The Return of the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival 2021

The long anticipated Woody Guthrie Folk Festival will be returning this year! The event went virtual for 2020 because of the pandemic, and they have now decided to hold the event in-person and online.

The event was given its name from Woodrow “Woody” Wilson Guthrie who was born on July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma.

In 1937, he arrived in California and landed a job on KFVD radio, where he sang “old-time” songs and gathered the public’s attention. 

In 1940, he arrived in New York City and recorded his first original album, “Dust Bowl Ballad,” for RCA Victor. Woody’s first few recordings became touchstones for folk music. 

The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival or WoodyFest started in 1997 and celebrates the legacy and philosophy of Woody Guthrie’s music. It is held annually around Woody Guthrie’s birthday and held in his hometown, Okemah, Oklahoma. 

The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival will be returning to Okemah, Oklahoma, from July 14th through July 18th and will be held online and in-person. The in-person event will be socially distanced and limited to the number of people allowed into the venue. 

As the event approaches, the official protocols for the festival will be released. 

Tickets are now on sale on for the in-person event or check their schedule here. Details for the online event have yet to be released.