By Peter Vankevich
There was, to riff off Stephen Sondheim, something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone.
That sums up how the Ocracoke Folk Festival 2026 rolled on the Berkley Manor and Ocracoke Preservation Society grounds. Here are some of the highlights.
The festival’s lineup was again a mix of new-to-the-festival performers and others from previous years with a mix of folk, bluegrass, country and music from Scotland, Ireland and France.
There was also a strong infusion of New Orleans-inspired jazz and blues delivered with high energy by new acts Rhonda Robichaux & Meaux and Sweet Megg.
There were several sets by local artists: Martin Garrish with Dallas Mason and the Ocracoke Rockers, Aaron Caswell Trio, Brooke + Nick, Lou Castro, Playin’ Possum (Katy Mitchell, John Lea and Danny Bradley), and the founders of the festival, Molasses Creek.
A fan favorite in 2024, the Rev. Robert B. Jones Sr. of Detroit returned with his mix of blues guitar, storytelling and a versatile manner for emulating the singing and guitar styles by famous performers.
He opened one of his sets by playing five notes and strumming three simple chords on his guitar.
From that basic foundation, he traced the evolution of American music, moving effortlessly through the blues, country, boogie-woogie, gospel, rock and roll and even hip-hop, demonstrating how these seemingly different musical styles are deeply connected.
Jeff Little Trio returned once again with Jeff on piano, Steve Lewis on guitar and banjos, and Luke Little on mandolin. The trio spins a nice combination of Blue Ridge Mountain-style, bluegrass and Appalachian music.
Perennial favorite island storyteller Donald Davis was joined by bilingual storyteller Jasmin Cardenas, a Colombian American from Chicago, who also gave presentations to Ocracoke School students.
Lipbone Redding filled in with an impromptu set on Saturday with Barefoot Wade because Sweet Megg was delayed by a ferry cancelation.
“I was excited when Lipbone asked me if I wanted to sit in and play some lead guitar for one of his songs,” said Barefoot. “Of course, I’m never far from my guitar.”
In addition to the Berkley Manor grounds with two main stages, its barn, and the adjacent workshops on the Ocracoke Preservation Society lawn, performances by the artists also took place at Ocracoke Coffee Company and 1718 Brewing Ocracoke from early evening into the night.
Asher Brinson, a 16-year-old left-handed picker, singer, and songwriter from Newport, looked perfectly at ease performing a set of country and bluegrass songs on the porch of the Ocracoke Coffee Shop. During his workshop, he shared the story of meeting legendary flatpicker Wayne Henderson, who became both a mentor and a friend. Henderson even built and gave him a custom left-handed guitar, an instrument that has become central to his young musical journey.
Saturday featured a variety of children’s activities such as fish printing T-shirts and a cast of side performers.
Saturday afternoon, Jef the Mime (Jeff Lamdin) shared his juggling skills with eight eager participants, from preschoolers to adults. He said the youngest attendees often learn the fastest.
“The children, especially, always impress me with their natural abilities,” he said. “One 3-year-old was almost juggling by the end of the workshop, successfully crossing and catching the balls. That’s a remarkable accomplishment.”
Eli (Logan) the Magician had a variety of tricks and “nothing up my sleeve” card games.
Festival director Gary Mitchell, who saw the youth at a street festival in Stewart, Virginia, was particularly thrilled with Eli’s expertise and polished performance style.
“He was just on the street with a handful of people doing magic tricks for them, and he just had me totally flummoxed, and he was funny too,” he said.
Also new to the festival this year was stilt walker Lanky Lou (Kurt Zander), who towered above festivalgoers as he strolled the grounds. Henna artists Eleanor and Poppy created natural body art, including decorating festivalgoers with Indian bridal-inspired and nature-themed designs.
Kevin Delaney sat in the shade of a cedar tree composing poems on demand using a vintage typewriter. He also created special tiny books of poems as well. “I’m a traveling poet,” he said. “ I’ve been on the road for 11 years now as a full-time poet and have visited 130 different towns and cities and my first time coming through here. I tell people I can write a poem about anything at all.”
Early Saturday evening, one of the festival’s most popular traditions returned as Philip Howard called the square dance at the Berkley Barn. Music was provided by Molasses Creek, joined by Dear MariBella and the Pigkickers, the talented young sibling bluegrass band and other musicians.
The Green Grass Cloggers were back and the Ocracoke Student Ballet Folklorico, dressed in traditional Mexican attire, celebrated the island’s Latino community.
More than 20 artisans sold a wide range of arts and crafts.
Several workshops that had the stages on the grounds of the Ocracoke Preservation Society gave the performers and their fans the opportunity to converse. The Saturday afternoon Kathleen Parks Trio & Foreign Landers Mashup workshop was fascinating to watch as musicians from both groups, united by their shared love of Celtic, folk, and Americana music, blended their voices and instruments into a cross-genre collaboration.
After the rowdy Saturday night performances, Sunday morning began on a peaceful note inside the Berkley Barn. Festivalgoers eased into the day with yoga led by Desiree Adams, a yoga nidra meditation with Lipbone Redding, and a restorative sound bath presented by Brooke German.
The tranquility gave way to music again with the festival’s traditional Gospel Sing hosted by Gary Mitchell and Louis Allen that included Sister Bernice Banks Jones, wife of Rev. Jones and Jamie Tunnell Carter, a frequent performer when she lived on the island. Next was Songs That Matter, hosted by Louis Allen with selections and performances by Allen, Mitchell, Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. and Jeanne and Bob Zentz.
Redding once again served as master of ceremonies for the festival’s coda, the All Star Jam. Before this finale, Mitchel, founder of the festival, honored Bob Zentz, that drew a long standing ovation from the audience. Zentz has been part of the Ocrafolk Festival since its inception and coined the festival’s name. Following the island tradition of honoring special individuals with handmade quilts, Mitchell unveiled one sewn from vintage Ocrafolk Festival T-shirts that he had tucked away for years in an old chest of drawers—a keepsake celebrating both the man and the festival he helped name.
Many of the performers took to the stage, playing next to folks they had never met until arriving onto the island.
Lipbone and Katy Mitchell kicked it off with an extended set built around the uplifting refrain, “Love is the answer to world peace.”
Bringing the audience to its feet and cheering were the horn players, cornetist Bryan McCune of Rhonda Robichaux & Meaux, trumpeter Caleb Nelson of Sweet Megg’s band, and Outer Banks saxophonist Sam on Sax (Sam Smith). They unleashed an electrifying burst of authentic New Orleans jazz that had the crowd on its feet clapping and cheering,
“We were really happy with it once again,” Mitchell said of this year’s festival. “The biggest challenge is keeping the acts we love while making room for new performers every year. It’s tough to cut the people you love.”
It was a great weekend of wonderful talent. Thank you Ocracoke Alive!
Looks like a great time.