The Menokin Bluegrass Festival, is taking place this Saturday (May 6) in Warsaw, Virginia, from noon to 6:00 pm. The festival is held on the historic grounds of Menokin, home of Francis Lightfoot Lee, located on Cat Point Creek between the Potomac and Rappahanock rivers in Virginia's Northern Neck. The festival just started a few years ago, but it draws some of the finest bluegrass musicians in the country. This year's lineup is Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, The Seldom Scene, Old School Freight Train, and Bill Kelso and the Gas Money Band (when not playing bluegrass, Bill Kelso is the Director of Archaeology with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities).

The Graves Mountain Festival hosts three days of bluegrass and old-time performances in Syria, Virginia. This year's festival, June 1 through June 3, includes the Stringdusters, Uncle Earl, The Grascals, Mountain Heart, the Cherryholmes, The Seldom Scene, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, and Rhonda Vincent.

The Washington Folk Festival is held the first weekend in June at Glen Echo Park. It features musicians from the Washington area who cover the entire spectrum of folk and traditional music. They also need volunteers to help set up and run the festival!

The Potomac Celtic Festival is Northern Virginia's annual Celtic festival, with each year dedicated to a particular Celtic nation. Held each June in Leesburg, the 2006 festival will be on June 17 and 18.

Performers at this years festival include: Chulrua, Coyote Run, Grada, Matt and Shannon Heaton with Laura Cortese, Iona, Le Vent du Nord, Tommy Sands, Tinsmith, the Blue Ridge Irish Music School, Maggie's Music, Moch Pryderi and harpist Lily Neil. The night festival will feature The Prodigals and Scythian.

The Potomac Celtic Festival is organized and run by volunteers, and they need a lot of help to present this wonderful festival. (Among other needs, they're looking for someone to run the performer check-in this year.) Please check out the Participation page on their web site and consider helping them before the festival weekend or during the festival.

Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. The Festival takes place on the National Mall every summer during the two weeks ending on the 4th of July. Festival exhibits and demonstrations feature the cultures of three regions or countries, including music and dance performances.

Virginia Scottish Games. Every July, at the Episcapal High School, with pipe bands and fiddle competition. The 2006 games will be on July 21-23.

Alexandria Irish Festival. In Old Town Alexandria every August.

Philadelphia Folk Festival. Spanning three days in August, the 2006 festival will be August 18-20. A little outside the DC area, but worth the trip.

Country Roads Folk Festival. At the Almost Heaven Farm in Kearneysville, West Virginia, 70 miles west of Washington. The 2006 festival will be on October 7.

National Folk Festival. Sponsored by the National Council for Traditional Arts, The National Folk Festival moves to a new host city every three years. It will be in Richmond, Virginia for 2005, 2006 and 2007. The 2006 festival will be on Oct. 13-15.

Watermelon Park Fest. Two days of bluegrass in Berryville, Virginia, in September. The 2006 festival is planned for September 22-23