Philadelphia Folksong Society

The Philadelphia Folksong Society (PFS) is dedicated to preserving the past, promoting the present, and securing the future of folk music and related forms of expression through education, presentation, and participation.

Preserving the Past – PFS will preserve artistic expression by offering programs that encourage participation in traditional folk music and educate the public of its history.

Promoting the Present – PFS will be recognized among the vanguard of emerging trendsetters and innovators within folk music. Diverse programs will encourage artistic development and experimentation.

Serving the Future – PFS will continue to promote folk music in its traditional and contemporary styles and continue to educate with our classes, concerts, workshops, and support of our musical community.

The seeds of the Philadelphia Folksong Society were planted at The Gilded Cage, a Rittenhouse Square coffeeshop on South 21st Street run by Esther and Ed Halpern from 1956 to 1969. The coffeeshop was a popular venue for many popular folk musicians of the era, and home to many of the Philadelphia Folksong Society’s first official and unofficial SINGs and meetings. The vibrant folk community of the Gilded Cage ultimately founded our organization.

The Philadelphia Folksong Society was founded in 1957, and since that time the organization has offered programs of presentation, participation, and education throughout Greater Philadelphia and the nation. These programs present our cultural history and provide enjoyment to thousands of people of all ages.

The Philadelphia Folksong Society contributes to the preservation of a vast variety of musical styles and historical perspectives. PFS has garnered international recognition and local acclaim through popular programs such as The Philadelphia Folk Festival, Fall Fling, and Spring Thing.

Seasonal programming of workshops, community service programs, concerts, PFS Presents, Sings, and the Odyssey of American Music education program has served a diverse range of participants. These participants include our community at large, volunteers, artists, students, partner organizations, and PFS members.

PFS programs range in scope from a small group of friends singing together to tens of thousands of patrons gathered for concert presentations. A network of thousands of dedicated volunteers has allowed PFS to execute these programs in an unprecedented way since the organization’s inception over 60 years ago.

photo by Sue Deckhart