Humboldt Folklife Festival brings roots music under the stars in Blue Lake
For $15, Under the Stars packed Harmonic Howl, April Moore and Ranch Party, and Cadillac Ranch into a Blue Lake night built for low-cost summer listening.
A $15 ticket bought three roots-music sets under the open sky at Dell’Arte Amphitheatre in Blue Lake, where Humboldt Folklife Festival: Under the Stars began at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23. The lineup moved from Harmonic Howl to April Moore and Ranch Party, then Cadillac Ranch, with discounted admission set at $10 for Humboldt Folklife Society members and $5 for kids.
The evening was staged at Dell’Arte Amphitheatre, 131 H St., a space tied to one of Blue Lake’s most recognizable arts institutions. Dell’Arte International describes itself as “a home for the actor-creator” and says its main building is a 1911 two-story redwood structure that once served as an Oddfellows Hall, giving the festival a setting with more history than a typical concert venue.
The event listing asked people to bring picnic treats and blankets or low seats, signaling a casual night built around sitting back and listening rather than a formal seated show. It also barred outside alcohol and dogs, rules that framed the gathering as a managed community event instead of an informal block-party-style jam.
That balance of low cost and clear structure is part of why Under the Stars stands out in Humboldt’s summer calendar. The Humboldt Folklife Society’s 2026 festival page placed the full festival at Dell’Arte from July 18-25, and the society said members could get a discount code by renewing or joining. The festival also opened with a kick-off party at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 18, underscoring that Under the Stars was one piece of a larger weeklong run of music in Blue Lake.
The draw is not only the price but the local mix onstage. Mad River Union has described the Folklife Festival as a showcase for many talented local musicians in Humboldt County, and one recent festival included six different events over the last week of July. A separate 2024 Under the Stars listing featured Kray Van Kirk, Rise and Bloom, and Huckleberry Flint, showing how the night has continued to center regional roots artists.
For residents looking for an affordable night out, the formula is straightforward: a small ticket, several acts, and a summer setting in a familiar arts venue. In a county where live events can quickly get expensive, Under the Stars offered a rare chance to hear local folk and roots music without spending much more than the cost of dinner.
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