Inside Stories

Folk Fest Introduces Kid-Friendly Discovery Activity Zone

Lowell – In addition to performances by world class musicians representing folk traditions from many different cultures, families attending the 2025 Lowell Folk Festival will find the new Discovery Lowell Playspace, an interactive area for both the young and the young at heart, along Merrimack Street from Dutton to Central Streets.

Anchored by the award-winning Discovery Museum in Acton (MA), the Playspace will include a number of youth-oriented community partners in addition to the Discovery Museum, all engaging festival-goers in a wide range of activities. More information about the free Lowell Folk Festival, running July 25-27,can be found at lowellfolkfestival.org.

Festival Director Lee Viliesis said that creating a dynamic new kids’ area is vital to keeping the festival relevant as it comes up on its 40th anniversary in 2027. “The Lowell Folk Festival is about celebrating traditional music and arts and passing those traditions down through generations. This is our 38th year, and the kids who attended those early festivals with their parents are now parents themselves. The Discovery Lowell Playspace is a place where the youngsters who are attending with their parents can create memories of their own.”

“We’re thrilled to bring the Discovery Museum to Merrimack Street,” declared Susan Heilman, Director of Community Partnerships at the Discovery Museum. “If you’ve never been to our museum in Acton, come play with us at the festival to get a taste of what we’re about. If you have visited Discovery Museum in the past, at the Playspace you’ll recognize some of your favorite activities from there such as air play, water play, sand play, and bubble play.”

Discovery Museum’s Explorers staff will also be playing with chalk in front of Merrimack Street’s Lazy Cat Lounge, making it the ideal spot to draw pictures of cats, while a pop-up cafe in front of Lowell Pop-up Felt the Food will be the place for kids to create their favorite foods using felt.

Among the community organizations participating in the Playspace will be Christ Church United hosting a musical instrument petting zoo, and Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility teaching young minds about the water cycle with their interactive ecosphere. Lowell Community Charter Public School’s Afro-Latin Marimba Ensemble will perform on Saturday, along with the students from Angkor Dance Troupe’s Program at Butler Middle School.

The Lowell Community Health Center will provide a Quiet Zone where nursing mothers as well as parents and kids who need to take a break from all the excitement will find just what they need.

The remarkably diverse line-up of world-class musicians scheduled to play the 2025 Lowell Folk Festival include Cajun legend BeauSoleil, Irish favorites Solas, blues rockers Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Gospel ensemble The Bullock Brothers, flamenco dancer and singer LOS RICOS featuring Sonia & Ismael, West Africa’s Bamba Wassoulou Groove, fado guitarist Ricard Parreira, and bluegrass group Crooked Road Revival.

For information about the 2025 Lowell Folk Festival, including how to sponsor or be an exhibitor, musical artists and schedules, and other programming, visit lowellfolkfestival.org to stay posted on all updates for the 2025 Lowell Folk Festival.

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