Ameriserv Flood City Music Festival (Former Folkfest)

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Wednesday Apr 15, 2009

Big changes to the Johnstown Folkfest - now called the Ameriserv Flood City Music Festival and moved to August 21, 22, & 23, 2009

http://jaha.org/FCMF/newin2009.html

http://jaha.org/FCMF/performers.html

Headlining band this year is the Derek Trucks Band

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

catchy name

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

are you effin serious!? dtb? wow! just read the link. if they want to do it right and kick this thing off with a boom they definitly got the right band. downtown is going to be packed. dtb in jtown pa, thats awesome! hope you all can make it.

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

DrumAndDestroy wrote:catchy name

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

I am so there. Front row center, I'll be the guy with the Chinese eyes and the handheld recorder.

--->JMS

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

songsmith wrote:I am so there. Front row center, I'll be the guy with the Chinese eyes and the handheld recorder. --->JMS

this may call for a bbq at my house before the show! or chinese buffet?

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

mjb,

If i don't have a gig, I will be there for sure. We can carpool after the barbecue or Chinese buffet.

Possessed · Post by **Possessed** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

Songsmith. I'll be right next to you with my friend and he will also be holding a digital recorder and we will most likely have Chinese eyes.
Hope see you there!

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

moxham123 wrote:mjb,

If i don't have a gig, I will be there for sure. We can carpool after the barbecue or Chinese buffet.

thats gonna be a lot of fun. they bring a party crowd especially to an outdoor event. jtown is gonna be packed. i think i might book a room at the holiday inn right now. and then set up the command post/ headquarters, for that weekend, then i won't even have to go home.

EErnst · Post by **EErnst** » Thursday Apr 16, 2009

oh oh i want a laminated credential, and to support local new jersey concession business

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Friday Apr 17, 2009

Very Cool! DTB in Mikes backyard! You should be stoked man, this monster band puts down the best grooves of any band today. Guitar players.. Derek is a must see.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Apr 19, 2009

mjb wrote:
songsmith wrote:I am so there. Front row center, I'll be the guy with the Chinese eyes and the handheld recorder. --->JMS
this may call for a bbq at my house before the show! or chinese buffet?

Invite Dereck Trucks.

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Sunday Apr 19, 2009

Hurricane wrote:Very Cool! DTB in Mikes backyard! You should be stoked man, this monster band puts down the best grooves of any band today. Guitar players.. Derek is a must see.

right on bobby

i am stoked! you comming?

poolpimp911 · Post by **poolpimp911** » Wednesday Apr 22, 2009

I am glad they did this. I hope that this city falls flat on their face and they DO NOT MAKE A PENNY. They should have never step in and taken it away from what it was really about. The churches making money. Even though there is not many churches left, there will still be a lot of people at Ethnic Fest and lots of good music.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Wednesday Apr 22, 2009

not even close to what the original churches had in mind.

To me its a shame.

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Wednesday Apr 22, 2009

Killjingle wrote:not even close to what the original churches had in mind.

To me its a shame.

i hear ya man, it isn't what it once was, but i'm still stoked about the show.

Post by **Jim Price** » Thursday Apr 23, 2009

I was a big fan of the original Folkfest, and was disappointed when it was moved out of Cambria City. I still attended both Folkfest and Cambria City Ethnic Festival the past few years.

My verdict is still out on this new move. People traditionally don't like suddenly shelling out money for events that were previously free to attend, and the current economic woes make this even more questionable. But the Derek Trucks Band is a draw factor, and if the organizers succeed in landing more noteworthy acts in addition, it could be successful. If they market it right, it could pull a lot of outside traffic into Johnstown that weekend.

At least now, I won't have to run back and forth between two festivals on Labor Day Weekend. I can park myself in Cambria City (and St. Michael for the Forest Hills Fest later in the weekend).

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Thursday Apr 23, 2009

Actually, moving the former Folkfest to another weekend is a positive move just to lessen the compeition on Labor Day weekend and help all of the festivals that time of year. The last few years, there have been 7 large festivals in the area all running over the Labor Day weekend and it has been very difficult to spread the same crowd over all of them.

Here are the festivals that all were running over Labor day weekend in or not far from Johnstown and competing for the same people and money.

1. Johnstown Folkfest
2. Cambria City Ethnic Festival
3. Indiana County Fair (ends on Saturday that weekend)
4. Forest Hills Festival
5. Log House Arts Festival
6. Vintondale Homecoming
7. Cambria County Fair (starts on Saturday that weekend)

Also, with the poor economy, people do not have the money to spend at all of them in one weekend either. I work very closely with many of the festival committees in the area and the ones over Labor Day have all told me their crowds have gotten smaller due to all of the competition. By moving to another weekend, the "Folkfest" will have the entire crowd that weekend and also help to increase the attendance and revenues for the other festivals.