Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival 2025

Labor Day Weekend in Vermont is something to celebrate.

The summer heat is fading, and crisp air is giving autumn vibes that pull folks outdoors to soak it all in.

The 2025 Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival.

One of the best places to celebrate the long weekend is at the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival, which returns for its 21st year on Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2026.

Held at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, the festival brings together folk and blues musicians from Vermont and beyond for two afternoons of live performances.

The Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival is free to attend, with donations encouraged to support the artists. Festivalgoers are also invited to bring non-perishable food items for the Vermont Food Bank.

A Festival with History

The setting for the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival is one of Vermont’s most historic villages.

Plymouth Notch is the birthplace of President Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, and the site where he took the presidential oath of office in 1923.

The village has been carefully preserved, with homes, barns, and community buildings that look much as they did during Coolidge’s lifetime. Pairing this historic backdrop with live folk and blues music creates a uniquely Vermont experience.

Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site barn. — The Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth Notch, Vermont

This is one of my favorite Vermont festivals of the summer. It manages to be lively and mellow at the same time, the sort of low-key, no-pressure gathering where the biggest decision you’ll make is whether to move your chair into the shade.

Stars from Vermont and internationally known musicians team up for two afternoons of free tunes in the Green Mountains. Cash donations to support the artists are appreciated, and the festival is also collecting unexpired non-perishable food donations for the Vermont Foodbank, so tuck a few cans in your bag on the way out the door.

Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds at the Coolidge site, which makes this an easy yes for those of us who don’t like leaving a pup at home. Dogs aren’t allowed inside the historic buildings, but the music happens outdoors on the green, so your four-legged companion can stretch out on the blanket right beside you.

Why This One Is Worth the Drive

Plymouth Notch is one of the best-preserved presidential birthplaces in the country, a tiny village tucked into the Green Mountains that feels like a step back in time.

On any given day, it’s a peaceful place to wander past the one-room schoolhouse, the 1840 Union Christian Church, and the general store that once buzzed with local life. Add live music and a hillside full of people who came out for the pure pleasure of it, and the whole valley comes alive.

It’s a magical feeling to listen to a soulful blues tune drift across a village green that looks almost exactly as it did in 1923. If you want to make a full day of it, the site is worth exploring before or after the sets.

Tour the Coolidge Homestead, peek into the 1924 Summer White House office, and stop by the Plymouth Cheese Factory, founded by Coolidge’s father in 1890 and still making America’s oldest cheddar from the original recipe. A wedge of cheddar and a folk tune under the maples is about as Vermont as an afternoon gets.

Saturday, September 5, 2026 / 2 to 5 pm

Grace Morrison (2 to 3 pm): A proudly unconventional Cape Cod songwriter, Grace Morrison blends country storytelling, pop hooks, and Swamp Yankee grit into her trademarked sound, Saltwater Country. She’s a pianist, accordion player, cranberry grower, and coffee roaster, and her music is as endearing and specific as the coast that raised her. The Boston Globe put it well: “Her voice smacks of Jewel, and her style, cadence, song structure is every inch from the school of Joan Osborne, Lisa Loeb, Natalie Merchant.” More at gracemorrison.com.

Tom Pirozzoli (3 to 4 pm): Tom Pirozzoli’s recordings have found national and international success, and he’s part of the Smithsonian Folkways Collection. He’s charted on the Top 40 AAA charts and worked with the likes of Greg Brown, Jesse Winchester, Doc Watson, and Willy Porter. Sophisticated guitar work forms a rich backdrop for his warm tenor, with songs shaped by his travels through Europe, South America, India, Southeast Asia, China, and Tibet. He only performs a handful of times a year these days, so catching him here is a treat. More at pirozzoli.com.

Joseph Parsons (4 to 5 pm): Joseph Parsons is an American singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyricism, warm baritone, and deeply human storytelling. Rooted in folk-rock and Americana, he’s built a devoted international following through projects like the JPBand, US Rails, and Hardpan, along with a rich solo catalog. Born in the U.S. and long based in Europe, he bridges continents in both sound and spirit, blending acoustic intimacy with electric drive. More at josephparsons.com.

Sunday, September 6, 2026 / 2 to 5 pm

KeruBo (2 to 3 p.): Hailing from Kenya and now living in the Burlington area, KeruBo is an accomplished Afro-jazz artist, singer, and songwriter with more than two decades of stages around the world behind her. Her sound fuses African traditional music with traces of Brazilian samba and bossa nova, jazz, and blues, moving effortlessly between time-honored African laments and contemporary renditions. She counts Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka, and Nina Simone among her inspirations, which tells you plenty about the company her voice keeps. More at kerubomusic.com.

Sister Speak (3 to 4 pm): Sister Speak is the recording alias of Canadian singer, guitarist, and songwriter Sherri Anne Nyberg. With roots spanning Canada’s West Coast, Southern California, Sweden, and now split between Montreal and Vermont, her sound blends alternative, folk, blues, indie rock, and Cali-roots influences, anchored by soulful vocals and expressive guitar. She’s shared stages with the likes of Don Carlos, Air Supply, and The Doobie Brothers, and her music has been featured on CBC, BBC, and NPR. More at sisterspeakmusic.com.

The Kennedys (4 to 5 pm): The Kennedys are vocalists and guitarists Pete and Maura Kennedy, a husband-and-wife duo who hit the road together in the early ’90s as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra. For three decades since, they’ve toured the US, Canada, and Europe as a two-person band. They’re higher energy than a folk act but not as loud as a rock band, mixing passionate songwriting with a repertoire of classics drawn from their sixteen albums. Think Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, or the Beatles, and you’ll have a sense of the smile you’ll be wearing. A perfect note to close the weekend on. More at kennedysmusic.com.

Things to Know Before You Go

If you’re planning a trip to the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival, here are a few tips to make your visit smooth and enjoyable:

Parking
Free parking is available at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. Volunteers will be on hand to direct traffic, but spots near the village can fill up quickly, so plan to arrive early.

Nearby Camping and Lodging

Coolidge State Park: Just a few minutes from the festival grounds, this park offers tent and lean-to sites, plus some of the best views in central Vermont.
Camp Plymouth State Park: Located on Echo Lake, this campground has family-friendly sites and swimming opportunities.
For those who prefer indoor comforts, nearby towns like Woodstock, Ludlow, and Killington offer inns, motels, and B&Bs.

What to Bring

Lawn chairs or a picnic blanket for comfortable seating.
Cash for artist donations (and to support the Vermont Food Bank with food contributions).
A light sweater or jacket; afternoons may be warm, but evenings in Plymouth Notch can get cool.
Sunscreen and a hat if you’re planning to sit in the sun.

Neary Attractions
Make the most of your Labor Day Weekend with a few nearby adventures:

President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site: Beyond the concerts, explore the preserved village where President Calvin Coolidge grew up and took the presidential oath of office.
Woodstock, Vermont: Just 20 minutes away, Woodstock is one of Vermont’s most charming small towns, with shops, restaurants, and the Billings Farm & Museum.
Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow: A great spot for hiking, scenic chairlift rides, or just enjoying mountain views.

Pack a picnic, round up the dog, and point the car toward Plymouth Notch.

Some of the best things Vermont does are the simple ones, and a free afternoon of folk and blues in a historic mountain village is right at the top of that list. I’ll see you on the green!