Last modified: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:29 PM EDT Aoife Clancy will play the Blackstone River Theatre Celtic Festival on July 19 at Diamond Hill State Park in Cumberland, R.I. Also on the bill are Robby O'Connell, Paddy Keenan, Pendragon, the Atwater-Donnelly Trio, Trouz Bras and more. (Submitted) Summer is the time for folk fans to get festive If you're a fan of folk and acoustic music, this is the time of year when you put away your coffee mug and pull out your picnic basket as the venues shift from coffeehouses to festivals. As always, New England will be dotted with prestigious festivals and big and small stars this summer. Here are a few of the offerings coming up: Trey Anastasio, the former Phish lead singer, has been added to the Newport (R.I.) Folk Festival, joining Jimmy Buffett, the Black Crowes and Levon Helm. Other new additions include alt-country band Son Volt and 1960s folkster Richie Havens, who performed at Woodstock. The festival is scheduled for Aug. 1-3 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. A few days later, the JVC Jazz Festival Newport takes place, Aug. 8-10, at Fort Adams State Park and at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Saxophonist Sonny Rollins will headline that event. The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival will feature Chris Smither, Lori McKenna, Dar Williams, Eileen Ivers, Red Molly, and Crooked Still. Falcon Ridge, just outside of New England in Hillsdale, N.Y. is one of the most prestigous festivals on the circuit and will be held July 24-27. For information call 866-325-2744 or visit www.falcon ridgefolk.com The Lowell Folk Festival, July 25-27, is the nation's largest free folk festival and goes beyond music to include a wide variety of artisans, dancers, and chefs dishing out an endless variety of fare from various regional and ethnic traditions. This year's artists include the Lonesome River Band, blues pianist Henry Gray and the Skatalites. For information call 978-970-5000, lowellfolk festival.org. The American Folk Festival will offer a major dose of world music along with North American folk including Jesse McReynolds Genticorum and young Norwegian vocalist Benedicte Maurseth. The festival will be held Aug. 22-24 in Bangor, Maine. Call 207-992-2630 or visit www.american folkfestival.com. Closer to home The Blackstone River Theatre Celtic Festival will feature Aoife Clancy and Robby O'Connell along with Paddy Keenan, Pendragon, the Atwater-Donnelly Trio, Trouz Bras and many more at Diamond Hill State Park in Cumberland, R.I. The festival will be held 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. July 19. Visit www.riverfolk.org. The weekly summer concert series at the Soule Homestead Museum in Middleboro combines elements of a folk festival spread out over several weeks. This year's concerts run from July 12-Aug. 23. Artists include Barbara Phaneuf, Ryan Fitsimmons, Sarah Borello and Mary Ann Rossoni. Concerts start at 5 p.m. and cover charge is $7. Soule Homestead is located at 46 Soule St. Call 508-947-6744 or visit www.soulehomestead.org.