The Evanston Folk Festival returns for its third year on September 12 and 13 at Dawes Park, with Indigo Girls and Trampled By Turtles headlining across two days and three stages. Tickets go on general sale Friday, March 20 at 10 a.m. CT at evanstonfolkfestival.com. The festival holds approximately 5,000 capacity, and additional after shows at SPACE and Cahn Auditorium will be announced.
The supporting lineup is deep and genuinely varied. Josh Ritter, Valerie June, Kathleen Edwards, Tift Merritt, and James McMurtry bring established songwriting credibility, while Mdou Moctar, Sierra Hull, Hayden Pedigo, and Margaret Glaspy push the programming in exciting directions. Angela Autumn and Australian three-piece Folk Bitch Trio represent some of the genre’s most compelling new voices, and their inclusion signals a festival with real curatorial ambition.
The weekend opens Friday, September 11, with a kick-off show at Cahn Auditorium featuring Punch Brothers, led by Chris Thile. The Chicago Public Media Tent Talks series runs alongside the main programming, with a session on John Prine’s Chicago featuring Mark Guarino and special guests, and a conversation with Indigo Girls’ Emily Saliers and Amy Ray alongside NPR music critic Ann Powers.
Jake Samuels, Director of Music for SPACE and 16 On Center, described the festival’s growth since its 2024 launch as inspiring: “Seeing our Lakefront filled with music fans and families enjoying artists from around the world is so fulfilling for all of us.” Two editions in, the Evanston Folk Festival has already earned its place as a fixture in Chicago’s music calendar.
This is a well-built lineup in a beautiful setting. September 12 and 13 at Dawes Park.