Nineteenth Folk Festival Keeps Scottish Twist

A volunteer portraying a historical figure signs autographs for school children as a folk festival learning activity that encourages students to ask who the volunteer is dressed as.

A bagpiper, Gaelic chorus and other performances will continue the celebration of Gen. Sam Houston’s Scottish heritage during the 19th annual General Sam Houston Folk Festival, held on the Sam Houston Memorial Museum grounds April 21-23.

The festival will step back into the 1830s-1860s from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Friday will also be “Children’s Day” for area school students.

Among the activities slated for the event are folklife demonstrations, arts and crafts, cultural displays, costumed historical characters, ethnic foods and workshops.

A spotlight skit featuring the Clan MacGregor on Friday will pay homage to John MacGregor, the piper who died piping at the final battle of the Alamo, as well as Scottish re-enactors, including the Celtic Women Warriors, and a Scottish parade, followed by a special ceremony honoring various Scots will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Some performances include bagpiper Robbie Robertson on Friday and Saturday; Cor Caeilge, The Gaelic Chorus of Texas, also on Friday and Saturday; Irish folk music performer Jed Marum peforming all three days; and American Bagpipes on Saturday, among many others on the full schedule.

Live entertainment performances, which will be held on the Folk Festival Stage, include Back at the Ranch, an “old-time entertainment” group that performs original and root-based western swing music and cowboy tunes; Don Edwards, a cowboy balladeer whose music is said to “paint a sweeping landscape of both the mind and heart;” No Foolin,’ a group that specializes in toe-tappin’ authentic 19th Century dance music; and The Gimbles, three generations of musicians that play a Texas-style symphony of swing and country music.

The live entertainment line-up also will include Ginny Mac, a Fort Worth native and Scandalli accordion artist who enjoys playing all kinds of music, from country and western to jazz to big band classics; The English Brothers, Texan brothers who harmonize with a wide range of vocals and instrumental talents mixed with homespun humor and storytelling; The Sons and Brothers Band, an acoustic band from Colorado whose music combines elements of western, gospel, bluegrass and old time fiddle music; and The Marshall Ford Swing Band, from Marshall Ford, Texas, the group combines guitar, stand up bass, banjo, mandolin and ukulele in its original music, as well as swing tunes from the 1920s to 1950s.

The Folk Festival Stage artists are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday.

The SHSU history department will also bring back the 11th Texas Cavalry Reenactment Group, directed by assistant professor of history Susannah U. Bruce.

The group will have a Civil War reenactment, which will also include SHSU students and community volunteers, all three days at 1 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering in the reenactment must attend a training session at either 9 a.m. or noon on Monday (April 17) at the museum.

In addition, student and community volunteers will lead a number of activities for children, including costumed characters wearing nametags that say “ask me who I am” for children to learn about, candle dipping, quilts and toys, according to associate professor of history Caroline Castillo-Crimm.

“It’s a wonderful family activity,” Castillo-Crimm said. “It’s not only historic, but it’s exciting, entertaining, and there is wonderful food.”

The 18-acre Sam Houston Memorial Museum Complex is located at 19th Street and Sam Houston Avenue, across from Sam Houston State University.

Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children. Children under five are free. Group rates are also $3 per person with a minimum of 15 people.

Free parking is available at 20th Street and Sam Houston Avenue.

Students and community members who interested in volunteering for the festival in various capacities should contact Castillo-Crimm at crimm@shsu.edu or 936.294.1475.

For more information, visit the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and General Sam Houston Folk Festival Web sites at http://samhouston.memorial.museum/FolkFestN/.

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
April 12, 2006
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