2025 dates for the Kutztown Folk Festival have been released! If you missed this unique festival this year, put it on your calendar for next year! June 28th - July 6th, 2025.
Check out the experience that 2patravelinggirls had this year and everything that the festival has to offer:
Originally named the Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Festival, the Kutztown Folk Festival stands as a milestone among American community celebrations. Spanning 74 years, it holds the distinction of being the first and longest-running folklife festival in the United States. The festival's goal has always been to showcase, preserve, and celebrate the folk culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch region.
This year, the Kutztown Folk Festival spanned nine days, from June 29th to July 7th. Upon arrival, friendly volunteers eagerly provided us with a map to navigate the grounds.
Each day, the grounds burst with a vibrant array of farming and folklife demonstrations. We observed sheep shearing, apple butter making, antique agricultural displays by the Old Time Plowboys Club, timber framing showcases, blacksmithing exhibitions, and crafts featuring traditional Barn Stars and Hex Signs by Eric Claypoole. New to the festival this year was the Mountain Mary Exhibit. Mountain Mary was a multifaceted woman, known for her roles as a healer, farmer, community leader, herbalist, pow-wow practitioner, midwife, and the first traveling nurse of her time.
The festival highlights over 200 nationally recognized folk artists and traditional American artisans showcasing their artwork. From hex signs and weavers to woodcarvers, painters, pottery makers, handmade jewelry, Scherenschnitte, handmade soaps, candy stands, handmade German paper stars (Froebel stars), brooms, and more. We had a great experience speaking with several vendors who generously shared insights about their craft with us.
As you stroll through the festival, the smell of Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine fills the air. Festival-goers can savor local favorites such as sausage, pot pie, corn fritters, funnel cake, apple dumplings, and shoo-fly pie, prepared by local churches and organizations. This is an essential experience at the Kutztown Folk Festival - a true delight for food enthusiasts!
Across the festival grounds, five stages of entertainment offered a delightful array of vintage experiences - from square dancing and folk songs to comedy, live theatre, and the enchanting tunes of fiddlers. Be sure not to miss the Lester Miller Family Dancers, American Folk Dancing demonstrations, which include 4 generations of the Miller Family. Lester has been a traditional hoedown caller for 45 years - a true legend of the Folk Festival.
Children are delighted by a variety of activities including puppet shows, candle making, Marty’s Miraculous Flea Circus, classic children’s games, petting zoo and magic shows. These activities are thoughtfully designed to educate and entertain, making it an ideal destination for families seeking a meaningful summer outing for their children.
The quilt sale, recognized as the largest in America, hosts an internationally renowned Quilt Auction highlighting top prize-winning quilts on the last day of the festival.
If you are looking for a true Pennsylvania Dutch experience, the displays and symbols of this festival will keep you captivated. With activities catering to all ages, there's something for everyone at the Kutztown Folk Festival.
By 2patravelinggirls