DelawareScene: Delmarva Folk Festival @ G & R Campground

Delmarva Folk Festival

Delaware Friends of Folk are excited to announce the lineup for their 34th annual Delmarva Folk Festival. The outdoor Festival will be held Friday and Saturday, October 17 and 18, 2025, at G & R Campground, Gun & Rod Club Road, Houston Del. Friday will feature the finals of the 19th annual Delmarva Folk Heroes contest and Saturday provides a rich lineup of folk, blues, old-time, and bluegrass, along with special kids activities and craft and food vendors featuring beer from local brewers. Camping, RV sites, and cabins are available thruough G & R Campground.

Artists from Delmarva, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Maryland, will take the stage during the weekend. Current Delmarva Folk Hero Jake Rashkind begins the Festival as he hosts the finals of the 19th annual Folk Heroes contest beginning at 7 pm Friday, October 17. Six acts chosen over the summer will perform, and the audience that evening will vote to select the new Delmarva Folk Hero. Finalists include Dark River Darling, Sharon Bousquet, Chris Honeman, Jean Bayou, Treefolk, and Acorn Whiskey.

The music resumes Saturday, October 18 at noon with a set from the newly minted Delmarva Folk Hero and Rehoboth Beach teen Marley Fyock will follow at 12:30. Long-time local musician Jim Rezac will play at 1 pm with Rehoboth Beach singer-songwriter Nate McCormick taking the stage at 2 pm. The afternoon session concludes with a 3 pm set of folk, blues and SandCreek originals from Road W.

The main stage takes an hour break at 4 pm but there’s plenty to do, including a workshop led by members of The Plate Scrapers. Folks can visit the Poet Tree for spooky folk lore and a community poem project or check out handmade artisan wares in our vendor row.

At 5 pm we celebrate the life and music of Christine Havilla with a set of her music from her band Gypsy Fuzz. Christine’s five-year battle with cancer ended in May, and her band is eager to continue her legacy. At 6 pm we welcome Roots Revival Roadshow. They are a dynamic traveling collective of musicians from the greater Philly and Delaware area, united by a passion for celebrating the profound legacy of African American music. Featuring Sug Daniels on vocals and ukulele, roots and blues artist Antar Goodwin, and Ty Mathis on guitar and vocals, the Roadshow honors the roots of this musical tradition.

The Plate Scrapers take the stage at 7:00. This band was born from bluegrass jams and potlucks and has been showcasing the genre since 2014. Balancing traditional Appalachian roots with progressive influences, they’ve supported legends like The Seldom Scene and Larry Keel while captivating late-night festival crowds with genre-blending originals.

Closing the 2025 Festival at 9:00, we proudly present Melody Trucks & the Fitzkee Brothers w/ Chris Vitarello. This new musical collective unites deep heritage with

timeless sound. At the heart of the group is Melody Trucks, daughter of Allman Brothers Band legend Butch Trucks. As a powerful vocalist and percussionist, she carries on her musical legacy, intertwining her sound with the high-energy, funky jams of The Fitzkee Brothers. This dynamic Delaware duo, (drums and bass) are making their own mark on the music scene, having shared the stage with an impressive list of artists, including Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Oteil Burbridge, and Duane Betts.

name a few. Rounding out the group is Chris Vitarello, an accomplished guitarist whose sophisticated playing adds a soulful fire. Together, they pay tribute to the past while blazing a new trail in the modern jam scene, creating a fresh and vibrant sound all their own.

Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.delfolk.org. Tickets at the gate on Saturday will be $30 for everyone and admission for the Friday night Folk Heroes contest will be $10 for all.

The Delmarva Folk Festival is partially supported by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. The appearance of The Plate Scrapers is supported in part by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts.

SCHEDULE:

Fri. eve. Jake Rashkind, Folk Heroes contest

SATURDAY NOON Folk Hero

12:30 Marley Fyock

01:00 Jim Rezac

02:00 Nate McCormick

03:00 Road W

04:00 Plate Scrapers workshop

05:00 Gypsy Fuzz: The Music of Christine Havrilla

06:00 Roots Revival Roadshow

07:00 The Plate Scrapers

09:00 Melody Trucks & The Fitzkee Bros. w/ Chris Vitarello

LINKS:

DELMARVA FOLK FESTIVAL www.delfolk.org