So, since you've asked, here are a few artists that you might like to catch and activities to participate in at this year's National Folk Festival over the Easter weekend.

With 27 international and some 200 national acts descending on Canberra for this year's festival, attendees will be spoilt for choice. Elephant Sessions, a vibrant, young quintet from the highlands of Scotland are on their very first tour of Australia and are set to light up our stages with their ground-breaking use of traditional folk instruments creating complex layers of sound with a nod to rock, funk and electronica. Don't miss them.

One of my personal favourites on this year's program is the trio Faustus. The three members of this band are leading lights of their musical generation and read like English folk royalty. Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead), Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy, Whapweazel) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar's Feast) have a plethora of experience between them and come together in a virtuosic display of musicianship. I first heard them a few years ago at English Folk Expo and am delighted to have finally enticed them to Australia. They are exclusive to National Folk Festival.

For something slightly more spiritual, almost paradoxical Chrysoula K. & Púrpura, an all female band from Greece combine eastern Mediterranean instruments with instruments of classical origin and perform songs from different countries, Greece, Argentina, Portugal, Armenia and Italy. We don't often have the opportunity to enjoy live concerts with musicians of this calibre and I highly recommend them to our audiences.

One national act that I'm looking forward to catching is chamber pop noir group My Friend the Chocolate Cake. Fronted by the songwriting genius of David Bridie they will perform songs from their highly acclaimed 2017 album, The Revival Meeting, alongside some old favourites from their extensive back catalogue. Also watch out for Triple J Unearthed artist Monique Clare. Described as a cello-wielding songstress her songs are a melting pot of influences with gripping vocal lines woven between earthy cello tones. Headlining the festival's Celebration of First Peoples is 2017 Indigenous Western Australian of the Year Gina Williams. Gina has been a festival favourite since her first festival appearance in 2014 and this year in a rare treat for festival audiences, returns with her full band.

The festival also has a vibrant creative heart encouraging patrons to mingle with resident artists and have fun creating and learning. With more than 200 hands on workshops attendees can learn something new everyday. I'd urge everyone to check out this space whether it's honing instrumental skills like fiddle, ukulele, flute or banjo, learning to dance in styles as diverse as tango, Irish or western swing or immersing themselves in one of the many craft activities. Make paper art, mead or jewellery, sharpen up circus skills, participate in one of our many ensembles or share music on a blackboard stage. The National Folk Festival is a place to meet and a major get-together and a gathering place for the celebration of folk culture.

We're looking forward to a big weekend. It's a one-ticket access all areas scenario so attendees can soak up the atmosphere with the freedom to explore the festival's many attractions. You can venue hop to catch the big acts or discover some of the festival's buzziest spaces and in between, enjoy the colour and sounds of the street entertainers. There's a wonderful market place to lose yourself in and some tasty food treats to sample while relaxing in one of our five on-site bars. The thing I love most about this festival is its sense of community, familiarity and inclusiveness and that's what keeps bringing people back year after year.

Pam Merrigan is the director of the National Folk Festival to be held at Exhibition Park in Canberra from March 29-April 2, 2018.