Funky Frets Uke Fest 2023 Schedule
2023 Is Over
Based on feedback from attendees, some that have been coming since the 1st and the number of photos and comments being posted online. It was a blast. Sunday, for the first time we finished off the festival at The Carousel of Pottstown And it was a hoot and everyone had a great time.
Here is all that we did the weekend of the fest. As a reminder of all that went on or — if you didn't attend — what you missed.
Thursday
October 5, 2023
For 2023 we've added Thursday night to the festival fun.
If can't get enough ukulele and want to get a ukulele jump on the weekend.
Informal Open Mic & Jam @ Funky Frets Music Store
Funky Frets Music Store, 124 N. Chestnut St., Boyertown, PA 19512 USA • Latitude: 40.322342 Longitude: -75.625069 • NO PETS ALLOWED
4pm — ???
- Funky Frets • click here for map — 4pm — ??? — Plenty of parking on-street and in the rear of the store.
Friday
October 6, 2023
Trinity Church, 250 Sweinhardt Rd, Boyertown, PA 19512 • Latitude: 40.322342 Longitude: -75.625069 • NO PETS ALLOWED
Registration and Concert
4pm
- 4pm — Registration, hang out, jam and visit a few selected vendors that will be setup Friday night.
- 4pm — 6pm — Dinner
- 5pm — 6pm — Learn the ???
- 6pm — Concert Doors open
Evening Concert
Kicking off the 2023 festival will be a Showcase feature by the Funky Frets Ukulele Group. Followed by ...
6pm
- 6 — Concert Doors open
- 6:15 — Funky Frets Uke Group, Kirk Jones, Petey Mack, Uncle Zac, Michael August, Ray Cygrymus, Bill Wynnne
- Finale
After Concert Jam @ Funky Frets Music Store
Funky Frets Music Store, 124 N. Chestnut St., Boyertown, PA 19512 USA • Latitude: 40.322342 Longitude: -75.625069 • NO PETS ALLOWED
10PM to Midnight
If you haven't had enough ukulele it continues at the Funky Frets Music Store concert stage.
- 10PM to Midnight — Plenty of parking on-street and in the rear of the store.
Saturday
October 7, 2023
Trinity Church, 250 Sweinhardt Rd, Boyertown, PA 19512 • Latitude: 40.322342 Longitude: -75.625069 • NO PETS ALLOWED
All Day Festival, Vendors, Concerts, Workshops, Lunch, Dinner with Open Mic hosted by Funky Frets
Doors Open: 8:30am
Doors open for registration and pickup your festival badges and goodies.
9am — 4pm
Vendors open and Workshops by Festival Performers .
Morning Workshop Sessions
Once the workshop schedule goes through a final tweaking we will email you a Workshop Registration Form
. It is very important to fill this out so we can place the workshops in the correct rooms. All attendees festival badge has their selected workshops on the back of the badge.
There will be six workshop sessions at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm with 3 or 4 workshop choices per slot. Workshop levels are beginner to advanced and everything in between.
Here is the workshop schedule (rooms will be clearly marked):
9am
- F.U.N.-damentals for Playing Ukulele with Petey Mack
- Tone, Sustain & Articulation - “Mahana” with Abe Lagrimas, Jr
- Tin Pan Alley with Uncle Zac
10am
- Getting Spicy with Embellishments with Ray Cygrymus
- The Easiest Barre Chord Song In The World with Kirk Jones
- Learn the Hawaiian Songs of The Daily Ukulele, Blue Book with William Ernestburg
11am
- How to Play Waltzes with Amy Kucharik
- Chord Melody for Dummies - Yesterday with Bill Wynne
- Open Tuning Ukulele Slide with Michael August
- Lei Making with Debi Velasco
Lunch
12-1pm
Lunch is included in your festival ticket.
Afternoon Workshop Sessions
1pm
- Chord Melody: Fields of Gold (Sting) with Abe Lagramis Jr.
- Double Stops with Kirk Jones
- Kanikapila with the Aloha Boys with The Aloha Boys
2pm
- Ukulele Orchestra: The Pink Panther with Amy Kucharik
- Chord Melody for Dummies - Georgia On My Mind with Bill Wynne
- Learn the Hawaiian Songs of The Daily Ukulele, Yellow Book with William Ernestburg
3pm
- You Can Solo Too with Ray Cygrymus
- Open Slide Ukulele Riffs with Michael August
- Baritone Ukulele - Three Ukes In One with Uncle Zac
- Learn the Hula with Debi Velasco
Evening Dinner & Open Mic
4-6pm
Catered Evening Dinner & Open Mic. Sign-up sheet for Open Mic will be available at morning registration.
Evening Concert
6pm
- 6 — Concert Doors open
- 6:15 — Curt Sheller, Amy Kucharik
- 20 Minute Intermission — Curt Sheller, Amy Kucharik,
- Abe Lagrimas Jr., Aloha Boys
- Finale
- Finale
After Concert Jam @ Funky Frets Music Store
10PM to Midnight
If you haven't had enough ukulele it continues at the Funky Frets Music Store concert stage.
- Funky Frets • click here for map — 10PM to Midnight — Plenty of parking on-street and in the rear of the store.
Sunday
October 8, 2023
Sunday Funky Frets Uke Fest Morning Brunch & Jam
Join us on The Carousel At Pottstown — 9am to 12 noon.
The Carousel At Pottstown, 30 W King St, Pottstown, PA 19464 click here for map
Latitude: 40.247421 Longitude: -75.656601
The Historic Pottstown Carousel is the second oldest operating Philadelphia Toboggan Company wooden carousel in the United States.
We are putting together a Carousel Jam Book (projected). So send us any suggestions. Must have Carousel
or Merry-go-round
references. Circles will not do.
Curt & Uke
enjoying The Carousel at Pottstown
Curt, TJ & Ali
The songs will be projected at the event. If we get the time will try and post links to the songs to check them out a head of time.
Funky Frets Sunday Jam Photos
Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee
Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 36 years ago.