18th Annual Benefit Weekend

Each January, for the last 17 years, the World Folk Music Association has sponsored an exciting folk music extravaganza, bringing together a unique mixture of both well-known and lesser known folk performers. It has always been a wonderful opportunity to see and hear your favorite folk performers as well as become aquainted with new ones. In 1997 the concert was expanded from a single evening in a large concert hall to a full weekend of folk music at one of the best listening rooms in the country:

Again, on January 17 and 18th, 2003, more than 30 folk singers and performers gathered at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, VA to participate in the 18th Annual World Folk Music Association Benefit Weekend. The Friday, January 17 concert featured a tribute to the Weavers, one of the most influential groups in folk music. The Weavers were folk music superstars who gave the music the kick it needed to trigger a full-blown revival in the 50s and 60s.

The folk stars who appeared over the weekend were

See the photos of the Friday night concert and the Saturday night concert.

The 18th Annual WFMA Benefit Weekend also included the presentations of the WFMA Lifetime Achievement Award to the John Denver Memorial Award to and the Kate Wolf Memorial Award to .

Reserved seating ticket holders for the Saturday night show also attended a reception with the performers following the show.