Festival History

How long has the festival existed?

It’s a simple question with a complicated answer. The festival’s roots go all the way back to 1989, when the Johnstown Area Heritage Association (JAHA) worked with community groups to produce the 100-year commemoration of the Great Johnstown Flood of 1889. One of the most popular events of the year-long commemoration was a large street fair in the historic Cambria City neighborhood.

Based in part on the success of that event, JAHA, City and Commonwealth officials successfully raised the money to bring the National Folk Festival to Johnstown in 1990 for a three-year run. Again, the festival was held in Cambria City over Labor Day weekend. JAHA became the sole producer of the event, which was renamed the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest in 1994 when AmeriServ Financial became the event’s title sponsor.

As festival grew, so did challenges associated with holding the festival in a residential neighborhood. These included liability concerns, lack of parking, and development of empty lots needed to stage the festival. In 2004, JAHA moved the festival from Cambria City to a plot of land adjacent to downtown with the intent of developing it into a park.

In 2009, the festival was renamed the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival to better reflect the types of music offered, and the dates moved from Labor Day weekend. Since 2010 the festival has been held on or about the first weekend in August (except in 2021, when the pandemic pushed us to early October).

With the help of a $2 million grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a lead gift from Peoples Natural Gas, JAHA realized the goal of developing the Peoples Natural Gas Park in 2012. Today the park is the home of the festival and has served as a catalyst for additional special events.

Each year’s lineup, along with photo galleries (back to 2007), are below.

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2023, August 4-5

2023

Los Lobos
Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass feat. The HillBenders
Trouble No More
Doom Flamingo
Melt
Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
Dogs in a Pile
Yam Yam
The Mallett Brothers Band
Gabe Stillman
Chalk Dinosaur
Jeff Webb & the Delectable Sound
The Evergreens
The Jaded Lips
The Platelets

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2022, July 29-30

2022

Spin Doctors
Railroad Earth
Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer
SunSquabi
Karina Rykman
Ally Venable Band
Vanessa Collier
The Fritz
Buffalo Rose
Habatat
Shelf Life String Band
Silver Screen
Rusty Shackles
Kevin Dale

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2021, Oct. 1-2

2021

Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
Uprooted feat. Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root
Maggie Rose
Midnight North
Roosevelt Collier
Marco Benevento
Billy Price Band
West Philadelphia Orchestra
Colebrook Road
FlowerChild
Desperadoes
Jukehouse Bombers
Ne’er-Do-Wells
Crawdad Joe

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2019, August 2-3

2019

Gin Blossoms
Cowboy Mouth
Ghost Light
Brownout Presents: Brown Sabbath
Bill Kirchen
Dale Watson
Red Baraat
National Park Radio
Davina & the Vagabonds
Sue Foley Band
Adler & Barath Blues Band
The Plate Scrapers
Elias Khouri
Afro n’At
Essential Machine
Jeff Perigo & Friends
Jeff Webb & the Delectable Sound

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival, August 3-4, 2018

2018

Blues Traveler
The Devon Allman Project feat. special guest Duane Betts
Andy Frasco & the U.N.
Pure Prairie League
The Hillbilly Way
Bastard Bearded Irishmen
Amelia Eisenhauer Band
Paul Luc
Derek Woods Band
The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers
Gunnar & the Grizzly Boys
Neon Swing X-Perience
Stevee Wellons Band
Striped Maple Hollow
The Marauders
John Bagnato
Walt & Jackie
Jazz Trip
Gentleman East
Jazz in Your Face

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival, August 4-5, 2017

2017

Sugar Ray
Jefferson Starship
The Clarks
John McEuen & Friends
Amilia K. Spicer
Igor & Red Elvises
Sean Patrick McGraw
Driftwood
The Velvet Stones
The Boogie Hustlers
The Flow Band
Wreck Loose
Shelley King
The Crew of the Half Moon
DK Anderson’s Cypher Jazz
Black Cat Moan
Scott Jeffreys & the Augmented Triad
Thorn Bush
The Evergreens
Angry Johnny Stangry

Flood City Music Festival presented by AmeriServ, August 4-7, 2016

2016

Grace Potter
The Revivalists
Anders Osborne
Tab Benoit
The Record Company
Marc Broussard
Samantha Fish
Chris Smither
Tauk
Billy Price Band
London Souls
Love Canon
Jimmy Adler
Bastard Bearded Irishmen
The Commonheart
Brooke Annibale
The Suitcase Junket
Chrome Moses
The Boogie Hustlers
Whiskey River Panhandlers
Miss Melanie & the Valley Rats
Striped Maple Hollow
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Derek Woods Band
Nobody’s Heroes
FlowerChild
Red Room Effect
Jazz Trip
Johnstown Classic Rockers

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2015, August 7-9

2015

Big Head Todd & the Monsters
G. Love & Special Sauce
JJ Grey & Mofro
Eric Lindell
Feufollet
Carolyn Wonderland
Eric Tessmer Band
Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Miss Tess & the Talkbacks
Mark Dignam
Water Seed
Nikki Hill
Swampcandy
Mark Dignam
Tim Dabbs & New Folk Railroad
Nameless in August
Supper Break String Band
Habatat
Crew of the Half Moon
Tree
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Herb & Hanson
Wreck Loose
Dave D & the West Hills All-Stars
Rachel B
Justin Giuffre & the Pilgrimage

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2014, August 3-5

2014

Boz Scaggs
Leftover Salmon featuring Bill Payne of Little Feat
Lee Fields & the Expressions
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Dumpstaphunk
Rubblebucket
Turkuaz
Nahko and Medicine for the People
The Iguanas
Cornmeal
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Nicole Atkins
Jarekus Singleton
Driftwood
Ikebe Shakedown
Big Mean Sound Machine
Bastard Bearded Irishmen
Miss Melanie & the Valley Rats
Neon Swing X-Perience
Swampcandy
Grand Piano
Good Brother Earl
Whiskey River Panhandlers
Matt Otis & the Sound
Striped Maple Hollow
The Routines
The Weathered Road
Amanda Barton & Bill Ward
Tim Woods & the Woods Family Band
City Dwelling Nature Seekers
The Hawkeyes
Smackdab
Black Cat Moan
Cindy Love

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2013, August 2-4

2013

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Greensky Bluegrass
George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners
Kenny Neal
Bonerama
Snarky Puppy
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express
Stephen Kellogg
Spirit Family Reunion
Turkuaz
The Funk Ark
Sol Driven Train
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Alexes Aiken
Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes
Kalob Griffin Band
New York Funk Exchange
Bastard Bearded Irishmen
Jazzam featuring Clinton Clegg
Cait Cuneo
Tiger Maple String Band
Maddie Georgi Band
Old E Allstars
Well Strung
600 lbs of Sin
The Weedrags
Midnight Drive
The Beagle Brothers
The Derek Woodz Band
The Pawnbrokers
The Crew of the Half Moon
West Hills All-Stars
Black Cat Moan

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2012, August 3-5

2012

Dr. John & the Lower 911
Del McCoury Band
The Smithereens
Steve Kimock with Bernie Worrell, Wally Ingram and Andy Hess
Royal Southern Brotherhood feat. Devon Allman & Cyril Neville
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Sonny Landreth
Anders Osborne
Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes
Eric Lindell with Anson Funderburgh
The Revelations featuring Tre Williams
Billy Price Band
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
Eric Tessmer
John Howie & the Rosewood Bluff
The New York Funk Exchange
Yellow Dubmarine
Jimmy Adler
Angela Easterling
One World Tribe
Mon River Ramblers
Fletcher’s Grove
Jazzam
Backstabbing Good People
Gypsy & His Band of Ghosts
The Harlan Twins
JKutchma & the Five Fifths
Whiskey River Panhandlers
Chris Vipond & the Stanley Street Band
Shiva Skydriver
Groove Gathering
Charlie Dane

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2011, August 5-7

2011

Gregg Allman
JJ Grey & Mofro
Bettye LaVette
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Project/Object featuring Ike Willis & Ray White
Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience
The Bridge
Tab Benoit
The Pimps of Joytime
Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun
Brothers Past
The Hackensaw Boys
Lubriphonic
That 1 Guy
Boogie Hustlers
Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds
American Babies
Sweet Earth
Shelf Life String Band
City Dwelling Nature Seekers
600 Lbs. of Sin
Clinton Clegg & the Backstabbing Good People
Black Coffee
Southside Strays
Jeff Perigo & Friends

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2010, August 6-8

2010

Los Lobos
Galactic featuring Cyril Neville & Corey Henry (Rebirth)
Robert Cray Band
Anders Osborne
Devon Allman’s Honeytribe
Lee Boys
Los Straitjackets
Billy Price Band
Eilen Jewell
Eric Tessmer Band
Boogie Hustlers
Jimmy Adler Band
Boca Chica
Tim Dabbs
Corned Beef & Curry
Good Brother Earl
Mon River Ramblers
Mark Dignam
Rising Regina
Dave DiStefano & the West Hills All-Stars
The Bogarts
The Weathered Road

AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival 2009, Aug. 23-26

2009

The Derek Trucks Band
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Donna the Buffalo
Ruthie Foster
Seven Nations
Bill Kirchen & the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods
Kane Welch Kaplin
Scott Blasey
Scrapomatic
The Clumsy Lovers
Todd Wolfe
Ernie Hawkins
Bill Deasy
Kristi Rose & Fats Kaplin
Ben Hardt Acoustic
The NewLanders
Bob Banerjee & Friends
Gerry Stanek
Gypsy Dave & the Stumpjumpers
Bill Toms
Joy Ike
The Turpentiners
Brad Yoder
Maddie Georgi
Heather Kropf
Jazz In Your Face
Endless Mike & the Beagle Club
Miner Swing Quartet (now The Young Trio)
Tree
Whiskey River Panhandlers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2008, Aug. 29-31

2008

Jason & the Scorchers
Del Castillo
Tom Russell
Webb Wilder & the Beatnecks
Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
Amy LaVere
Jason Ricci & New Blood
Shannon Whitworth
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Fonics
Barrence Whitfield
Stacie Collins
Jordan Valentine & the Sunday Saints
Born Again Floozies
Dallas Wayne
Farmer Jason
Tim Dabbs
Red Collar
The Marauders
Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys
Dubmissive
Aran
Rusty Gun Revival
Jazz In Your Face
Beagle Brothers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2007, Aug. 31-Sept. 2

2007

A.J. Croce
The Tossers
Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
Slavic Soul Party
Eric Lindell
Scott Miller & the Commonwealth
Bill Kirchen
Tres Chicas
Too Slim & the Taildraggers
Druha Trava
Last Train Home
James Talley
Bill Deasy
Gigi Dover & The Big Love
The Marauders
Jimmy Adler
Grinning Mob
McKay Brothers
Jimmy Sapienza & 5 Guys Named Moe
Jennifer Drummey & the Small Band
Jazz In Your Face

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2006, Sept. 1-3

Balkan Beat Box
The Recipe
Sleepy LaBeef
Bonerama
Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience
Maia Sharp
Lee Boys
Billy Price Band
Irish Descendants
Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers
Eric Tessmer Band
Those Darn Accordions
Doll Hospital
Gamble Brothers Band
Will Hawkins
Mark Dignam
Tim Dabbs
Rusty Gun Revival
The Gospel Lights
Russell Lauf Band
Rachel Allen
Jazz in Your Face

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2005, Sept. 2-4

The Daptone Super Soul Revue featuring Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Wanda Jackson & Rosie Flores
Brave Combo
Cephas & Wiggins
Jason Ringenberg
Lil’ Brian & the Zydeco Travelers
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans
Red Elvises
Redbird
Peter Mulvey
Kris Delmhorst
Jeffrey Foucault
The Kissers
The Greyhounds
The Gospel Lights
“Farmer Jason” Ringenberg
Soda Jerk
Tim Dabbs
Jazz in Your Face
Angelo M
Russell Lauf Band
The Rhinelanders

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2004

Seven Nations
Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra
Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters
Chris Smither
Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
Bill Kirchen
Barrence Whitfield & The Savages
The Recipe
Hot Club Sandwich
Anne McCue
Two Dollar Pistols
Ernie Hawkins
Big Leg Emma
The Gospel Lights
Del Sinchak Band
Little Buddy
The Mavens
Grinning Mob
The NewLanders
Jazz In Your Face

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2003

The Louisiana Blues Throwdown, with Harry
Hypolite, Mathilda Jones, Eric Lindell and the Marc Stone Band
Alex Torres y los Reyes Latinos
The Prodigals
Those Darn Accordians
Wayne “The Train” Hancock
Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics
The Cool John Ferguson Band
Red Meat
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
Two High String Band
Caroline Herring
Cootie Stark
Tarbox Ramblers
Peter Mulvey
Jazz in Your Face
Del Sinchak
The Newlanders
The Delaneys
Ribbon Grass
John Charney with White Mojo and Friends
John Stevens’ Doubleshot
The Johnstown Button Box Band
Polka Express
Johnstown Classic Rockers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2002

Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys
Asylum Street Spankers
Bio Ritmo
Robbie Fulks
Michelle Willson and the Evil Gal Orchestra
Campbell Brothers
Greg Trooper
Ernie Hawkins
Hot Club Sandwich
Countdown Quartet
Dog Run Boys
Hooley
Boilermaker Jazz Band
Tim Dabbs
Jolly Joe and the Bavarians
Johnstown Classic Rockers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2001

Southern Culture on the Skids
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers
Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers
Acoustic Syndicate
Bonnie Rideout
Ray Condo and the Ricochets
Barrence Whitfield and the Groove Juice Symphony
Dallas Wayne and the Hardcases
Christy McWilson
Hugh Feeley and Talk is Cheap
Walt Wagner and the Polka Serenaders
Die Schlauberger
Simple Gifts
Dead Irish Blues Band
The Fabulous Gunslingers
Gospel Lights
Johnstown Classic Rockers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 2000

Buckwheat Zydeco
The Seldom Scene
Miss Lavelle White
Those Darn Accordions
The Prodigals
Chris Smither
Ronnie Dawson
Wendell Rivera’s Latin Jazz All-Stars
Tim Dabbs
Irish Descendants
Earthtones
Dead Irish Blues
Crusade with Ed Biegaj
Johnstown Classic Rockers

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1999 -- 10th anniversary

Alex Torres and the Latin Kings (1994)
Sleepy LaBeef (1995)
John Cephas & Phil Wiggins (1990)
The Holmes Brothers (1990)
Don Walser (1996)
Neil Anderson and Full Circle (1996)
Jimmy Sapienza and Five Guys Named Moe (1994 & 1998)
Rank Outsiders (1997)
Heather Eatman (1995)
Hot Club of Cowtown
Hart Rouge

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1998

Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington
Austin Lounge Lizards
Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys
Corey Harris
Mamou
Cherish the Ladies
Asylum Street Spankers
Trout Fishing in America
Steel Impressions
Jimmy Sapienza and the Swingmeisters
Bill Bevac Band

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1997

Laurie Lewis and Grant Street
Tab Benoit
Los Pinkys
Solas
Rank Outsiders
Lil Brian and the Zydeco Travelers
Gathering Field
Del Sinchak
The Englishmen
Code Blue
Kevin Roth

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1996

Fat Possum Mississippi Juke Joint Caravan with R.L.Burnside, Dave Thompson and Junior Kimbrough
The Persuasions
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Beaver Creek
Don Walser and the Pure Texas Band
Clan Na Gael
Galla & Dan
Earthtones
Grooveyard
The Braxmen
Eddie and the Slovenes

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1995

Maggie Christl
Greenfields of America
C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band
Tim & Mollie O’Brien and the O’Boys
Sleepy LaBeef
The Dixie Hummingbirds
Phillip Fankhauser and the Checkerboard Blues Band
The Grace Family
Heather Eatman
Joe Grkman Band

AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest 1994

Johnny Clyde Copeland
Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
Alex Torres and the Latin Kings
J.D. Crowe and the New South
Lenny Gomulka’s Chicago Push
Jimmy Sapienza and Five Guys Named Moe
Casco Bay Tummlers
John Bagnato Quartet

Johnstown FolkFest 1993

Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Kukuruza
Aine Minogue
Rockin’ Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters
Queen Bee & the Blue Hornet Band
Glorius Rebirth
Drums for Peace
Dynabrass
Douglas Miller

National Folk Festival 1992

Terrance Simien and the Mallet Playboys
Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama
Fontella Bass
Southern Scratch
Warner Williams
Eddie Pennington
Melvin Wine
Chatuye
Shashmaqam
Big Joe Duskin
Brendon Mulvihill
Gillis Brothers

National Folk Festival 1991

Fairfield Four
Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys
Wayne Henderson
Roman Ritachka
Los Pleneros del Batey
Ganga
Ceilidh House
Tony Ellis
Etta Baker
Sun Rhythm Section

National Folk Festival 1990

Holmes Brothers
Lyman Enloe
Liz Carroll
Billy McComskey and Daithi Sproule
Otonowa
John Cephas & Phil Wiggins
Preston Frank and the Zydeco Family Band
Moses Rascoe
Charlie “Possum” Walden
Bud Hudenski and the Corsairs

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