We have been hearing from many, many members asking about the status of the 2022 Festival and we are so excited to announce that we will be returning to an in-person Alaska Folk Festival in April 2022! We all remember how disappointing it was to suddenly postpone AFF 46 in 2020. Thanks to the diligent year-round effort from our all-volunteer Board of Directors and the overwhelming support from our amazing members, we hosted a virtual AFF 46 in 2021 that far exceeded nearly everyone’s expectations. And now, thankfully, we are able to move ahead with planning an in-person Festival for 2022.
The single most important factor getting us to an in-person festival was the development and availability of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19. In order to safely hold an in-person festival in 2022, and following CDC and City & Borough of Juneau (CBJ) guide-lines, all attendees, volunteers, and performers must be vaccinated to attend the in-person event. As in years past, main stage concerts will be streamed on KRNN and this year we are working with them to increase quality and coverage of concert streams to make the festival performances available to those who are not able to attend in-person.
With about 4 ½ months until that magical first day of the festival, we know a lot can change regarding the pandemic. With that said, we are working very closely with Centennial Hall and CBJ to ensure that we host a safe in-person gathering in April. As mentioned above, all attendees must be vaccinated, and we will follow all current guidelines regarding masking in public spaces at the time of the event. This has been a difficult time for all of us and we are so thankful that we will have a chance to see all of your smiling faces again, in-person in Juneau for The 47th Annual Alaska Folk Festival!
Andrew Heist—President