Photo recap: Highlights from Philly Folk Fest – Day 3

Graceland Tribute Fans | Photo by John Vettese / WXPN

Rolling into Saturday, Day 3 of Phily Folk Fest we already had some great performances behind us, but was also stoked for what was still to come. Here’s some highlights from the day on the Old Pool Farm.

A tribute set to Paul Simon’s Graceland – which celebrates its 30th anniversary on Thursday – featuring Bakithi Kumalo, the Soweto, South Africa bassist who played on the album, along with a crew of Philly all stars including Shawn Hennessey, Eric Bazillian, Ryan Tennis, Sarah Larsen of Ladybird and Hurricane Hoss and more.

River Whyless played a hugely well-recieved set at the Lobby Stage.

Buffy Sainte-Marie played a powerful mainstage set in the early evening — loud, energized, socially conscious and inspiring.

Gene Shay couldn’t make it to the festival this year on doctor’s orders, so festival programmer Jesse Lundy, MC Wesley Stace and Folksong Society’s Michael Braunfeld called him from the stage, put him on speakerphone and held it up to the mic. The whole crowd screamed hi Gene and Gene made a few remarks, taking about how he loved everybody and wished everybody could be there and he actually said at one point “you’re all awesome” and he promised to be back for PFF 2017.

Standout sets on Main Stage from Stray Birds and Wood Bros

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