Do you remember when going to a folk concert meant singing popular folk songs with the performers?

Would you like to spend an evening, or a whole weekend, singing great songs with some of the country's favorite folk musicians?

The Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse and the City of East Lansing are proud to co-produce the TENTH annual Mid-Winter Singing Festival to take place on Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4, 2012, at East Lansing's Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI. View complete schedule here.

2010 Mid-Winter Singing Festival

On Friday evening, Feb 3, 2012, at 8 pm join Grammy and CMA Award Winner Suzy Bogguss (and a very talented band!) in singing classic American folk songs, all night long.  On Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7 pm, sing favorite songs of the festivals’s first decade with song leaders Joel Mabus, Pat Madden, Frank Youngman and Mark Dvorak. Both sings will be held at the Hannah Community Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

Different songs will be sung each evening; lyric books will be provided.

These songleaders are very excited to be a part of the festival, sharing and singing songs they love (among them, the emails have already started...each suggesting songs, arrangements, etc...). Some will be giving Saturday afternoon workshops.

Bob Blackman, host of "The Folk Tradition" on WKAR FM 90.5 and frequent host of Ten Pound Fiddle concerts, will be master of ceremonies.

Inspired by Pete and Toshi Seeger's highly popular Circle of Song tent at the Hudson River Clearwater Festival, this singing festival is designed for folk music lovers to be able to sing great songs with each other. Lyrics for the songs sung at both Community Sings will be passed out.

9 workshops will be given at the Hannah Community Center from noon-4 pm Saturday afternoon. Song sheets for each workshop will be given out by the presenter. No need to pre-register! Just come to the Community Center, purchase a $10 workshop wristband, pick workshops that interest you, pop into the rooms, and sing! (18 and under and all students are free to all workshops.)

On Saturday morning at 11 am, there will be a FREE Children's Concert, presented by Mark Dvorak, FREE of charge, and sponsored by the City of East Lansing. Kids of all ages are encouraged come to the Hannah Community Center and sing folk songs.

Rachel Alexander, founder of the Lansing women's chorus Sistrum, will create the All-Comer Festival Choir Saturday afternoon (3 - 5 pm). Rachel, who holds a Master's in Conducting from MSU, is highly skilled at bringing people of varying abilities together to form an energetic ensemble. This community choir will share two songs with their community on stage during Saturday night's concert. (Festival Choir participants need to purchase a ticket for Saturday's 7 pm Community Sing.)

As the list of festival activities suggests, the songs themselves are the real stars of these sings and workshops. Each event is designed to maximize audience participation. People who love folk songs are invited to bring family and friends and spend an evening, or the weekend singing great songs with song leaders who love this music.

Did your family sing while doing the dishes? Do you sing on long car trips? This festival is for you. Even if your voice isn't as good as you want it to be, that doesn't matter. This weekend is for people who love to sing. This weekend will spread a little warmth on two chilly, winter days.

Find schedules, ticket information, maps to festival sites, and food and lodging information and more here on this website. For those who do not have internet access, call 517-267-0410 and ask to be mailed an up-dated festival schedule.

See you at the Festival!