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Lowell Folk Festival asks council for help as costs top $1 million
Summary
Lowell Folk Festival Foundation representatives told the council rising costs and loss of NEA funding mean the 2026 festival will cost 'well over $1,000,000'; they asked for creative city assistance and possible fundraising partnerships.
Lee Velasquez, executive director of the Lowell Folk Festival Foundation, briefed the council on the foundation’s financial challenges and asked for city assistance to sustain the festival and related summer programming. Velasquez said the 39th annual festival is expected to cost more than $1 million in 2026 after the loss of NEA support; he thanked Rockland Trust Bank and local partners and asked city leaders to explore additional support and fundraising approaches.
Councilors and the city manager discussed existing in‑kind support, the city’s parking revenue split for the festival weekend (manager cited about $34,000 last year), legal limits on direct fundraising by municipal bodies (anti‑aid rules), and possible early‑year fundraising events to provide operating cash before the festival. Councilors emphasized the festival’s cultural value, its role in downtown economic activity and connections to the UNESCO Learning City goals.
No specific city appropriation was adopted at the meeting; councilors asked staff to work with the Folk Festival Foundation and report back with options that comply with state and municipal constraints.
