How much does the Festival cost?
A $30 festival wristband will get you into all festival venues and activities both days. Individual evening wristbands will be available for $20 – or you can pay as you go at each venue. Children 12 and under get in free. All Friday and Saturday daytime workshops, storytelling, singalongs, and family events are free.
Tickets for single venues, including dances, can be purchased at the door and will cost between $5 – $15 dollars, depending on the venue. Please note that in the case of large crowds, only wristband holders will be admitted.
Independent Media Center: $15
Iron Post: $15
Rose Bowl: $15
Heartland, Friday: $15
Heartland, Saturday: $5
Landmark Hotel: $5 per dance or $10 for all night
Buvons, Friday: $10
Where can I buy a wristband?
Wristbands are available by clicking on the Brown Paper Tickets link on our website, at the CU Folk & Roots festival booth at the Urbana Farmer’s Market during October, and starting Friday, November 1st at 5:00 pm at the festival’s Welcome Center in the Independent Media Center (202 S Broadway Ave.), and at all venues.
Where is the festival held?
The festival takes place in various places within a several block radius in downtown Urbana. See our schedule and our venue page for exact locations. Please note that some locations, like the Iron Post, fill up quickly. Arrive early if you want to be sure to get in!
Is the festival open to all ages?
Most of our venues are all-ages with the exception of the Rose Bowl and the late night shows at the Iron Post. The Rose Bowl is an over-21 only venue. Buvons is an over-21 only venue after 9:00pm; supervised children are welcome before 9:00pm.
Where can we jam?
Check the Jams page for information about the festival’s organized jams and the schedule for the exact time folks will be playing your favorite style. On Saturday in the Lincoln Square Mall, you’ll find bluegrass jamming from 11:00am-1:00pm, old-time jamming from 1:00pm-3:00pm, and blues jamming from 3:00pm-5:00pm. On Saturday at the Iron Post, you’ll find Cajun jamming from 11:00am-12:00pm and an Irish session from noon to 2:00pm. If that isn’t enough, there will be a late night hootenanny on Friday at the Rose Bowl from midnight to 2:00am and open jamming on Saturday night at the Iron Post from 12:30am-2:00am! Spectators (and dancers!) are welcome at all jams. Just remember that the Rose Bowl is an over-21 only venue.
What about food and drink and places to stay?
We encourage festival goers to patronize the many fine food and drink establishments in and around downtown Urbana. Many are just a few steps away! Check the Urbana Business Association website for information about local hotels.
Parking
Parking is available in the City of Urbana parking deck on the corner of Main and Broadway. Plentiful street parking is available as well in and around downtown. Bike racks can be found near the Urbana Free Library, and on the north side of the parking deck.
Where/when do performers and volunteers check in?
All performers, workshop leaders, and volunteers should check in at the Welcome Center at least one hour before their scheduled event or sound-check to receive their information packet and check on any last minute changes.
Festival and artist merchandise
Festival “swag” and participating artist merchandise (CDs, etc.) will be available at the merchandise table near the welcome center all weekend.
How many hours do I need to volunteer to receive a festival t-shirt and wristband?
We ask that volunteers be willing to work a 4 hour shift. Shorter shifts make logistics pretty crazy!
Lost and found/First aid
Lost and found and a first aid kit will be located at the Welcome Center in The IMC.
Who puts this festival on?
The CU Folk and Roots Festival is an event organized and run entirely by local volunteers. A volunteer steering committee meets bi-weekly throughout the year to plan the festival, with the assistance of many other individuals and organizations. In June of 2010, the CU Folk and Roots Festival became a Not-for-Profit organization (501C3). All donations are tax-deductible.