Throughout downtown East Lansing last weekend, it wasn't unusual to hear the meshing sounds of world music from every direction.
With five stages and a massive crowd, the Great Lakes Folk Festival completed its Friday-through-Sunday run without a hitch. With more than 20 different performers and enough activities to keep any mind or taste satisfied, the event maintained its presence in the East Lansing summer activities lineup.
Despite overcast skies and a forecast of looming rain, the event brought in hordes of people. Nary a drop fell as a cool breeze made the environment all the more pleasant.
Lora Helou, information officer for festival organizer, the MSU Museum, said the weekend's crowd topped off around 80,000 people, roughly the same amount as last year's festival.
"It's just as we expected. We've had some really strong crowds," Helou said. "If anything, people probably appreciate the cloud cover so they don't burn."
The atmosphere was inviting, as a diverse crowd roamed from stage to stage, taking in the sights and sounds and dancing to the music.
"I just like to dance," said communication senior Max Miller as he grooved in the street to the cultural vibe of Steven Greenman.
"This was better when it was the National Folk Festival, but this is good, too. I think it's good to have a plentiful and diverse mix of music in our town over a three day period."
Though titled the Great Lakes Folk Festival, the event wasn't limited to the typical American perception of "folk" music. Bluegrass artists twanged away on Abbott Road while traditional Celtic artist Barra MacNeils fiddled and sang in Gaelic a few blocks away at Valley Court Park.
The event even featured a dance tent, where the audience was taught and invited to participate in traditional dances corresponding with the performers.
"It's wonderful with all this dance and music. People are just jumping up and dancing. They even did the twist - something we all know. It's fun to see people of all ages just dancing together," said Ypsilanti resident Pamela Alberda after joining hands with a large circle of people in traditional dance during Skalmusik's Scandinavian performance.
But the festival was not simply a collection of performances, it was a cultural education as well. Before Zimbabwe-based Mbira player Stella Chiweshe took the stage, ethnomusicology Assistant Professor Isaac Kalumbu explained to the large audience the cultural and historical aspects of the performance, making for a more understanding crowd.
"It's an excellent opportunity for people in East Lansing, Lansing and the state of Michigan to see various music from the U.S. and all over the world," Kalumbu said. "Each year you get an aggregation of music that informs and enlightens people about music from all over the world."
The festival also featured an area in which artisans from musical instrument craftsmen to Polish egg-makers showcased their art and explained their cultural history.
Petoskey-based potter Joseph Ettawageshik, who manned his traditional woodland Native American pottery booth showcasing his work and homemade tools, said the cultural displays were vital to the nature of the festival.
"This is important for keeping and passing down traditions. It's a valuable part of the festival," he said. "There are a lot of people who come just for the music. But there are also a lot of people who come just for this stuff."
Helou said the success of the festival makes them optimistic that the event will continue to thrive in the future.
"It was a great weekend. We heard a lot of positive comments, and there was a tremendous variety of music," she said. "It was real success."
A.P. Kryza can be reached at kryzaand@msu.edu.
