The opening concert starts at 6.30pm on March 28, and you can be sure there'll be some stragglers still loitering around Exhibition Park late on Monday, April 1, when things wrap up at about 8pm.

In between, there are more than 1170 performers across 140 acts, from traditional folk, to jazz orchestras, bush bands and dance troupes galore. There will also be more than 100 merchandise and food and drink stalls so you can replenish yourself in between acts - BentSpoke Brewing Co and Lerida Estate wines are among the festival sponsors.

Artistic directors Michael Sollis, Chris Stone and Holly Downes have curated a program for all tastes.

"We had about 900 applications for the festival and part of our responsibility is to ensure that we pull together a program that represents the multicultural fabric of Australia," says Sollis.

"But also one that represents cultures from around the world and the rich history of folk music in all its different forms."

Here are the acts not to miss.

Raised in the remote Pipisu village of Malaita, Maimarosia is an extraordinary Solomon Islander singer and musician, "and something audiences would not have had the opportunity to see in Canberra for a very long time", Sollis says. "He performs using both modern and indigenous instruments."

Sollis recommends to keep an eye out for a special performance with David Bridie, from Not Waving Drowning and My Friend the Chocolate Cake.

Hailing from Melbourne, Ceoltoiri Naarm is a vibrant group of young musicians who are here to share their love of Irish music. The group will be running an Irish céil, or gathering, a dedicated space for children and teens to learn and play Irish music, welcoming all to join them at the festival.

"It's so exciting to see the kids running the whole thing and hopefully welcoming a new generation of folkies," Sollis says.

Sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby are The Maes, who are returning to the festival for the first time since 2022. They've grown up at festivals, their parents were musicians, and now they're taking their own harmony-driven folk-pop to the world. They won Best folk/roots album of the year at the Music Victoria Awards in 2019 for their self-titled release.

"They'll also be conducting the festival choir which anyone can come along and participate in workshops and perform," Sollis says.

Us Mob Writing is a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander poets, writers and storytellers based in Canberra and surrounding areas. Its members have written poetry, plays, songs, documentary films, short films, TV dramas, children's books, novels, short stories, biographies and autobiographies, receiving many awards along the way.

"They'll be doing a special tribute to Kerry Reed-Gilbert, who was a pioneer for First Nations art in Canberra," Sollis says.

"They're one of the artists involved in our Argentinian pena, which is a party which will be spilling out onto the streets on Saturday night, featuring a range of Argentine dance and music," Sollis says.

With Laura Urteaga on violin, Owen Salome on bandoneon and Benjamin Aedo on guitar, the trio intertwines the traditional roots of Argentine music with contemporary sounds.

Looking for things to keep the kids entertained? There are plenty of family-friendly activities during the weekend. From workshops on performance skills, to instrument making, story time and a family bush dance not to be missed. And don't forget the Ceoltoiri Naarm performances.

Get into the groove early by tuning into the official 2024 line-up playlist on Spotify. It's a great way to earmark some artists you might not be familiar with. I am currently loving The Audrey's You and Steve McQueen and local group The Cashews witty little tune The Things You Do. I've pencilled them in on my acts-to-see list.

Tickets are available online or at the gate. Due to popular demand, there are evening tickets again this year which get you in after 5pm. Ticket prices vary depending on the day. Season tickets, which cover all days, are also available.

There is plenty of parking available at EPIC but why not jump on the light rail and exit at the EPIC station, a short walk to the Flemington Road gate

For more information and ticketing head to folkfestival.org.au