“Two of my three children have helped every year since the Great Lakes Folk Festival has started,” Joseph said. “It’s important community building and it gives us a way to give back to the community.”

The festival, which highlights folk music from across the world, ran especially smoothly this year, said Lora Helou, marketing and communications director for the event and director of communication for the MSU Museum, which puts on the event.

The MSU Museum collaborates with numerous of business, art and educational establishments within the city to host the festival.

“We’re really happy with how the festival went this year,” Helou said. “Crowds have been strong and really supportive. We’ve gotten lots of strong feedback.”

Helou said the event is one the staff works on continuously throughout the year.

“We work on programming year-round and even though it culminates in one weekend, we work on it pretty steadily throughout the year,” she said. “We’ll probably take a couple of weeks off after this to catch our breath and then start planning for next year.”

In addition to the music and local food vendors the event brings to the community, there also are children’s activities and educational material.

“There are children’s activities (that are) good for adults as well,” East Lansing resident Elena Negoda said. “We can also learn a lot of information about recycling and energy saving.”

Lansing resident Jan Duffy said the festival is one she has worked into her yearly schedule. She said this year, she enjoyed the variety of music offered.
“We come every year. It’s our annual thing,” Duffy said.

Joseph said she plans on continuing her tradition of volunteering with her family at East Lansing area events because of the positive feelings it brings to the city.

“I love that it brings people together to celebrate that we’re a community,” Joseph said.

“I think it’s a wonderful way to promote bonds within the community.”