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The foundation with the aim of keeping music programs in schools is coming back to its roots.

After a decade’s absence, the American Roots Music Festival returns to The Tabernacle in Turner on Nov. 2.

The festival ran from 2002 to 2009, usually at the Turner location, and was the primary fundraiser for the Keeping The Arts Foundation.

Steve Gehlen, a foundation board member and one of the festival’s founders, said the event sold out in 2007 when John Carter Cash and the Carter Family played the festival. It was discontinued after the 2009 event as there wasn’t enough interest to keep going among the organizers.

Since the Keeping the Arts foundation brought back the Portland-based Cre8con in 2008, that event has become the primary fundraiser for the group.

Cre8con, which was held this year Sept. 27 at the Gerding Theater at the Armory in Portland, is a conference to celebrate the creative process with keynote presentations from leading industry professionals.

Gehlen said that conference sold out for the second year in a row.

“From a funding perspective we’re in good shape from Cre8Con,” Gehlen said.

Gehlen said the foundation has donated more than $62,000 to communities within 12 miles of the festival’s Turner location.

“It started out as a fundraiser for North Santiam School District and as we started growing the attendance and the other revenue for it, we started giving money to other school districts,” Gehlen said.

The Keeping the Arts Foundation has provided over $155,000 in grants to youth arts and music programs in Oregon.

Gehlen said the key in the foundation bringing the American Roots Music Festival back this year is Hal Weiner joining the organization’s board.

Weiner is new to the group, but he formerly promoted similar festivals and now lives in Eugene.

“He has so much great experience with the Florence Winter Folk Festival that it was just a natural,” Gehlen said. “He’s all in. He’s gathering a good team around him.”

The festival kicks off with a youth concert at 9:30 a.m. and includes jam sessions and workshops.

The headline act is The Western Flyers, which performs at 6:30 p.m. Other musicians performing include Mary Flower, Lauren Sheehan and Fern Hill Bluegrass Band.

Joey McKenzie, multi-instrumentalist and singer for The Western Flyers, was a child prodigy who grew up in McMinnville before moving to Texas.

Gehlen said he and his brother, Damon, jammed with him when they were in high school.

“It’s going to be great to see him again,” Steve Gehlen said.

Tickets are $20 for adults, though students 18 and under get in free. More information is available at americanrootsmusicfestival.com.

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler

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