The Shetland Folk Festival (shetlandfolkfestival.com) began in 1981 in the Scottish Shetland Isles. Performers in the 2011 festival include local bands Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, Eilidh Mackenzie & Band and Sheila Henderson Band, as well as North-American The Wilders and L'Angelus. The Shetland Folk Festival is the U.K.'s most northerly folk festival.
Founded in 1959, the Newport Folk Festival (newportfolkfest.net) has since attracted folk music enthusiasts every summer to Newport, Rhode Island. Performers from past festivals include Bob Dylan, Johny Cash and The Pixies. In 2011, this two-day festival features Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Amos Lee, Wanda Jackson, Middle Brother and Justin Townes Earle. The festival takes place in Fort Adams State Park.
Ottawa Folk Festival (ottawafolk.org) is a four-day celebration of folk music, dance and arts in Hog's Back Park, Ottawa. Past performers include Melissa McClelland, Terry Gillespie, Jon Brooks, Jenny Whiteley and Craig Cardiff. In addition to its promotion of local folk music, the Ottawa Folk Festival has a reputation for its green initiatives, such as using compostable beer cups and avoiding the sale of bottled-water.
Folkfest (folkest.com) is an annual festival of international folk music in Udine, northeastern Italy. The concerts take place in several venues around town during the spring and summer months. The final performance takes place in the medieval town square of nearby Spilimbergo. The 2010 Folkest presented musicians from around the world, such as Ginger Leigh Band from Texas; I Tamburellisti di Otranto, Italy; Sol Ruiz, Cuba; Martin Lubenov's Jazzta Prasta Trio, Bulgaria; and Calan, Ireland.