City of Salisbury Receives $50,000 Grant from Maryland Heritage Areas Authority

Salisbury, Md. — The Maryland Folk Festival is almost here, and preparations are underway. The city of Salisbury has received a special grant to help kick off the event.

Salisbury was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to support the Maryland Folk Festival.

“The vision of our program is to really have Maryland’s rich and diverse heritage shared [and] valued,” said Ariane Hofstedt, administrator of the Maryland Heritage Areas Program. “We want people to be able to have deeper connections to the past, but also really enhance what’s going on in communities today — and hopefully inspire people in the future.”

Caroline O’Hare, events and culture manager for the city of Salisbury, said the grant makes the festival possible.

“It’s important — if we don’t support them, those traditions or those stories or those cultures might fade away,” O’Hare said. “And it’s important that we shine a light on them.”

Hofstedt said the festival fulfills the program’s mission.

“I think the other thing is really making that connection between past and present and getting people to not only appreciate and learn about the past, but really help them understand their role in the present and help inspire or guide where we want to go,” she said.

The grant will directly support the Maryland Folklife Stage and Area, providing a space for artists, performers and demonstrators.

“It’s a way for us to present a free festival for our community and for visitors from across the state and beyond,” O’Hare said.

This Saturday at Brewery Tavern, John Pheasant will perform. There will be a 50-50 raffle to support the folk festival, and a percentage of sales will also go toward festival funding.