Beginning May 17, the Greater State Street Business Association and the Madison Folk Music Society will begin a musical series entitled \Folk at 4"" in State Street's Lisa Link Peace Park.
The series will run on Saturdays from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. with two acts and an intermission. It will feature various folk groups and individual artists, as well as poets that will read during the intermission. The program will run through 16 Saturdays.
""People love music and folk has a wide appeal,"" said Mary Lang Sollinger, secretary of GSSBA. ""It is very appropriate for an urban setting. It is not too loud and not too soft.""
The series aims to bring in a wide range of folk artists, mostly from Dane County but also nationally known acts as well. She also said she expects a broad range of poets.
Lang Sollinger said the definition of folk music is broad and can include Latino, Irish, American or feminist performers.
Darlene Buhler of the Madison Folk Music Society is in charge of booking. She said she currently has May finalized and hopes to have June finalized within the next week.
""There is a flavor of everything in this group,"" she said.
Among the expected performers are local acts such as Lou and Peter Berryman, Tret Fure and Eric Hester.
Sandy Torkildson, president of GSSBA and owner of a Room of One's Own bookstore, 307 W. Johnson, said the series is a great thing to do and she expects it will work out.
""There is a coffee shop in my store and people are always inquiring for places to play. There are a lot of good amateur musicians in Madison,"" she said.
Torkildson also said the series could be good for State Street, because it could attract people to the area despite the messy Johnson Street construction project that will divert traffic from the street.
The series was modeled after the fall music series ""Jazz at 5,"" which Lang Sollinger organized nine years ago. She said ""Folk at 4"" will have the same format and she hopes it has the same effect.
