What Can I Study?
What Can I Study in 2026?
Each year, the Festival will feature these core disciplines: Fiddle, Guitar, Dance, Piano, Flute, Harp, and Community Singing. In addition to our core disciplines, we include additional disciplines each year. In 2026, we will also offer: Bodhran, Bouzouki, and Mandolin.
Here are the groups we will be offering for each discipline in 2026:
- Fiddle – Moose, Seals, Bears
- Guitar – Moose, Seals, Bears
- Dance – Moose, Seals, Bears
- Piano – Seals & Bears together
- Flute – Seals, Bears
- Harp – Seals & Bears together
- Community Singing – One group for all singers (regardless of experience)
- Bodhran – Seals & Bears together
- Bouzouki – Seals, Bears
- Mandolin – Seals & Bears together
- Eagles – Professional/pre-professional multi-discipline cohort
We currently offer foundational instruction for Fiddle, Guitar, and Dance — these are our Moose classes, which are designed especially to be a “from the ground up” learning experience. We do not currently offer Moose classes or any foundational instruction for any other instrument.
Not sure if you’re a Moose student?
If you are interested in building foundations as a fiddler, guitarist, or dancer, we would love to have you join us! Sign up for a Moose class!
If you play another instrument and are still at the foundational learning stage, sit tight…. we don’t have a class for you this year, but we do hope to offer Moose classes in more instruments in the future!
Remember to check out our Community Singing class, which is open to folks of all experience levels, including those who are brand new to trad or not used to thinking of themselves as “singers”. It’s great fun, and all you need to have a fabulous week is the desire to joyfully add your voice to the group! This is a great option if we don’t offer the Moose class you were hoping for, and for those who don’t consider themselves musicians or dancers.
Click the buttons below to read more and choose the group where you’re going to dance, play, and sing your best!
Please refer to the Schedule Overview to see a “day at a glance.”
Note: For those just wanting to attend the festival in afternoons and evenings, daily/weekly passes for workshops and concerts are available to purchase here.
Also note: The AFTMD is programmed for students who are 12 years of age and older. Certain exceptions may be made for children younger than 12 years who are especially promising and dedicated. If you would like to discuss such an exception with the artistic team, please contact our Festival Director.
The Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance is governed by Friends of the Acadia Trad Festival, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Maine nonprofit corporation. Website art by Anabelle Keimach and Annelise Papinsick.