KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL FOUNDATION

ANNUALLY, THE KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL FOUNDATION ("KFF FOUNDATION- OR "FOUNDATION") NORMALLY PRODUCES THE 18-DAY KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL (MAY 22 - JUNE 8, 2025) AND A 3-DAY EVENT CALLED WELCOME HOME FEST (OCTOBER 9-11). BECAUSE OF SEVERE FLOODING IMPACTS IN THE REGION THIS YEAR, WE CANCELED WELCOME HOME FEST TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL ("KFF") IS THE FOUNDATION'S FLAGSHIP EVENT. ESTABLISHED IN 1972, THE KFF IS AMONG THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING MUSIC FESTIVALS IN THE COUNTRY AND, IN 2025, WE CELEBRATED OUR 53RD ANNUAL FESTIVAL. DURING KFF, THE FOUNDATION HOSTS THE KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL GRASSY HILL SINGER SONGWRITER COMPETITION. THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED ALMOST 1200 ENTRIES, FROM WHICH 24 FINALISTS WERE SELECTED TO PERFORM AT THE FESTIVAL. FROM THOSE 24 FINALISTS, 6 WINNERS ARE SELECTED; WINNERS RECEIVE A CASH PRIZE AND ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 10-DAY TOUR, PERFORMING AT TEXAS VENUES. DURING THE FESTIVAL, WE ALSO HOST A NUMBER OF SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS, INCLUDING INSTRUMENT SPECIFIC WORKSHOPS (HARMONICA, UKULELE AND GUITAR) AS WELL AS SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS SUCH AS CO-WRITING AND CREATIVE PROCESS. WE ALSO HOSTED A NUMBER OF EVENTS GEARED TOWARD THE YOUNGER GENERATION, INCLUDING FAMILY CONCERTS, A GOLF CART PARADE, A YOUNG ARTIST PERFORMANCE INCUBATOR ("YAPI") AND PRE-TEEN/TEENAGE SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS. WE WERE SCHEDULED TO HOLD OUR THREE-DAY WELCOME HOME FEST IN OCTOBER BUT ON JULY 4, THE KERR COUNTY AREA WAS HIT BY DEVASTATING FLOODS. WHILE THE PROPERTY WHERE THE FESTIVAL IS HELD WAS NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED, WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS TO HELPING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. AS PART OF THAT EFFORT, WE CANCELED WELCOME HOME FEST AND PIVOTED TO DOING WHAT WE COULD TO HELP THOSE IMPACTED. TO THAT END, IN JULY, OUR STAFF KITCHEN AND A DEDICATED TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS PREPARED AND DELIVERED HOT MEALS TO RESCUE WORKERS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND IMPACTED CITIZENS, SOMETIMES PROVIDING AS MANY AS 1,000 MEALS A DAY. WE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR FAR-RANGING FESTIVAL COMMUNITY TO RAISE MONEY FOR FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS AND TO PROVIDE NEEDED SUPPLIES SUCH AS WORK GLOVES, GENERATORS AND CHAIN SAWS. IN ADDITION, WE OPENED THE PROPERTY WHERE THE FESTIVAL OCCURS TO HOUSE DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS AND DEBRIS REMOVAL PERSONNEL. THE FOUNDATION ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MUSICAL FUND-RAISING EVENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY HELD IN AUSTIN, TX (WITH MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHY AND LYLE LOVETT) AND SAN ANTONIO, TX (LYLE LOVETT, LOS LONELY BOYS, RECKLESS KELLY AND BRI BAGWELL). WE ALSO WORKED WITH A LOCAL PARTNER, ARCADIA LIVE, TO PRESENT A NUMBER OF SHOWS IN KERRVILLE, COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE TO RESIDENTS OF KERR COUNTY (SHINYRIBS, JOSH & CHRISTY GRIDER AND JAMES MCMURTRY).