The 48th annual two-day festival at Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium kept ‘the dream alive’ with sets by acclaimed headliners, plus Josh Ritter, Bruce Cockburn, Joy Clark and more. The review and photos.

Celebrating The Ark and Ann Arbor Folk Festival: The all-star finale on Saturday. (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
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The cold winter weather and shifting political winds didn’t numb the spirits of people attending the Ann Arbor Folk Festival this weekend.
Attendees at The Ark’s 48th annual festival embraced the warmth and camaraderie that emanated from musicians performing on the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium stage.
Ten different acts representing the breadth and depth of the folk music genre captured that feeling Friday and Saturday night during The Ark’s largest annual fundraising event.
The festival’s first night featured emerging and experimental folk music acts, while the second night showcased more traditional and established folk artists.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Friday night’s acts included Afro Dominicano, Adeem the Artist, Jobi Riccio, Josh Ritter and headliner Waxahatchee.
“And what’s most amazing is that for 60 years now, your town [has] made this dream come true,” said Ketch Secor, the festival’s emcee and frontman for Old Crow Medicine Show.

Ketch Secor (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
“It takes a lot of effort and the tremendous people who work to keep the dream alive here in Ann Arbor. It’s really a wonder y’all, this holy thing called The Ark.”
Secor not only lauded The Ark’s milestone, but also celebrated the state of Michigan and the folk music genre through historical reflections, comedic bits and upbeat performances.
Another upbeat performance came from Friday night opener Afro Dominicano. Hailing from New York City, the band opened with an infectious set rooted in merengue, the vibrant dance music of the Dominican Republic.
After Afro Dominicano, first-time festival performers Adeem the Artist and Jobi Riccio captivated the audience Friday night as well. Adeem the Artist performed a stripped-down version of “Heritage of Arrogance” from their 2021 album, “White Trash Revelry.”
“I’m a nonbinary country musician,” said Adeem Maria, who performs as Adeem the Artist and lives in Knoxville, Tenn. “I’m a seventh-generation North Carolinian who is actively resolving to exhume the suppressed truth of our racial violence.”
Also based in Tennessee, Nashville’s Riccio did a brief set featuring country songs from her debut album, Whiplash. Her emotive vocals and personal lyrics connected with the crowd and left them wanting more.
Between songs, Riccio joked about her first name while tuning her guitar.
“It’s written on my guitar strap right here in case you forget that name because it’s kind of a weird name,” she said with a laugh.

Friday Highlight: Josh Ritter (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
Returning festival performer Josh Ritter stole the show Friday night. The New York-based singer-songwriter made his festival debut in 2003 and followed up with a magical set this year.
Performing as part of a trio, Ritter smiled throughout his set and expressed his gratitude before an enthralled audience.
“When you fly over something, or when you’re out in a field, and you see a bonfire, or you see a city light or just a house in the darkness, that’s what music feels like to me these days,” said Ritter before performing his song, “Wildfires.” “I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”
Other standout songs from Ritter’s set included “Miles Away,” “Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)” and “Long Shadows.”
Friday night headliner and closer Waxahatchee performed a rare solo acoustic set with songs from her Grammy-nominated Americana album, “Tigers Blood.”
She also debuted a new song but didn’t mention the title.
“It’s lovely to be in Ann Arbor. I love Michigan; I’m just gonna come out and say it,” said Katie Crutchfield, who performs as Waxahatchee and lives in Overland Park, Kansas.
“I haven’t played solo in a long time. I’ve been touring with my band and said I would have a little fun and play a new song, an old song, a cover song — just kind of whatever I feel like.”
SATURDAY NIGHT
Meanwhile, the festival returned for a Saturday night edition with Willi Carlisle, Joy Clark, Bruce Cockburn, The Milk Carton Kids and headliner Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Arkansas-based Carlisle shared a riveting version of “Tulsa’s Last Magician” and invited the audience to sing along to “Your Heart’s a Big Tent.”
He also performed a spellbinding rendition of Richard Thompson’s folk song, “Beeswing,” while playing a squeezebox.

Bruce Cockburn (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
“The squeezebox is the perfect instrument for this social and political environment,” Carlisle joked. “I don’t know if you noticed, you can play both sides against the center.”
Carlisle’s engaging performance helped set the tone for the rest of the night. Louisiana singer-songwriter and guitarist Joy Clark followed Carlisle with an equally honest and compelling set.
Clark sang intimate tracks from her debut album, “Tell It to the Wind,” and said it wasn’t her first time performing in Ann Arbor.
“Last time I was here, I played Sonic Lunch [in July 2024],” she said. “This wonderful band by the name of The Accidentals had me as their guest. It’s really good to be back, and this time my album is out.”
Clark radiated positivity and shined while performing “One Step in the Right Direction,” “Tell It to the Wind” and “Guest.”
Halfway through the night, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Bruce Cockburn shared folk classics from his illustrious career, including “Lord of the Starfields,” “The Whole Night Sky,” and “If a Tree Falls.” He also performed tracks from his 2023 album, “O Sun O Moon.”

The Milk Carton Kids (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
“For me, I’ve been around a long time, as you may have noticed,” Cockburn said. “People come and go, but the exciting fact about that is that people keep coming — new people.”
The night’s final two acts — The Milk Carton Kids and Toad the Wet Sprocket — offered humor and honesty during their sets.
Los Angeles duo The Milk Carton Kids shared an old-time microphone and provided rich harmonies while singing tracks from their 2023 album, “I Only See the Moon.”
“We’ve played a lot of folk festivals, and thank you to Ketch Secor for making this the folkiest of all the folk festivals,” said vocalist-guitarist Kenneth Pattengale. “It sure doesn’t smell like a folk festival, but it absolutely sounds like one.”
Pattengale and bandmate Joey Ryan engaged in fun stage banter with each other and the audience before finishing with their beloved song, “Michigan.”

Saturday Headliner: Toad the Wet Sprocket (Photo/Andrew Rogers)
Finally, Saturday headliner Toad the Wet Sprocket closed the festival with an energetic and electric set.
The Santa Barbara, Calif., band brought the audience to their feet while performing the ‘90s alt-rock classics, “Good Intentions,” “Something’s Always Wrong,” “Walk On the Ocean,” “Fall Down” and “All I Want.”
For the festival encore, Toad the Wet Sprocket and the rest of the Saturday night lineup sang a memorable rendition of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Three Little Birds.”
“These are strange, difficult and heartbreaking times, and there are a thousand-and-one amazing protest songs, and we will get to them,” said Glen Phillips, frontman for Toad the Wet Sprocket.
“But sometimes — I’ve been thinking this week — you also need a lullaby. We need our strength because there’s a lot to do right now, [and] there’s a lot of work [that must] be done.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Ann Arbor Folk Festival – Day 1 (Friday)
Photos by Andrew Rogers
Photos by Andrew Rogers