Welcome to Folklore Village’s longest running festival! Founded by Jane Farwell in 1947 to counteract the growing commercialization of the season, the Festival of Christmas & Midwinter Traditions is a joyous celebration of all things folk and community. Now in its 78th year, the festival includes workshops in dance, song, music, and craft; kids programming; cultural meals; evening parties; and so much more. Join us for this special way to end the year!
On This Page:
-Schedule & Activities
-Registration
-Scholarships
-Featured Artists
-Accommodations
-Cancellations
Schedule & Activities
The full festival schedule will be posted here when available. The festival starts at 3:00pm on December 28 and runs through brunch on January 1. Read more below about the various activities held during the festival.
Dance Workshops: Each day dance instructor Andy Taylor-Blenis will lead workshops in different styles of international dance. On December 31st Greg Winz will teach the Heilsberger Dreieck and Francaise, two classic dances that have been dances at Folklore Village on New Year’s Eve for decades.
Singing workshops: Liz Rog will lead joyous community singing workshops in the Plum Grove Chapel during the festival, and she’ll prepare students for a New Year’s Eve showcase. Liz will also lead gathering songs before some meals.
Festival Band: Come one, come all to the Festival Band! Led by Liam Kantor, the festival band is composed of musicians of all levels–anyone who brings an instrument can join in on the music and the famous festival band shenanigans! But what does the festival band actually do, other than scheming up pranks and selecting costumes? This group learns tunes to play at the New Year’s Eve party and provides music when needed throughout the festival.
Craft Workshops: Korean patchwork and more coming soon
Kids Programming: Each day will feature kid-friendly programming, including theater games, a Sankta Lucia procession, and more.
Afternoon teas at the Festival of Christmas & Midwinter Traditions are an opportunity to enjoy a break from workshops while learning more about a cultural practice or enjoying tea, treats, and an activity. Learn more about each day’s afternoon tea.
Ostfriesen Tea
December 28 | 4:30pm
Rich tortes and pastries accompany authentic black Ostfriesen tea served in delicate Ostfriesen china in this ceremony typical of Northwestern Germany. The tea is served with cream and kluntje, which is sugar in a large, crystal form. Dan Lippitt, Glenn Mitroff, and Greg Winz present this beloved Folklore Village tradition that stems from founder Jane Farwell’s time living in Ostfriesland as a young woman.
Sankta Lucia Tea
December 29 or 30| 4:30pm
This tea begins with a festival participant being crowned Saint Lucia and walking into a darkened Farwell Hall with candles gleaming on her head. Children and adults of the festival follow behind her singing traditional songs that are taught during workshops earlier in the day. This Swedish tradition celebrates the winter solstice, light in the darkness of winter, and the Christmas spirit of giving. At the Festival of Christmas & Midwinter Traditions, the Sankta Lucia tea is also a time a recognize participants’ roles in our community by giving the crown of Sankta Lucia to a different person each year. After the Sankta Lucia ceremony, the year’s Sankta Lucia is introduced and saffron buns and tea are served.
Auction Tea
December 31| 4:30pm
This longstanding tradition of great finds and fast bidding is something you don’t want to miss. Auctioneer Jim McNeill dresses up and leads the fun, witty exchanges that dominate this tea. This is an extremely important fundraiser for Folklore Village and we appreciate both donations of items for the auction and every bid during the auction! If you have a special item for the auction, please bring it to the office early in the festival!
Each night of the festival is capped off with a themed evening party featuring dancing, music, games, and snacks. Evening parties often include some dances, skits, or music learned during the daytime workshops, but you do not need to have attended the daytime workshops in order to attend and enjoy the evening party.
Details on the evening parties will be posted here soon.
Meals at the festival are prepared fresh in-house by the fabulous RedBarn Catering crew. The catering team provides a vegetarian and a gluten free option at every meal for those who register as such. RedBarn can often accommodate other dietary needs as well but cannot guarantee that every dietary need will be met. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when you register for the festival, and contact the office at (608) 924-4000 or programs@folklorevillage.org with questions.
Registration
Online registration will be open here soon. We can also take registrations over the phone, or we can mail a print registration form to you.
Scholarships
We have both need-based and work exchange scholarships available for this festival. Whether you’re a first-time participant or you help with dishes every year, there may be a scholarship that suits your needs.
Featured Artists
Andy Taylor-Blenis is the daughter of Marianne and Conny Taylor, cofounders of the Folk Arts Center of New English. She began international folk dancing as a young child and was certified as a teacher in Scottish Country Dance at age 17. Andy graduated University of Massachusetts at Amhurst with a BFA in dance and minor in Social Anthropology. She began her contemporary professional career in 1983 dancing with numerous choreographers, danced with Prometheus Dance Company for 20 years while raising her 2 children and teaching. She continues to teach international folk dance through the Folk Arts Center of New England and Mass Movement, as well at private and public schools and universities.
Andy is the artistic director of Mladost Folk Ensemble, a youth IFdance group she founded in 2006 in honor of her parents. They learn songs and dances from all over the world which they then share with the public through events and performance. Andy is also currently artistic director for the RSCDS Boston Scottish Country Dancers, Back Pocket Dancers, an intergenerational company that tells stories through narration, music and dance, and the Wheaton College Dancers at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. In addition to folk dance, Andy continues to teach modern and jazz dance to all ages. Dance builds community and shows how rich a country we are through our shared cultural traditions. Andy loved teaching here at Folklore village back in 2012 and is lookking forward to being in this wonderful community again.
Songleader Liz Rog believes that singing together is a simple and powerful tool for restoring our sense of belonging and connection in community. She sings with all ages, teaching simple songs that can be woven into everyday life, into the seasons of the year, and into the changes and challenges of our lives. Liz delights in helping folks rediscover their ancestral birthright of group singing to nurture collective joy, courage and healing. She and her husband Daniel Rotto raised two daughters in the Driftless of Northeast Iowa and are part of the international movement to re-seed communities with songs for connection, care, and renewal.
Accommodations
Bunkhouse (Very rustic): $20 per person per night
Stay on-site within walking distance (about 3 blocks) of Farwell Hall (main activities building). The bunkhouses are heated, with cots provided, and camp-style toilets and handpump nearby. Showers are located in Farwell Hall. Bring your own bedding, pillow, towel, flashlight, etc. Men and woman are housed in separate buildings. You can register for bunkhouse accommodations via the festival registration form.
Rosebud Retreat New! $50 per night during festivals
Tucked among fruit trees and tallgrass prairie at Folklore Village, the Rosebud Retreat is a lovingly restored 1966 Manorette camper. Quiet nights, vintage details, and Driftless charm make this a one-of-a-kind stay, just steps from our historic Wakefield Schoolhouse and Farwell Hall.
Cancellations
Folklore Village will retain a $20 processing fee for any cancellations made more than 3 weeks before the start of a festival. After that date, $20, or 50% of the festival registration fee, whichever is greater, will be non-refundable. There will be no refunds if you cancel less than one week before the start of a festival. However, you may receive credit for a tax-deductible donation to Folklore Village.
