Folk provoking

Does the word “folk” conjure up the image of a man with a guitar, singing about trains? If so, you may need to broaden your folk horizons. And the Spokane Folklore Society’s ninth annual Fall Folk Festival is the place to do it. About 300 performers in 65 performing groups will be in evidence on the stages of the Lair at Spokane Community College at Saturday’s daylong festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The genres span the globe. Here’s a gazetteer to the cultures on display:

Thailand: Puen Thai, folk dance.

China: Dragon Wing (Long Feng), Chinese music and dance.

Japan: Spokane Taiko, Japanese drumming; Mukogawa Institute students, Bon Odori Japanese dance.

India: Sreedharani Nandagopal, East Indian folk dance.

Middle Eastern: Baharat, Desert Silk Dance Company, Nah’ Joom Dancers and Sisters of Selket, all performing various kinds of Middle Eastern dances.

Hawaii: Kuhai Halau and Northwest Hula Company, hula dances; Puleho Boyz, Hawaiian slack-key guitar.

West Africa: Ashe, drum and dance; KuUmba, drumming; Tam Tam Mandingue, traditional music and dance.

Zimbabwe: Coeurimba, marimba music.

The Andes: Koyasuyo, instrumental and vocal music.

England: Caerleon Terpsichores, 17th century English country dance.

German: Oom Pa’s and Ma’s, from the Odessa (Wash.) Deutchesfest.

Celtic: The Angus Scott Pipe Band, The Celtic Nots, Brian McLeod, Thistle and Thyme, and many others, performing various styles of Celtic music and dance.

This doesn’t even begin to cover those performers more focused on a historical time than a geographic place, such as Miller’s Tale, performing medieval music, and Silver Strings, performing Renaissance music.

Or the many performers specializing in American folk styles, including, but not limited to:

Bluegrass: Prairie Flyer, Bluegrass Conspiracy , Don’t Fret It, Rusty Strings, and Wing & a Prayer.

Blues: Lonesome Lyle Morse, Frank Delaney.

Traditional American: Occasional String Band, Toasted Toads and many others.

And, finally, dozens of performers have created their own genres which defy labels, but which might encompass some of the following: original music, cowboy songs, progressive folk, world music, jug band music, country folk, roots music, New Age instrumentals and folkabilly.

And yes, you should be able to find a man with a guitar, singing about trains.

With 65 different acts appearing on seven different stages, the only way to see the full scope of the event is to check out the complete schedule at www.spokanefolklore.org, or go to the festival and pick up a schedule.

The schedule will also show all of the participatory events, including music workshops, dance workshops and a big, New England-style contradance at 8 p.m. Food and baked goods will be available for sale.

KPBX-FM (Spokane Public Radio, 91.1) will broadcast live from the festival from noon to 2 p.m.

Not to belabor this one little point, but: This whole thing is free. Free. FREE.

This annual festival is paid for by sponsors, donors and the sale of $3 supporters’ buttons, available at the event.