2025 Funky Frets Uke Fest – News
Tickets are Now Available for the 2025 Funky Frets Uke Fest
The Funky Frets Uke Frets keeps getting better and better every year.
For the same price or less than most festivals, you'll get a historic carousel ride and jam (Sunday) and picnic. A catered lunch and dinner on Saturday, as well as all the standard festival items. 2019 was our first themed festival, and appropriately, we went with a Philadelphia theme.
We kicked off Saturday's concert with none other than Philly's own historic ukulele player, Ben Franklin (he did play guitar for real), and some Philly Mummers to get the audience strutting their stuff.Without having to wait for the New Year's Day Mummers Parade down Broad St. in Philadelphia. And a lot better weather.
2020 would have been great for a Roarin' 20s theme, but thanks to COVID-19, we had to wait until 2022, and the Roarin' 20s theme, 2023, was a Doo-Wop 50s theme; we are going Country for 2024. So dust off your Stetson hat, hitch up your cowboy boots, and let's get going, – Y'all.
2025 We are going Hawai`ian for our theme.
Kook the Uke, ready for the 2024 Funky Frets Uke Fest in his Cowboy gear
Kook, will have to GO Hawai`ian for 2025!!!
NEWS: All the latest News and Updates are posted to the Funky Frets facebook page and via email blasts to the registered attendees.
2025 Festival t-shirt Teaser
Black
Antique Jade Dome
Lilac
Just a few color ideas. Final colors when tickets go on sale.
2025 Festival Lodging
We have linked up room blocks at three local hotels .
2025 Festival Theme
2025 Is A Hawai'ian Theme
Checkout the Funky Frets facebook Page for all the great photos of past festivals.
Fest Friends: The Life-Changing Magic of Ukulele Festivals
by Jim D'Ville | From the Summer 2024 Issue of Ukulele Magazine
All In the Funky Family
Funky Frets is an aptly named music store. The quirky ukulele boutique and music shop in historic Boyertown, Pennsylvania opened in 2012, and is a quintessential example of a family run business. Curt and Bernadette Sheller, along with their daughter, Kelly Thompson, own and operate the shop and produce the annual Funky Frets Ukulele Festival. The trio developed their business and festival by treating everyone like extended family.
“We started some uke jams and special events, and every time, my mom would make baked goods and put snacks out,” says Thompson. “People would say they had never been to a uke jam where food was out. They’d say they felt treated like family. That’s where that initial feeling of welcoming comes from—you throw food in, and everyone loves it.”
But it isn’t just the offer of free food that draws ukulele players to the music store and festival. “The thing I enjoy the most about our festival is the ongoing friendships made at the event,” says Thompson. “You’ll see folks who have met at our festival creating a cappella videos together online and returning year after year. I never imagined people would come from out of state for our festival. And then to see so many new friendships made is cool!” To become part of the Funky Frets family, you can attend the ninth annual Funky Frets Festival October 3–6.
- Jim D'Ville
2020 Virtual Funky Frets Uke Fest — Virtual Strum-Along
Curt Sheller
Checkout Curt's various web sites for the latest and greatest regarding Curt.
- CurtSheller.com - Curt's main site for all things Curt, The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio, and Curt Sheller Publications
- LearningUkulele.com — Over 900 lessons for ukulele, All major Ukulele Clubs and Festivals listings, instrument manufactures, builders and Luthiers, and anything and everything regarding the ukulele.
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, 38 years ago.