Expanded Family Area with New Activities and Partnerships
The NC Folk Festival, returning to downtown Greensboro September 12-14, 2025, is excited to announce an expanded family area featuring new activities, performances and interactive experiences for kids and parents. Located outside the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum which will be open free to visitors all weekend for free, this enhanced space invites families to create, explore and enjoy the festival together.
“Creating space for families to enjoy the festival together has always been important to us, but this year, we’re taking it to the next level,” said Jodee Ruppel, Executive Director of the NC Folk Festival. “Our expanded family area gives kids and parents a place to engage, explore and connect with music and culture in meaningful ways. It’s all part of our commitment to making the NC Folk Festival accessible, welcoming and joyful for people of all ages.”
One of the newest partnerships debuting at this year’s festival is a creative collaboration between the NC Folk Festival, Notes for Notes, and the North Carolina Zoo. This one-of-a-kind educational project brought local students into the field at the NC Zoo, where they recorded ambient sounds and animal noises using professional audio equipment. Back in the Notes for Notes studio, students learned to clean, sample, and remix those recordings, transforming them into musical beats and soundscapes.
The final results will debut in the Family Area in the form of interactive sound boards and playable instruments, giving children a chance to explore music-making through the real sounds of the wild.
Other interactive activities in the Family Area include:
· The City of Greensboro’s ECO Bus, offering hands-on environmental education.
· Painting and interactive art projects, plus face painting for kids.
· Activities with local organizations including the Greensboro Gargoyles, Carolina Theatre, Dance Project, NC A&T State University and more.
On Saturday, September 13, following Paw Patrol Live at the Tanger Center, the NC By Train Stage at LeBauer Park will host a family-friendly performance by The Rock and Roll Playhouse, featuring the music of the Grateful Dead for Kids.
For the full lineup, schedule and festival info, visit www.ncfolkfestival.com.