Sisters Folk Festival is offering a pair of music-themed whitewater rafting trips on the Rogue River in southern Oregon this summer. The SFF will once again collaborate with American River Touring Association (ARTA) to operate specialty five-day/four-night music rafting trips featuring professional musicians who will provide nightly entertainment and the opportunity to interact informally with their fellow trip

participants.

The Rogue River is designated as a National Wild & Scenic River.

The first trip is “Going Rogue with Rainbow Girls,” June 12-16. Vanessa May, Erin Chapin, and Caitlin Gowdey seamlessly combine soul-touching harmonies, varitextured instrumentals, and poignant lyrical content into a beautiful sonic tapestry. Throughout their performance, voices are paired with an ever-changing amalgamation of acoustic and slide guitar, upright bass, harmonica, and an array of vocal techniques that create an engaging and often emotionally moving live show. Their music delves deeply into themes of the human experience: hopeful love, honest self-reflection, and pursuits of social justice.

The second trip is “Going Rogue with Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius,” August 15-19.

Tim O’Brien is a legend in the folk and bluegrass world.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist first came on the bluegrass scene with Colorado’s Hot Rize starting in 1978.

His songs have since been covered by New Grass Revival, Kathy Mattea, and Garth Brooks and he has recorded with the likes of Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, and Sturgill Simpson.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has twice awarded him with Song of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year prizes.

Tim O’Brien performs in a duet setting with his partner Jan Fabricius on harmony vocals.

Featuring his solid guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, the shows cover a range of original compositions and traditional arrangements mixed with stories and Tim’s self-deprecating

humor.

“Going Rogue with Rainbow Girls” goes on sale Monday, February 28, at 10 a.m. and “Going Rogue with Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius” opens on Monday, March 14 at 10 a.m. The cost for each trip is $1,800 per person, which includes all meals while on the river. There is a maximum of 20 spots available per trip and last year both Going Rogue trip offerings sold out quickly on the first day.

A not-for-profit organization, ARTA was founded in 1963 and runs whitewater rafting trips throughout the western United States — from half-day recreational outings to week-long transformative expeditions. They donate a portion of profits to organizations that are working to protect the special places in which they operate.

The 25th Annual Sisters Folk Festival will take place September 30 through October 2.

For more information about these trips and SFF’s other programs, visit http://www.sistersfolkfestival.org.