American Folk Festival volunteers not only get to pick and choose what they do and for how long, but they also get an invite to an exclusive party that features some of the best performances of the weekend!

The last weekend in August, the Bangor Waterfront is transformed into an international mecca of musical and dance styles, exotic foods, and diverse culture. Performances range from southern Gospel to Cajun to African, Quebecois, Irish, and everything in between. Folks munch on fried alligator, red beans and rice, and good old strawberry shortcake.

Probably the most amazing part of this festival is the fact that it's free to get in. I mean, it costs a lot to put it together! The artists don't travel to Bangor, Maine and perform for free. Festival organizers rely on the suggested daily donation of $10, the generosity of festival-goers to the Bucket Brigade, and corporate sponsors.

And probably most valuable are the volunteers, who do everything from walking through the crowd with the donation buckets, to selling t-shirts, manning the children's area, and greeting people as they come in the gates. Hundreds of volunteers are needed to make the festival run as smoothly as it always does. And the cool thing is, you can decide where you want to work, what you want to be doing, and when. Want to volunteer for a day? You can. Want to volunteer every day? You can do that too!

In addition to being part of one of the coolest events all summer, you'll gain admission to the kickoff party that's exclusive to people involved with the festival. The artists attend the party, and often get together to jam. That means you might hear a blues artist playing for a gospel singer, or a cajun singer performing with an Irish group!

Signing up to volunteer can be done on the American Folk Festival's website. The festival is coming right up, August 26th to the 28th this year, so sign up today!

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