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Baltimore Folk Music Society Celebrates 50 Years

By Hannah Mueller

The Baltimore Folk Music Society (BMFS) hosted our 50th Anniversary Celebration weekend October 10-12. Festivities kicked off on Friday night at a local food hall, where travelers from out of town enjoyed the chance to get together, chat, and jam.

Saturday, we gathered at the hall we’ve rented for almost all of our 50 years, Lovely Lane United Methodist Church. We started off with a family dance, a very well-attended hambo lesson led by two longtime members, then followed by couples dancing.

Later that evening, our 50th anniversary dance exceeded all our expectations in terms of attendance. About 120 people turned out—the most people we’ve had in that hall in many years. We celebrated the joy of reconnection among members and friends with a group photo and a 50th anniversary cake. We were also joined by a handful of newbies, some of whom have returned to the regular dance since then.

On Sunday, we hosted the BFMS Folk Festival at Oregon Ridge Park, north of the city. This was a throwback; we used to host this festival annually but hadn't for a number of years. A wide variety of music and storytelling groups performed, from madrigals to morris dancing. Participatory groups came together, including Irish sessions and Sacred Harp singing. We also had other community groups with information booths and a food truck.

The Friday and Sunday events were free, and the Saturday events were very low cost; thanks to CDSS and another generous donation from a member, we were able to offer admission at 1975 prices: $1 for members, $2 for non-members.

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Baltimore Folk Music Society's 50th anniversary celebration was supported with a CDSS Community Grant.

CDSS Faces the Music

Starting in January, the CDSS staff will participate in an eight-week online class, "Face the Music," a program of The Rhapsody Project.

This class uses roots music and the stories of marginalized musicians as vehicles for gaining a deeper understanding of systemic racism. Through guided discussions, participants practice recognizing bias, and develop their individual set of tools for confronting issues of race and social justice in personal and professional settings.

CDSS is committed to embedding cultural equity in our programs and operations. See our full 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.

Notes from a New Weekend Organizer

by Roger Eaton

I’ve been dancing for 31 years and traveling to dance weekends for 25, but Cleveland Butterfly Twirl (September 12-14) was my first attempt at coordinating a dance weekend.

Picking a weekend that was not in conflict with another dance weekend was my first priority. I knew that being a new event, I needed people to walk away from the experience in awe. With that in mind, I chose two very popular bands, two very popular callers, and a well-known sound person, all from different areas, in the hopes of drawing dancers from around the country. I added a great venue.

Setting the price for the weekend was a bit more challenging since I wasn’t sure what exactly my costs were going to be. I planned on a budget of $20,000 and worked back from there. A dedicated business PayPal and business checking account were set up to collect the money. By joining CDSS as an affiliate, I was able to get insurance for the weekend, as well as setting up Cleveland Butterfly Twirl as a nonprofit.

Unexpected issues included costs associated with setting up an EIN with the IRS and website design/domain fees. Travel, housing, and instrument/equipment logistics for musicians, callers, and our sound tech also presented a puzzle. My promotion strategy included setting up social media profiles, creating an attractive and informative website, flyer distribution, word-of-mouth, and even t-shirts worn at other dance events advertising the weekend.

Once I had the price set where I thought I’d be able to cover things, I decided to offer a 50% discount for the weekend for anyone under 30. This brought in 29 young people. Four people who had paid full price for the weekend were not able to join us but asked to donate their registration fees. We used those paid spots to bring in eight students from Oberlin College at no cost to them.

I could not have done any of this if it wasn’t for this wonderful community we belong to. I talked with numerous coordinators from other dance communities—many on multiple occasions. Everyone was open to answering all the questions I had. The bands, callers, and sound tech were also there to offer suggestions, as was CDSS. 

Organizing a weekend for the first time was a test of patience. How many dancers would come? Registrations came in slowly. Were they going to pick up? In the end it all worked out, and we are going to do it again. But next time, I’ll have committees to help. 

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Cleveland Butterfly Twirl was supported with a CDSS Community Grant.

Submit a Song of the Month!

The first “S” in CDSS stands for “song”—specifically the participatory singing that happens at pub sings, song circles, and other community singing events. We offer our volunteer-curated Song of the Month to help broaden your repertoire of traditional (and traditional-inspired) songs.

Song of the Month is now crowd-sourced! Have a favorite song that works at pub sings, song circles, and other community singing events? We’d love to share it!

501(c)(3) Reports Reminder

Remember, all affiliates subscribed to our 501(c)(3) group exemption are their own financial entities and must file with the IRS and CDSS annually, regardless of size or annual income. Failure to do so can result in having your 501(c)(3) status automatically revoked by the IRS. CDSS does not file a group return.

Financial reporting is due to CDSS on the same schedule as it must be reported to the IRS: five months after the end of your financial year.

See details, find financial templates, and more at our Nonprofit Exemption page.

WATCH: Unpacking the CDSS Community Culture & Safety Toolkit

This fall, former CDSS board member Diane Silver with special guests presented on the context, creation, and practical uses of the CDSS Community Culture & Safety Toolkit, released earlier this spring.

Watch the introductory quick-start video here.

Community Grants Update

Heads up! Moving forward, we will review grant applications and distribute funds three times per year. Applications will still be accepted on a rolling basis. See more details on our Community Grants page.

Advertise in the CDSS News Next Year

We're excited to share that the December issue of the CDSS News will be back next year! This issue will feature ads for 2027 events, plus dances, puzzles, and other fun!

Ad reservations for all three 2026 issues will be open in January. Find more info, with deadlines and rates, on our advertising page.

Happy New Year!

A new year may be within reach, but remember, your affiliate services run May 1 - April 30. No need to worry about renewal just yet, but you'll begin receiving reminder notices in March.

Best wishes on a joyous new year—and all the planning that goes with it! Please let us know how we can help you.

Affiliate Quick Links

For Affiliates | Group Insurance | Nonprofit Exemption | Resource Portal | Community Grants | CDSS Store

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BFMS 50th photo by Heather Martley; flyer courtesy of BFMS. Face the Music graphic from The Rhapsody Project. Cleveland Butterfly Twirl photo by Jessica Engstrom.