Matt and Shannon Heaton are among the scores of folk artists appearing at the Champlain Valley Folk Festival Aug. 3-5. Photo: Submitted photo

Champlain Valley Folk Festival The Champlain Valley Folk Festival will be held Aug. 3-5 at the Kingsland Bay State Park in North Ferrisburgh. Festival grounds open: 4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are: $67 for the weekend; $40 Saturday; $25 Saturday evening; and $27 Sunday. For information or tickets, call 1-877-850-0206, or go online to www.cvfest.org.

Back in 1983, the inaugural year of the Champlain Valley Folk Festival, the most successful album was Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and "Head over Heels" by the Cocteau Twins was influential. There were big record sellers by Def leppard, Iron Maiden, Dio, Metallica, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue. The compact disk had not been invented and there were no folk or traditional albums among the chart leaders.

This musical history lesson points to one important fact about the Champlain Valley Festival and its performers: While rock acts come and go, often in a flourish of excitement and quick demise, folk and traditional music have a steadier, albeit less tumultuous influence on culture.

This year, festival-goers will hear several well-established performers and a good number of less well-known or local musicians. All however, are superb.

For 2007 the theme of the festival might best be summed up as a celebration of the old and the young. Festival organizers, including Pete Sutherland and Rick Ceballos, have gathered together for this three-day event a wide-ranging roster of performers and there is a balance of age at all points of the spectrum.

Since most musicians learn from those who have come before, there will be a chance this year for all to hear the music of Peggy Seeger, Bruce Molsky and Bob McQuillen who represent the more mature performers. The new energy this year is from acts like Avi and Celia, the Powder Kegs, and Felix Sonnyboy Wilson.

The festival has a diversity of musical acts and styles from around the country and the globe. Vermont's plethora of fine musicians is also well-represented with bands like Wagtail and the WDEV Rangers.

Peggy Seeger, a member of the famous Seeger family, which includes Pete and Mike is, arguably the grand dame of folk music. At 70 she is once again living on this side of the Atlantic after many years in England with her former husband, the late Scottish singer Ewan MacColl. Together they were a powerful duo and force for liberal causes through their music. The best-known of Peggy's songs are "Gonna Be an Engineer" and "The Ballad of Springhill" (about the 1958 Nova Scotia mining disaster). Her songs have been recorded on numerous labels. She has made 19 solo albums, the most recent of which is "Love Will Linger On" (Appleseed APR 1039).

Also representing the "older" musicians is fiddler/banjoist Bruce Molsky. This former medical doctor is well-known and greatly respected in the old time music community. Molsky is a great instrumentalist and a fine singer.

Bob McQuillen is New England's leading contra dance musician. A fine piano player and tune writer, he will be sitting in with some of the dance bands performing in the dance tent.

A day, or weekend at the festival is a chance to hear fine music in a gorgeous setting at Kingsland Bay State Park. When the weather is warm there is swimming or boating nearby. The music venues range from the large stage, a covered tent, to the dance hall and other buildings where concerts are given. There are also several outdoor, sit-on-the-lawn concert sites. There are always impromptu music sessions where bluegrass, old time and Celtic musicians can share tunes. The food served by vendors is plentiful and the day spreads itself out like a picnic of tasty musical courses.

This year there is Irish music from Mike Rafferty and Willie Kelly. Cara, a high-energy German band in the style of the Bothy Band, will make its American debut. Wagtail from Chelsea comes off a highly acclaimed first CD while Benedict Koehler and Hilari Farrington from East Montpelier on Uillean pipes and harp, represent the pure drop of Celtic. Matt and Shannon Heaton also perform on flute and guitar. O'Hanleigh from Middlebury has a large local following.

For old time music fans there is the Powder Kegs a band based at the University of Vermont and in New York State that recently won "A Prairie Home Companion's" "Talented Twenty-Somethings" contest. The aforementioned Molsky is a shining star in this genre. The Whippersnappers from the Albany area also present a program of old time music.

For bluegrass music look to the WDEV Radio Ranger set, and to Possum Haw from Burlington for high-energy performing.

The festival has long been a showcase for Quebecois and French-Canadian music. This year is no exception. Matapat, a quartet with classic Quebecois high-energy is scheduled as is Serre L'Ecoute a trio singing primarily a cappella specializing in Maritime music. Also on tap is the Beaudoin Project, an all-star tribute to the French musical traditions of the late Louis Beaudoin (from Burlington) and his family's music.

Zal Idrissa Sissokho, an African kora (gourd harp) player, and Aboulaye Kone on guitar are based in Montreal but do traditional music. Sissokho is a Griot, a member of a musician caste that keeps the traditions of his native land alive.

For traditionally American and British Isles music the roster includes a good variety. Seeger is the headliner and she sings and plays banjo, guitar and concertina. This year the MacArthur Family will also perform. They are the children of Margaret MacArthur who, for many years, was Vermont's leading traditional singer. She passed away a year ago and her children keep her musical tradition alive. The MacArthurs play guitar, bass and fiddle/mandolin and harmonize beautifully.

Lou and Peter Berryman are very entertaining and light-hearted musicians performing on guitar and accordion, while Felix Sonnyboy Wilson has been described as "a short, puckish and beguiling performer who plays blues rags and folk."

John Roberts and Tony Barrand, two English singers/instrumentalists, now residents of the U.S., have long beguiled American audiences with their wonderful songs. They are very familiar to Vermont audiences and it will be good to see them again at this festival.

For dancers there will be a variety of styles and bands to choose from. The Moving Violations are an innovative dance band from the Berkshires and Kathy Anderson a legendary caller from Ohio will be on hand. The Walker Family from the Hudson Valley will also provide music and Bob McQuillen will be sitting in throughout the weekend.

If you have the time to spend three days in the fresh air listening to music and enjoying the high summer of Vermont this is the event to go to. If one day is all you can spare you won't be disappointed. If the weather is warm and sunny bring a bathing suit. If you play music, jam with others. It's all good.