Student Contributor -K. Wong
“The mission of the Fall Folk Festival is to present the diversity of our community through traditional music, dance and the arts.” In 2005, the festival expanded to two days and showcased more than a 100 performing groups. The festival takes place at Spokane Community College and is organized by the Spokane Folklore Society, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
“The Spokane Folklore Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of Folk Arts, particularly music and dance.” They fulfill their purpose of promoting a broader community awareness of cultural and folk traditions through social and educational events such as concerts, festivals, workshops, lectures, demonstrations and newsletters. Their major project of the year is the Fall Folk Festival.
The organization makes a difference by giving the community an opportunity to celebrate diversity through performances and art. One local elementary has a club called Drummers and Dancers, a pan-African drumming and dancing group open to 3rd – 6th grade students. The group regularly performs at cultural events, including the Fall Folk Festival.
The Spokane Folklore Society has an online schedule for their main activity, Contra Dancing, a traditional dance from New England. An online form is also available if you are interested in having them sponsor an event.
The Spokane Fall Folk Festival has many volunteering opportunities that you can sign up for on their website. A teacher could sign up to lead one of their craft workshops, and have students in the classroom create examples to display at the workshop.
Classrooms could also fundraise for the Spokane Folklore Society, or help co-sponsor an event.
