Roots music of all styles takes over the city of Johnstown this weekend with the annual AmeriServ Johnstown Folkfest.

Over the years, organizers of the free event have programmed groups ranging from the late Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown to J.D. Crowe.

The festival was launched in 1990 with the help of the National Folk Festival. Since 1993, it has been produced by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, an organization that produces and presents other cultural events in the Johnstown area.

But its biggest event is the annual folk festival.

"What's really neat about this is it gives people an opportunity to hear music that they might not otherwise hear," said Shelly Johansson, spokeswoman for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. "People can walk around and sample the music."

Johansson said the best example of that is zydeco.

"Zydeco was not something that people in Johnstown were familiar with. But we brought zydeco to town as part of the earlier festivals, and people loved it. Now, it's probably the most favorite type of music at the festival. If we fail to program it, people are not happy about it."

The festival begins Friday and runs through Sunday. Among the featured groups are Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Druha Trava, A.J. Croce and Pittsburgh's Jimmy Sapienza & Five Guys Named Moe.

If you go: AmeriServ Johnstown Folkfest

Where:Downtown Johnstown.
Getting there: Take Route 22 East. Exit at Route 403 South and follow it eight miles into the city of Johnstown. Drive through the Cambria City neighborhood all the way into town -- you will pass under a railway bridge, at which point the festival park will appear on the left, directly before Point Stadium. Once past the Point, turn left into the city to find one of the city-owned parking garages. Shuttles will run to and from the festival, making stops near the parking garages.
Admission: Free.
Information: johnstownfolkfest.org.

Schedule

TOYOTA STAGE
Friday
6:30-8:30 p.m.: Jimmy Adler
9:30-11:30 p.m.: Too Slim & the Taildraggers
Saturday
1-3 p.m.: Slavic Soul Party
4-6 p.m.: Scott Miller & the Commonwealth
7-9 p.m.: Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
10 p.m.-midnight: The Tossers
Sunday
12:30-2:30 p.m.: Jimmy Adler
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Eric Lindell
6:30-8:30 p.m.: Scott Miller & the Commonwealth
9:30-11:30 p.m.: Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers

AMERISERV STAGE
Friday
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Jackson Monsour
8:30-10:30 p.m.: The Marauders
Saturday
1-3 p.m.: McKay Brothers
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Bill Deasy
6-8 p.m.: James Talley
8:30-10:30 p.m.: Gigi Dover & The Big Love
Sunday
1-3 p.m.: Jennifer Drummey & the Small Band
3:30-5:30 p.m.: James Talley
6-8 p.m.: Bill Deasy
8:30-10:30 p.m.: McKay Brothers

HIGHMARK BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD STAGE
Friday
6-8 p.m.: Grinning Mob
9-11 p.m.: Slavic Soul Party
Saturday
Noon-2 p.m.: Jazz in Your Face
3-5 p.m.: Tres Chicas
6-8 p.m.: Eric Lindell
9-11 p.m.: A.J. Croce
Sunday
Noon-2 p.m.: Jimmy Sapienza & Five Guys Named Moe
3-5 p.m.: Druha Trava
6-8 p.m.: A.J. Croce
9-11 p.m.: The Tossers

CONEMAUGH HEALTH SYSTEM STAGE
Friday
8-10 p.m.: Last Train Home
Saturday
12:30-2:30 p.m.: Druha Trava
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Bill Kirchen
6:30-8:30 p.m.: Last Train Home
9:30-11:30 p.m.: Too Slim & the Taildraggers
Sunday
1:30-3:30 p.m.: Gigi Dover & The Big Love
4:30-6:30 p.m.: Bill Kirchen
7:30-9:30 p.m.: Tres Chicas