Hobart and William Smith Colleges

3 April 2025 • Alums Folk Fest Revival 2025

This Spring, Folk Fest returns to Hobart and William Smith, headlined by indie rock band Arcy Drive.

Folk Fest is making a long-awaited return on Sunday, April 27 from 12-4 p.m. on Bristol Lawn—24 years after its last appearance. A cherished tradition at Hobart and William Smith from 1976-2001, the festival is back, with an exciting lineup.

Headlining the event is Arcy Drive, a New York-based indie rock band with more than 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. The band was selected by students as part of the Folk Fest planning process.

The push for the return of Folk Fest was student-organized, with nearly 30 students serving on the Folk Fest Committee, organized by HWS Student Government. Students have had the opportunity to shape nearly every aspect of the event: from choosing the headliner to picking out the location and food options.

Sophia Mughal ’25, student government president and a Library Research Fellow on campus, proposed the idea of relaunching Folk Fest after visiting the HWS Archives with the Media and Society Capstone. 

“The capstone was interested in campus life in past decades, so HWS’ Archivist Brandon Moblo and I pulled materials related to this theme, including old Folk Fest photos. This is where I got inspiration for the event,” Mughal says.

Senior Class President Georgia Craven ’25 says, “Everyone on campus is excited to have a day for our community to come together and celebrate the end of the year.”  Folk Fest Committee member Aiden Greiff ’25 adds, “This event supports the connection between HWS and the local arts scene, adding to our commitment as a college to engage with the Geneva community.”

In addition to Arcy Drive, the event will feature several local bands, including:

• Darwin - Geneva-based rock band featuring Sodexo staff members Laura Black and Zachary Schoonover.
• That One Crocodile - Rochester-based band featuring Ben Baker ’09.
• Motherwort - An Ithaca-based band playing folk punk music.
• Oscar’s Cash - A Buffalo-based indie rock group.
• 3 Miles Lost - HWS’ acapella group.

Folk Fest will also feature an Em's Threads Pop-up, Emily Rourke’s ’24 apparel business which won the 2024 Todd Feldman ’89 and Family Pitch Competition. The Provenzano Student Art Gallery will also hold their annual Student Art Market.

The Folk Fest logo was designed by Lucy Hughes ’27. Her artwork was selected following a campus-wide call for logo designs and is now available on Folk Fest merchandise. An additional logo, designed by Kevin Frost ’25 in collaboration with the Martini, is available on bucket hats. Purchase merchandise here.

All proceeds from the pop-up shop will be donated to the JED Foundation, a nonprofit which promotes mental health on campuses across the country through education, programming and other initiatives.

Food offerings at Folk Fest include 546 Chicken and Waffles, Bay Vista Tacos, and Dainty Donuts. For community members over the age of 21, local craft beverage vendors include Lake Drum Brewing, Seneca Lake Brewing and Fox Run Winery.

Folk Fest is open to HWS community members, including students, faculty, staff and alumni.