the Folklore Society
with a business membership--$100/year



Webmaster: Brad Sondahl
Email the webmaster with additions, corrections, and kind words


Welcome to the
Spokane Folklore Society


Contra Dancing in February


 
   Contra Dancing in February

 

SFS sponsored contra dances in February promise to bring great joy and welcoming light to the grey winter days.  On the first Wednesday February 5, our Jam Band returns after a spirited dance in January.  They are really grooving!  Karen Wilson Bell will share the stage with two or three other of our favorite callers. 

Our annual Valentine’s Dance on Saturday February 8 at the East Spokane Grange features the driving old time fiddle tunes of the River City Ramblers with Nancy Staub calling Valentine favorite contras like Be My Valentine.  Bring your favorite dessert to share.

On the third Wednesday February 19 returns to the Woman’s Club Hall with Ray Polhemus making his first appearance of the season.  The intergenerational band Dog Paw plays an amazing range of old time to Irish tunes. 

Hope to see you at a dance this February! 

   
New Second Saturday Admission Rates
For the past two years, admission rates for the second Saturday dances have been the same as our Wednesday ones even though they are an hour longer.  Because our bands and callers have been paid about the same for either Wednesday or Saturday dances during this time, the SFS board has decided to the SFS board decided to increase the guarantee for callers and musicians in order to align more fairly with three hours of dancing.  In order to cover these additional costs, the board has increased admission rates by $2 per person.  New rates are $12 for general admission; $9 for SFS members.  We want to thank you in advance for supporting this change.  Our musicians and callers deserve this increase in their stipends.  Admission rates for our two hour Wednesday dances remain the same, $10 for general admission and $7 for SFS members.


As a result of a recent poll of SFS members, there will be no Covid protocols in place until further notice.  Good health is required.  Masking is respected.

 


2024 Fall Folk Festival photos and video samplers are at this link...

Membership Information:

        It is time to renew your SFS membership.  If you are joining for the first time, your membership will help to fund the operations of the SFS.  In addition, you will receive $3 discounts at our Wednesday dances.  Also, you will receive our monthly newsletter as well as any updates and announcements. You can join by accessing the membership form through the following link.  Link for a full year membership  Fill it out  and mail it in with a check.


Newsletters Archived on SFS Website
Older editions of the Spokane Folklore Society Newsletter can be found on the SFS website starting from September 2020 (link at left). There are some great articles to read.
Starting in September we added several feature columns to the newsletters. Please enjoy our Callers Corner featuring articles by all our regular callers.
Forty Years Ago showcases some of the people and events that were highlights of the early years and got the SFS started on its path to success. Penn Pals is a column where Penn Fix interviews people that have been instrumental in starting and keeping folk traditions alive in the Spokane region.

Current Newsletter 

And now some of our older newsletters are available as well



We can help you get in touch with other people in the Spokane, Washington, area who are interested in music, dance, and folk arts. Find out what's happening on the calendar  
Our major project of the year is the  Fall Folk Festival.
One of our main activities with SFS is Contra Dancing. Contra dancing is a type of traditional dance from New England. Dancers face each other in "contra" lines and move up and down the formation as couples in figures directed by a caller. The Virginia Reel is a dance in this style. You don't have to be experienced - the caller teaches all the moves. Special clothes are not necessary. No partner is needed - Singles and couples are invited. Check the calendar for the contra dance schedule.   Click here more details and some pictures and links to video of a typical local Contra dance.

If you are interested in having the Folklore Society help sponsor your event, please download this .pdf form here.  (Acrobat reader required)

If this is your first visit to our site, please read more about the Spokane Folklore Society: its organization and mission. We hope that you will join us, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter.