North House Folk School turns 25 in 2022. In celebration of this milestone, the Unplugged weekend of September 22-24 will be one to remember.  

“Unplugged started 21 years ago following a chance encounter with famed songwriter Jon Vezner,” Greg Wright, Executive Director for North House shared. “After touring campus and hearing about the financial challenges we were facing at the time, he went home and started calling friends. Next thing we knew, Unplugged became a key event on the North House calendar.”

For the past two years, North House has hosted the event in hybrid formats, but this year will return to two nights of music followed by a gala dinner. “It will feel so good to be back under the big top,” Wright reflected, “And to have a lineup that brings something exciting to campus for every generation is a fun evolution of the event.”

 Photo provided

Thursday and Friday night will feature an incredible group of musicians, including Justin Vernon (Bon Iver, Big Red Machine), Anaïs Mitchell (Hadestown, Bonny Light Horseman), Phil Cook (Megafaun, Gayngs), Sean Carey (S. Carey, Bon Iver), JT Bates (Bonny Light Horseman, Bon Iver), Mike Lewis (Bon Iver, Happy Apple), Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings, and Joe Rainey Sr. (Iron Boy Singers). Together they’ll be pulling songs from their diverse catalogs for two unique nights of music.

Saturday morning will feature a community concert that will be a hit with kids and adults alike, with the Okee Dokee Brothers, which is free for all thanks to a grant from the Cook County Community Foundation. 

Saturday evening marks the return of the Flannel Formal, North House’s fundraising gala, with a meal prepared in the North House kitchen by Chef Scott Graden of New Scenic Café, a performance by long-time favorites Kevin Kling and Jon Vezner, and a live auction.

Tickets go on sale through the North House website (northhouse.org) August 1st at 8am. Full event information at northhouse.org/events/unplugged