On Saturday June 1, 2024, the Bishop Hill Heritage Association will host the Bishop Hill Folk Music Festival. Located in the village park in the center of Bishop Hill Illinois, this one-day festival will present some of the best-known folk music performers from around Illinois, such as Bucky Halker, Barry Cloyd, and many more. The musical styles presented will span a wide range of folk music including Hammered Dulcimer, Swedish, and Woody Guthrie songs to name just a few. In addition, Mike Anderson, the Dulcimer Guy, will conduct a presentation about the Beauty of the Mountain Dulcimer in the Steeple Building Museum at noon. All the concerts and the presentation are free and open to the public. Music starts at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the day.
The historic town is a perfect place to present the musical heritage of the Midwest. In 1846, a group of Swedish immigrants seeking religious freedom left their native land under the guidance of their charismatic spiritual leader, Eric Janson. The site for their new utopia, later called Bishop Hill, was described to them as a “land of plenty, brimming with milk and honey.” Today Bishop Hill is a quiet country village where the charm and character of the original colony have survived the test of time. Bishop Hill is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is a National Historic Landmark, and is also an Illinois State Historic Site.
This event is funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, the Galesburg Community Foundation and the Geneseo Foundation. For more details, you can call 309 927-3899 or email bhha@mymctc.net. Information about this festival is also posted on www.bishophillheritage.org and the Bishop Hill Heritage Association Facebook page.
Concert Schedule for Saturday June 1
(main stage is located next to the park gazebo in the center of the village park)
10 a.m. Hammer & Pick
11 a.m. Coffee Creek
1:00 Bucky Halker
2:00 Bucktown Americana Music Show
3:00 Barry Cloyd
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