Lowell Folk Festival returns for 2023 | Lowell Sun

LOWELL — Preparations will begin this week for tens of thousands of people to fill the streets of Downtown Lowell next weekend for the 2023 Lowell Folk Festival.

Organizers expect to welcome as many as 150,000 visitors to the three-day affair, which has been Lowell’s biggest party for more than 35 years.

Lee Viliesis, who took over as festival coordinator after Kevin Dwyer’s departure following the end of the 2022 festival, said this year’s event looks to be a return to “full strength” after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the festival in 2020 and 2021.

“It will be back with some strength after we had to cut a few things last year in order to be able to come back post-COVID,” said Viliesis.

Though much can change with five days to go until the festival kicks off on July 28, Viliesis was happy to report that so far, the unusual amount of rain the region has experienced this year looks like it will largely hold off for the Lowell Folk Festival.

READ MORE - PETER CURRIER | Lowell Sun