The Columbus Folk Music Society

The Columbus Folk Music Society is a non-profit, member-supported organization that promotes the traditional arts, primarily through music.

What is the Columbus Folk Music Society?

The Columbus Folk Music Society (CFMS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that exists to foster the growth and development of the folk music community in Central Ohio. We do this by producing quality folk music events, supporting the work of local musicians, and providing educational opportunities for both musicians and music lovers.

The Columbus Folk Music Society was founded in 1965 by a small group of folk music aficionados. Since then, we have grown into a vibrant organization with an active membership base. We are governed by an elected Board of Directors, and we produce a variety of events throughout the year including concerts, dances, workshops, and special events.

If you love folk music, we invite you to become a part of our community!

The History of the Columbus Folk Music Society

The Columbus Folk Music Society (CFMS) was founded in 1966 by a group of music lovers who wanted to share their love of folk music with others in the community. The first president was Terry Mumford, and the first vice president was Joan Allen. The CFMS was incorporated as a non-profit, educational organization in 1968.

The Columbus Folk Music Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting folk music, dance, and related arts. We achieve our mission through educational programs, performances, and community outreach.

The CFMS sponsors four quarterly concerts featuring national and regional touring artists, a weekly contra dance series, an annual festival showcasing local talent, workshops taught by touring artists, jam sessions, an lending library of acoustic instruments, and much more.

The Columbus Folk Music Society Today

The Columbus Folk Music Society (CFMS) has been promoting traditional acoustic music in Central Ohio since 1961. In the CFMS tradition, acoustic music includes folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, world beat and blues.

The CFMS is a non-profit educational organization that sponsors concerts and other events throughout the year. The Society also promotes music education through its support of the Heritage Music Program in the Columbus City Schools. The CFMS is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and operated by a small paid staff and many volunteers. Membership is open to everyone who shares an interest in acoustic music.

The Columbus Folk Music Society sponsors several public concerts each year featuring both local and touring performers of traditional acoustic music. The concert series is held in the Great Hall at the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Boulevard, just west of downtown Columbus. Concerts are usually held on Friday or Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons from September through May.

The Columbus Folk Music Society’s Future

The Columbus Folk Music Society (CFMS) is a non-profit organization that promotes the performance and appreciation of folk music in central Ohio. The Folk Club, as it is commonly called, was founded in 1964 and has been bringing live music to Columbus ever since. The club is run entirely by volunteers and is supported by member dues and donations.

The Folk Club hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, jams, dance parties, and workshops. We also maintain a lending library of over 5,000 songs, which is available to members. In addition to our regular events, we also produce the annual Ohio Folk Festival, one of the largest and longest-running folk festivals in the country.

Looking to the future, the Folk Club plans to continue its commitment to promoting folk music in central Ohio. We hope to expand our programming to reach new audiences, while also serving our existing members and supporters. We are always looking for new volunteers to help us with our work, so if you are interested in joining us, please don’t hesitate to contact us!