11:00AM
The Folk Villains
The Folk Villains are a sibling trio–turned–quintet of Bluegrass and Old‑Time musicians hailing from the Eastern Shore. Ringgold Cockey (banjo), Isabel Cockey (fiddle), and Guinevere Cockey (mandolin) grew up in a log cabin near the marshes and beaches of Tyaskin, Maryland, pickin’ on the porch and soaking up the sounds of their father’s band, The Folk Heroes. With the addition of Jack Rehbeck (Ohio, guitar) and Danny Marcus (Washington, upright bass), their Appalachian‑refined chops meet solid Ohio tradition and fresh West Coast innovation. Together, they honor their families’ folk roots while expanding the sound with a wide range of influences and their own “Villainous” high‑octane groove.
12:00PM
Rangamandala
Under the direction of NJSCA Heritage Fellow Neelima Raju, Rangamandala performs in the unique style of Kuchipudi, a classical dance tradition from southeastern India that combines rhythmic footwork, dynamic body movement, and expressive gesture and mime to communicate both abstract and narrative themes. Her choreography stays rooted in the traditional idiom while exploring new dimensions of Kuchipudi.
12:30PM
McDermott's Handy
McDermott’s Handy is the husband‑and‑wife duo of NJSCA Heritage Fellow Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley, multi‑instrumentalists who have performed together for over 45 years. Their name dates to the third NJ Folk Festival, when a tribute band led by Kathy—then the festival’s first music director—formed to honor the late Irish fiddler Ed McDermott, playing tunes they had learned from him.
Based in South Jersey, the pair have toured widely on the East Coast and in Ireland, sharing Irish traditional music with audiences everywhere. Kathy plays fiddle, harp, and banjo, while Dennis adds flute, tin whistle, guitar, and bouzouki. They have been inducted into the Mid‑Atlantic Comhaltas Ceoltóirí and the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame; Kathy was named a NJ Heritage Fellow in 2023.
McDermott’s Handy has performed at the NJ Folk Festival many times over its 50‑year history and anchored the South Jersey Irish Session on the “jam” stage for years. Just as Ed McDermott passed his music on to them, they have become instrumental in carrying that tradition forward to the Next Generation of Traditional Irish Music.
1:00PM
The Nrithyanjali Dance Ensemble
The Nrithyanjali Dance Ensemble, under the artistic leadership of NJSCA Heritage Fellow Ramya Ramnarayan, is a curated collective dedicated to presenting the richness of Bharatanatyam. The ensemble introduces audiences to the form’s origins, technique, and expressive vocabulary, illuminating its storytelling and abstract elements. The main stage performance features seasoned artists with over a decade of rigorous training and experience at major festivals in India and the United States; curated by Ramya, their works highlight the depth, structure, and expressive power of this classical dance form.
1:45PM
Hickory
Hickory is an NJ‑based original folk‑rock band influenced by The Beatles, The Avett Brothers, Caamp, and Tom Petty. Their “campfire folk‑rock” style blends timeless acoustic textures with modern rock energy, creating a laid‑back, festival‑ready sound. With their third album, Firefly, released in June 2026, the band is touring the Northeast, connecting with audiences through warm, engaging live performances.
2:30PM
Csűrdöngölő Folk Ensemble
The Csűrdöngölő Folk Ensemble is a Hungarian folk‑dance group dedicated to learning, preserving, and promoting Hungarian culture through dance, music, and traditional costumes. Rooted in the New York–New Jersey Hungarian‑American community and based in New Brunswick, NJ—a local hub for Hungarian Americans—the ensemble has grown into one of North America’s leading ethnic folk dance groups.
Composed of first-, second-, and third‑generation Hungarian‑Americans, Csűrdöngölő performs at Hungarian national holiday programs, charity balls, and cultural festivals in New Jersey and New York. The group celebrates the diversity of American society and welcomes everyone to its performances and dance events.
3:30PM
The BlarneyGirls
The BlarneyGirls began life over 2 decades as a trio of Celtic musicians based out of Georgia, featuring the soaring soprano Liz Robbins (now based in Rahway, NJ), the sizzling fiddle of Reva Paget and the solid backbone of guitar, bass and bouzouki of Michael Robbins. The band's mission is to combine traditional Scottish and Irish songs and tunes with their own original songs and tunes resulting in a unique blend of voice, fiddle and accompaniment. The BlarneyGirls have enchanted audiences touring around the country, blending Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton sounds with new songs by Cara Dillon, Sam Lakeman, Great Big Sea, Dolly Parton, and originals as well as original interpretations of traditional songs and tunes. The band has 4 albums out that are available wherever music can be streamed. They're very excited to be performing at the New Jersey Folk Festival, for the first time ever, to bring a bit o' the blarney to its audiences.
4:15PM
Cimarrones
Cimarrones is a New Jersey–based Afro‑Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena group dedicated to promoting the music and culture of Puerto Rico. Founded in 2009 by NJSCA Heritage Fellow Nelson Baéz, the ensemble preserves traditional Puerto Rican folkloric music while fusing it with other Caribbean styles and jazz.
One of the most sought‑after Bomba and Plena groups in New Jersey and the tri‑state region, Cimarrones has recorded multiple albums and performs widely at festivals and cultural events. Their performance traces Bomba’s roots on the island of Borikén—now Puerto Rico—400 years ago, then carries audiences into the present, celebrating Bomba and Plena as music of resistance and survival.
Stage Emcee: Tyler Cole Conroy