3RFS is an all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1988, serving the folk community near the confluence of the Yakima, Snake and Columbia rivers in SE Washington state (map)

We present concerts, coffeehouses, contra dances, song circles, and the annual Tumbleweed Music Festival (In its 28th year in 2024.)

Shanghaied on the Willamette Michael Carlos Band Bram Brata
Performers at Tumbleweed Music Festivals



Many more events headed your way:

Coming Next in 2024:



(See Concert, Coffeehouse, Song Circle, or Tumbleweed pages for details)





    The Three Rivers Folklife Society is partnering with the Princess Theatre Green Room in Prosser to present a series of concerts to be known as "Common Folk."

    The next concert is Wednesday, October 30th, and features

    Trillium-239!





    Trillium-239!>

    Trillium-239's complex melodic lines and quirky lyrics are highlighted with masterful arrangements on a variety of instruments. Cello, guitars, and banjo provide thoughtful support for tight vocal harmonies and first-rate Trillium-239 songs are steady fare at concerts, festivals, and special events. Together, Trillium-239 mixes a scintillating musical cocktail that’s creating a buzz.

    Doors open at 6:30 pm with the concert beginning at 7. Tickets available online at Princess Theatre or at the door for $10. Food (paninis, charcuterie, and snacks as well as local wines, beers, hard ciders, and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase at the concert.



    October's concert features

    Patrice Webb, Brad Keeler and Lyle Morse: Songwriters in the Round!





    Patrice Webb!Brad Keeler!Lyle Morse!



    Join us for an evening of original songwriting from three of the Northwest’s beloved songwriters. Patrice Webb, Brad Keeler and Lyle Morse have a mutual affinity for acoustic blues, swing and folk.

    Tickets are $20.00 for Non-members, $15.00 for 3RFS members, and are available at the door or
    HERE. Enter All Saints Episcopal Church from the door by the back parking lot.



    November's concert features

    James Keelaghan!





    James Keelaghan!



    Join us for a special Friday evening concert with James Keelaghan.

    Called Canada’s finest singer-songwriter by one of the most respected and lauded music journalists of the last 50 years, James Keelaghan is an artist who has proven to be a man for all seasons. As the calendar pages have turned, for almost a quarter of a century now, this poet laureate of the folk and roots music world has gone about his work with a combination of passion, intent and intensity, and curiosity.

    Fusing his insatiable appetite for finding the next unique storyline he forges his pieces with brilliantly defined craftsmanship and a monogrammed artistic vision, making him one of the most distinctive and readily identifiable voices of not only the Canadian scene, but as a member of the international singer-songwriter community.

    Armed with a songbook that has enlightened and enthralled, and been embraced, by audiences around the world, Keelaghan’s life as an artist is one that is a perpetual journey on so many levels.

    Most importantly it’s a journey that has invited fans of literate and layered songwriting to be a part of his artistic expeditions, some that weave their way through marvelously etched stories of a historical nature with underlying universal themes , and others that mine the depths of the soul and the emotional trails of human relations. His masterful story telling, over the course of nine recordings, has been part of the bedrock of his success, earning Keelaghan his share of nominations and awards, and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia.

    When Friday, November 22nd, 2024 from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM Location 1322 Kimball Ave. Richland, WA 99354 United States Concert ticket: $20.00 / $15.00 3RFS Members

    Tickets are $20.00 for Non-members, $15.00 for 3RFS members, and are available at the door or HERE. Enter All Saints Episcopal Church from the door by the back parking lot.







    Concerts coming in the future:


    December: SeaStar!


    January: Bourbon and Bellows!


    February: Dan Maher!


    March: Shamrock and Sage!








    It is with great sadness that Three Rivers Folklife Society notes the passing of a very long-time 3RFS member, Alan Gibbs.

    Alan and his wife Judi started the 3rfs.org website in 1995. In this time of straight HTML, they figured out how to put sound clips online, and posted some of the earliest ones.

    Alan subsequently maintained and developed the 3rfs.org website by himself until May 2023, when a serious medical condition suddenly sidelined him.

    Alan was born in 1939, and died January 11, 2024.

    He was a valued and valuable member of our organization, and put in excellent work to promote the organization and our aims.

    Our thoughts are with his family and friends now. Thank you, Alan, for everything.