Welcome back to Fest 2025 and welcome new members of PFF Production Committee!
We are glad you are able to join us for the 62nd Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. Here is a brief synopsis of what you can expect and what you can do to make your volunteer contribution fun, safe, effective, and most appreciated.
The Stagehand’s main responsibility is setting up and tearing down all of the sound equipment used at all seven stages of the festival. This involves providing assistance to the professional sound company mainly in the form of physical labor. Technical knowledge is not necessarily required, but you will most likely get to use some of it if you have it.
Our Stagehand crews have prefest admittance to the campgrounds. You will have a Tuesday prefest pass so that you have time to set up your campsite and be ready to work on Wednesday at 3:30.
Stagehand Work Schedules
On Wednesday afternoon at 3:30, Stagehands meet on Main Stage for a Committee picture and Stagehand Meeting, which includes a meet-and-greet and safety talk and also our Committee Prefest Photograph. The sound company trucks are expected to arrive around 4:30 and we unload equipment onto Main Stage, usually ending about 6:30 or 7:00.
On Thursday, we begin work at 9:00 a.m. and work for most of the day. We will set up Camp Stage and it will be running for the Thursday Night Concert. Main will be mostly set up. All equipment will be loaded to Craft and Tank, and Culture and Lobby will be loaded in and the stages will be ready to run beginning at 10:00 on Friday morning.
We need all hands on deck for the Thursday morning 9:00-1:00 shift. There are two shifts; the 9-1 shift and a 1-4 shift. Lunch from the food tent is brought for all the crew from 12 noon to 1 pm.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there are shifts with our Dulcimer Grove Crew setting up and taking down the sound system, which is stored in the Production Office. During the weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, our stagehand crews will have morning and afternoon short shifts untarping equipment on side stages and tarping it back up in coordination with our Stage Managers. On both Craft and Tank stages, sound systems are set up and later taken down for the night on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when they are prepared for load out on Sunday night.
Loadouts on Sunday include 3:00 Camp Stage and 5:00 Culture and Lobby. At 9:45 on Sunday night, we will begin our Main Stage Loadout, which includes Craft and Tank stages.
The Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Stagehand shifts begin at 9:00 a.m. Please be rested and prepared! It is VERY important that you show up for your shifts on time, and your fellow volunteers will have to make up for your absence.
Important Guidelines
Always, if for some reason you must miss a shift or you have missed one, please speak with, call, or message Pat, Lance, Rob, or your assigned supervisor. Your job is vitally important, and we need to know that our crews are functioning and on schedule.
Listen carefully to instructions, ask questions if you are unsure what to do, and work together with other stagehands as a team.
Your safety is important to us. We are dealing with heavy and expensive sound equipment. Never overdo and always wait for help when needed. We need to keep the equipment safe, too.
Stagehands receive individual work schedules. Generally, your work schedule will be about 16 hours total.
Some of the time you will be working hard; other times you will just hang out, being available as needed. Our work goes in spurts and sometimes you will be wondering what to do or if you are done. Do not leave your assigned work shift without either checking in with your crew leader, one of the supervisors, or one of the Sound Crew.
Safety is of utmost importance. Boots and Gloves!
You will be working with heavy equipment and potentially slippery surfaces. Protect your feet! Please wear work boots or sturdy footwear preferably with reinforced toes. NO flip flops, sandals or open toe anything. Wear shoes with non-slip soles for good traction on the ramp, especially if it’s wet. Bring your rain gear!
Along the same lines, some folks like work gloves. The right gloves will provide some protection to your hands and a better grip.
We set up/tear down no matter what the weather, so come prepared.
Short shifts tarping and untarping the stages are important, so be sure to show up for your shift even if it is raining.
Often Attitude is as important as Ability.
If you are unfamiliar/new to tasks on hand, sometimes it is not a bad idea to observe and ask questions and then act. There are lots of returning folks on our crew that are more than willing to help you do things the right way. If you are unsure about something, don’t be afraid to ask.
- Listen for/to directions and be ready to act
- Work together
- Equipment is heavy and expensive
- Your safety is invaluable
- We have plenty of crew – no reason to over exert and incur an injury; don’t be afraid to ask for help
Our committee work is very physical at times, but is also very rewarding. Hopefully you will experience the satisfaction and enjoyment that the returning volunteers have experienced over the years that keeps them coming back.
Pat Cooper, Chairman
Lance Lehman, Assistant Chairman
Rob Ryan, Assistant Chairman
Supervisors: Chris Dwyer, Andy Vendetti, Vid Sawhill, Greg Labroli
