One weekend every summer in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the town of Grass Valley becomes a hub of international music and culture. This year, the annual California WorldFest will bring in just over 50 bands from five of the world’s seven continents.
“We did not get anyone from Antarctica this year, nor Australia,” said Julie Baker, California WorldFest executive director, but the festival welcomes diverse acts such as My Bubba, a Scandinavian folk music duo hailing from Iceland and Sweden; singer Awa Sangho from Mali; and Iranian setar player Sahba Motallebi. The collaborative Global Indigenous Village will also bring in several American Indian bands for a joint performance and discussion.
Acts well known to American audiences will perform as well, including popular singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs, who is slated to play Sunday, July 17. But, as Baker said, “The idea is, you’re coming to discover.”