3 upcoming events with the folk music tag

Bob Dylan is returning to Emens Auditorium on his 2026 'Rough and Rowdy Ways' Tour!

Bob Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. As a musician, he has shaped popular music in innumerable ways — from inspiring the Beatles and bringing folk-rock into the mainstream to proving that electric guitars could be as revolutionary as acoustic ones.

Bob Dylan’s career has lasted the better part of sixty years now. He has never gotten by on sentimentality or nostalgia. He has never repeated his successes. Dylan has always pushed his work ahead.

Pokey LaFarge

Critically acclaimed musician Pokey LaFarge and his band will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. This concert is sponsored by Defur Voran. Locals Jerry Barker & the Onion Cutters will open the show.

LaFarge never wanted to be an artist that had one gigantic record and then kept repeating the same thing over and over. His last three albums, including his newest, Rhumba Country, gives evidence that he is in no danger of doing that. 2020’s Rock Bottom Rhapsody, hailed as a “Best of 2020” by NPR’s Fresh Air, was dark, lean and melancholy, without horns or anything else that might interfere with the vocals and the lyrics. By contrast, 2021’s In The Blossom of Their Shade showcased Pokey’s positivity, capturing the vibe of a perfect summer afternoon soundtrack. And as with all his previous works, In The Blossom of Their Shade continued to mix and match a wide variety of styles and traditions, this time around drawing on sounds from hot swing, ragtime, country blues, and Americana, as well as incorporating influences from the Southwest, South America, and the Caribbean. And now, on Rhumba Country, his latest full-length, LaFarge revels in his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. As Pokey immersed himself in the album’s creation, he once again began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Wherever his musical inspirations may take him, there is one thing you can be sure of – when Pokey LaFarge takes the stage, he will continue to entertain audiences everywhere with his unique mix of styles and dynamic showmanship. We are extremely pleased to be able to welcome Pokey LaFarge back to the Three Trails stage.

Blue Moon Marquee

Acclaimed Canadian blues/jazz group Blue Moon Marquee will be performing in a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. Locals The Prairie Creek Sirens will open the show.

Blue Moon Marquee writes and performs original compositions influenced by anything that swings, jumps or grooves. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars and prestigious festival stages. The vast repertoire of this band is a reflection of their bounteous years on the road, and the result is a trademark blend that pulls the different parts of their musical worlds together, taking the tones of early blues, the expressions of jazz, the heart of country, the spirit of folk, the swagger of soul and the rhythm of rock ‘n’ roll. Their gift is bringing all these elements together without anything sounding out of step. For their Canan Commons show, the duo will be joined by Alison Young on sax and Darcy Phillips on keys.

In recognition of the band’s excellence, Scream, Holler & Howl, their 5th album, won the JUNO Award (the Canadian equivalent of the GRAMMY) for Blues Album of the Year. The album was also honored with the Blues Foundation’s award for Emerging Artist of the Year (2023), and it swept the 2023 Maple Blues Awards (Canada’s highest honour in blues) with four wins. including Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.  Co-produced by GRAMMY-winning guitarist Duke Robillard and recorded live to tape, the album blazes forward with its astonishing mix of genres. As Mr. Robillard states, “To say A.W. and Jasmine are old souls is an understatement. They are poised for worldwide recognition in a brilliant and unique genre-bending ride through American blues and folk, Gypsy jazz, Native American themes, jump blues, swing and more. These century-old traditions have been redefined and delivered in a new light here”. Unbound by genre or era, Blue Moon Marquee has an edge that demands you take notice. With an authentic mixture of tempo, melody and imagery, they are timeless artists perfect for this time.