Northwest Folklife

Festival Set-Up Helper: Move equipment to Festival grounds. Lifting required.

Folkfloor Loader: On May 20, load the Folkfloor onto a truck from its storage in Redmond. Lifting required.

Folkfloor Set-up Helper: On May 21, unload floor and lay it out in the Roadhouse. Tape, wax and buff floor. Lifting and bending required.

Hospitality Set-up Helper: Make hospitality room comfortable and welcoming. Help gather supplies from storage and organize them. Decorate, set up tables, chairs and other equipment. Lifting required. Closed-toe shoes and work clothes required.

Merchant Booth Set-up Aide: Help mark booth locations on Festival grounds. Bending and kneeling required.

Merchant Load-in Aide: Assist merchants with loading their goods onto the Festival grounds. Lifting required.

Office Helper: Prepare for the Festival by bagging buttons, packaging posters and programs, preparing name badges, checking inventory boxes, answering phones and other last-minute jobs. This is your chance to preview what will be happening at the Festival!

Production Set-up Helper: Move tents, unload trucks, hang signs and much more. Lifting required. Closed-toe shoes and work clothes required.

Technical Helper: Assist with setup of computer network in communications.

 

(May 22 through May 25)

 

Greeter: Welcome people to the Festival, offer them a Festival Program Guide, explain that donations keep the Festival going and give buttons to donors. Greeters are a vital part of Festival fundraising and share their enthusiasm for Northwest Folklife with others, often receiving the sincere thanks of Festival-goers for their efforts. If you are an outgoing person, we need you! Folklife will provide training before you begin
 

Information Booth Aide: Answer general questions about the location of services and events at the Festival. Provide customer service for Friends of Folklife. Support Greeters with buttons and Festival Program Guides. It is important that you feel comfortable handling money and keeping track of inventory. Entrance Staff will provide training and supplies
 

Artist Liaison: Help special program artists by assisting them with transportation and logistics, such as finding check-in, stages, etc.
 

ASL Interpreter: Interpret storytelling in American Sign Language for the hearing-impaired. Script will be provided. Must be fluent in ASL. Certification is preferred.
 

Assistant Sign Maker:  Help create and hang signs throughout the grounds. An artistic eye and knowledge of Adobe software is helpful.
 

Assistant Stage Manager: Help move equipment on and off the stage and assist with sound checks. You may be asked to run errands for the stage manager and the sound operator. Some lifting is required. Closed-toe shoes and work clothes required.
 

Band Scramble Helper: During the Band Scramble, individual performers mix, form pick-up bands and play. Assist the Band Scramble Coordinator with checking in performers and keeping things running smoothly.  
 

Roving Greeter: This position has replaced the “button seller” position. The proceeds from the commemorative buttons support the Northwest Folklife Festival. Roam the Festival grounds, making sure that buttons are available near all of the stages. Each volunteer is given an apron and a sign. If volunteering with a child, you will share the gear. You should feel comfortable handling money and keeping track of inventory. You will be asked to leave a picture ID for security when you pick up your supply of buttons.  
 

Data Entry:  Help enter Festival data into Folklife’s database.
 

Demonstrating Artist Aide:  Work closely with special program artists. Help with the set-up and/or takedown, give lunch breaks and assist with artists
 

Festival Services Aide: Northwest Folklife wants to make participating in the Festival pleasant and stress-free. Be the face of the Festival for performers and volunteers. Assist participants and attendees with finding registration, hospitality and more.
 

Folkfloor Maintainer: Each year, thousands of feet dance on the Folkfloor at the Roadhouse. Make it possible at the start of each day by helping to repair the floor as necessary. An early start is required.
 

Folklife Party Helper: Northwest Folklife celebrates its volunteers and performers during the Festival. Set up and decorate, welcome guests and help host the event or clean up after the party on Saturday evening.  
 

Folklife Store Helper: The Folklife Store sells Festival performer CDs and tapes. Volunteers assist in selling CDs and tapes at assigned stages and in the main store. Knowledge of folk music and sales experience are helpful! You will be asked to leave a picture ID for security.
 

Fundraising Team Member: Catchers work with our fundraising Pitchers to help raise money for Northwest Folklife by distributing and collecting donation envelopes to “catch” the donations inspired by our Pitchers! Requires an outgoing personality and lots of walking.  
 

Hands-on Activity Aide: Volunteers help the artists and staff set up, maintain and clean the activity areas and do other jobs as needed. Volunteers may assist with all aspects of Hands-on Activity Area programming including crafts, demonstrations, workshops and performances. A background check will be completed on every volunteer working with children.  
 

Hospitality Helper: Northwest Folklife thanks everyone who contributes to the Festival by providing a place to relax and share Festival stories. Make coffee, keep food tables neat, pour soft drinks, welcome visitors and tidy up. Some of the best music of the Festival comes out of the hospitality room jam sessions. Roving

 

Hospitality Helper: Carry drinks to the stages, information booths, merchant booths and the various crewmembers who can’t make it to the hospitality room. You will be asked to leave a picture ID for security.
 

Lost Child Attendant: Help reunite parents and children who have become separated. A background check will be completed on every volunteer working with children.

 

Merchant Sales Information Clerk: Collect and organize sales information and receipt books after closing each evening.

 

Merchant Security Aide: Monitor merchant storage areas during set-up in the morning and takedown in the evening to ensure that only merchants and authorized personnel have access to the storage areas.

 

Performer Registration Aide: Register performers and give them their buttons. Answer general questions and welcome and thank each performer. Make sure they know that we appreciate their contribution!

 

Production Aide: Do whatever is necessary: for example, troubleshooting, moving chairs, hanging signs. At times there may be nothing to do, so waiting and patience are required. Some lifting is required. Closed- toe shoes and work clothes suggested.

 

Volunteer Registration Aide: Register fellow volunteers. Give them Festival buttons and name badges, make sure they know their shift schedule, hand out information packets and answer questions about Festival locations. Work with walk-in volunteers and select suitable job assignments for them. Your most important jobs are to welcome and thank each volunteer and make sure they know that we appreciate their contribution! Data entry skills are helpful.

 

Workshop Assistant: Help workshop leader with room set-up. Assist with basic audio equipment, as needed. Guide workshop participants to the correct workshop room. Distribute workshop evaluation sheets
Back to top

Post-Festival Jobs
Data Entry: Help enter post-festival data on May 26th and 27th.
 

Folkfloor Strike and Unload Helper: After the dancing is done on Monday, May 25th, strip the tape off of the floor and load it onto the truck. On May 27th, unload it from the truck into the Redmond storage facility.
 

Merchant Load-out Aide: Help vendors load items into their cars. Direct Mercer Street traffic during load-out. Office Helper: Pack up all the gear and move it back to Northwest Folklife offices. Lifting required.
 

Production Strike Helper: Join the production crew and pack up after the Festival. Lifting required. Closed-toed shoes and work clothes required.
Back to top