Welcome!
Welcome to the 18th biennial Berkeley Festival and Exhibition—or as we like to refer to it, BFX! Founded in 1990 and produced by the San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS), the Festival has become one of the world’s largest and most important early music conclaves, deemed “a remarkable institution on the American musical scene” by The New York Times.
Enjoy eight days of scintillating music with 19 main stage concerts, as well as special events, a three-day exhibition, community workshops, and dozens of Fringe presentations.
For the first time in Festival history, our mainstage concerts will be pay-what-you-can, continuing SFEMS’ initiative from our regular season to remove income as a barrier to arts accessibility. To support this experiment—which has already brought record-breaking crowds to SFEMS concerts this season—we again invite patrons to consider “paying-it-forward” by purchasing a paid subscription, which not only ensures premium seat(s), but will serve as an investment in our groundbreaking initiative.
Use the scrolling arrows below to view our main stage concerts!
Click on the individual images to learn about specific shows.
MAIN STAGE HIGHLIGHTS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Join us also for three community workshops, where you’ll get the chance to work alongside some of our Festival artists!
EXHIBITION
& MARKETPLACE
The Festival Exhibition and Marketplace—free and open to the public—takes place during the Festival, from Thursday, June 13 through Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The Exhibition features the work of instrument makers, publishers, retailers, performing and service organizations, and all others who provide materials, information, and support for the early music community. Most importantly, it is a place for gathering, for building new connections and renewing old friendships.
EXHIBITION OPEN HOURS:
Thursday, June 13: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Friday, June 14: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, June 15: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BERKELEY
(2300 Bancroft Way)
THE FRINGE
The Fringe is a series of self-produced concerts by soloists and ensembles from around the world. During the 2022 Berkeley Festival, over 40 Fringe concerts took place. Please note that Fringe concerts are independently produced and priced. Tickets are available at the door, or directly from the artists.
The online Fringe calendar with detailed concert information, artist bios, and programs will be updated throughout the spring. Check-in regularly for the latest information.
