For the third consecutive year, Folky Fish Fest attracted attendees from near and far to Maramec Spring Park for a weekend of music, art, culture and community.

The festival took place May 29 and 30, however, the festivities began May 28 with the Folky Fish Jam Camp.

About 30 aspiring musicians ages 10-18 were led through a hands-on program by seasoned artists who taught singing, songwriting and harmonizing in a fun and friendly environment.

Members from the jam camp opened the festival the following afternoon with a 30 minute performance of the songs they learned during the camp.

Festival organizer Lee Watson said that the event originally began in Angola, Ind., in 2012 by Lucas Simpson and his wife, Angie Simpson.

  The idea of the festival in Missouri came after James Foundation President Wes Swee began hosting weekend concerts at Maramec Spring Park. Watson said that he and other volunteer organizers approached Swee and the James Foundation about creating a festival that would donate funds to aspiring musicians.

After a partnership was established between the Folky Fish Fest and the James Foundation, it was decided that proceeds from the festival would benefit musical education through the newly established Adam Yount-John Hotze Memorial Fund. Grants, workshops and music camps for musicians of all ages are supported through the fund, honoring the legacies of two influential figures whose generosity, artistry and mentorship shaped Folky Fish Fest.

Watson said that the festival has grown each year, and that there were 346 tickets sold last year. As of May 29, there were 646 tickets sold for this year’s event. While many at the festival were local, there were numerous festival goers who were from out of state, and one family who said that they traveled from Switzerland to attend.

Watson, who retired from the railroad three years ago, said that it brings tears to his eyes when he sees so many people enjoying the festival. He added that the festival has already been approved to operate in 2027, and he’s thrilled to help provide the rural community with music and art.

“Exposing kids in rural communities to music and art is super meaningful to me, because that’s the first program that gets cut,” he said.

The atmosphere at the festival was laid back and family friendly. Numerous attendees sported tie-dye shirts and Grateful Dead memorabilia while lounging in lawn chairs, whereas others spent time frolicking to the music, fishing in the spring or painting and shopping from a variety of vendors.

Food trucks such as Swafftastic BBQ, Red’s Bistro, All-American Food Company LLC, Space Boys Tacos, The Typsy-Gypsy and the Lavender Lemonade all saw extensive business from festival goers and numerous picnic tables were provided in shaded areas alongside them. 

When asked if he would consider Folky Fish Fest a bluegrass or folk music festival, Watson said that he didn’t want to label the festival as a bluegrass or folk festival.

“It’s just great music, why do we have to put a label on it?” he asked.

The lineup of the festival included The Kyle Tuttle Band, The Dillards, The David Mayfield Parade, Pert Near Sandstone, Debutants, The HillBenders, Ettore Buzzini, Catgut Stringband, Chris Walz, Betse and Clarke String Band, Michael Prewitt and CrunchGrass Supreme, John Depew Trio, National Park Radio, The Ozark Snappers, Dan Eubanks, Lukas Simpson, Matt Schmidt, Andrew Morris and The Swamp Things and The Hammer and The Hatchet.

Michael Newsome, a banjo player in the Debutants, has played in the festival for all three years it has existed in Missouri and said that he appreciates the kindness of everyone at the festival.

“When I walk around, everyone just waves and says hello, even if I’ve never met them,” Newsome said.

He added that the musicians in the past years have gathered for jam sessions that go into the wee hours of the morning, which helped them “gain a sense of the community here.”

Attendees also had a chance to play their instruments in the Mill Field Pavilion, where jam sessions routinely broke out throughout the festival. The pavilion was also home to workshops, where classes such as tap dancing and A Warnick method bluegrass jam class were taught to those who were interested.   

Watson says that he loves seeing familiar faces come back every year, and that he and his fellow volunteers are always open to new ideas that will improve the festival.

“It’s cool to see faces that I haven’t seen since the festival last year. But seeing old friends, making new friends and hearing new ideas is always great,” Watson said.

“The opportunities that we have with this festival, it’s like you just reach in and you grab you something shiny. You take it out and run with it, play with it, do what you can do and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But when it does work, it’s freaking magic.”