Even More Surprises from the Philadelphia Folk Festival

The Decemberists and The Derek Trucks Band added as headlining acts performing
August 14-16, 2009 at Old Pool Farm!

PHILADELPHIA, July 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Organizers of the PHILADELPHIA
FOLK FESTIVAL are putting the finishing touches on an impressive lineup for
their 48th annual event with the addition of The Decemberists, The Derek
Trucks Band,Jill Sobule, Heartless Bastards, and other noteworthy acts.

The British folk revival sound evident on The Hazards of Love, the
recently-released 5th album by the Portland-based The Decemberists, will be
highlighted with their Saturday afternoon (August 15) Main Stage performance.
Guitar sensation Derek Trucks with his band, touring in support of their most
recent album, Already Free, will bring their blend of jazz, rock, blues,
Latin, East Indian and other world music to headline the big Sunday night
(August 16) concert.

Festival organizers have added a special treat for early-arriving weekend
campers with a Thursday night (August 13) "Campers' Exclusive" concert on the
site's Camp Stage. Jill Sobule, whose songs are at once deeply personal and
socially conscious, seriously funny and derisively tragic, is the featured
artist. She first gained prominence with her 1995 song "I Kissed a Girl."
Also performing for this more intimate showcase is the quirky country/folk
flavored Deer Tick, on the road with their just-released 2nd album, Born on
Flag Day. Both acts will be featured at this event for David Dye's "World
Cafe" syndicated NPR radio show, heard locally on WXPN-FM. Get The Led Out
will close this special Thursday night concert by performing acoustic versions
of Led Zeppelin songs.

Other exciting recent additions include Heartless Bastards, the irresistible
Buskin & Batteu, Eastern European folk music purveyors the West Philadelphia
Orchestra, the foot-stomping Celtic exuberance of Burning Bridget Cleary, and
the more traditional Celtic ruminations of Shannon Lambert-Ryan & RUNA. They
join an outstanding and diverse lineup that already includes Tom Rush, Iron
and Wine, and theDel McCoury Band.

"We wanted to shake things up even more this year," asserts Festival
Chairperson Pat Gourley referring to the FOLK FESTIVAL's emphasis in recent
years to reach out beyond the traditional folk music audience. "By featuring
The Decemberists, The Derek Trucks Band and more of the contemporary,
cutting-edge acts, we're boldly going after the younger audience needed to
sustain the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL over the next 20 to 30 years."
Philadelphia Folksong Society Executive Director Levi Landis concurs, adding,
"This 48th annual event will help break new ground and further the Folksong
Society's legacy among the vanguard of folk music innovators. We've responded
with a roster of performers that appeals not only to dyed-in-the-wool folk
music enthusiasts, but also to the next generation audience."

The PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL will be held August 14-16 at the Old Pool Farm
near Schwenksville, PA and tickets can be purchased online at
www.folkfest.org. Daily event tickets with early bird pricing (through July
19) start at $44.00 - attend all three days and camp for just $145.00 in tent
camping or $170.00 in vehicle camping! The perfect family event, concert
admission for children under 12 is FREE and "youth rates" (ages 12 to 16) are
only half the adult gate price.

For complete information about the PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL and tickets,
visit the website at www.folkfest.org or call the festival office at
800-556-FOLK.

SOURCE Philadelphia Folk Festival

Levi Landis, Philadelphia Folksong Society, +1-215-247-1300 or info@pfs.org