Folk or World Music as it is sometimes called these days, is increasing in popularity at a very fast rate. There may be very many reasons for this, but I suspect that a great many people are becoming aware that the cultural links of our forefathers are slowly being eroded by the pre-recorded, piped, synthesized entertainment options so freely available today and are searching for their "roots" in the music of their ancestors as well as the contemporary folk music composers.
There is also very much a "good vibes" feel to the general folk music scene as anyone attending the many emerging folk festivals abounding around the globe can tell you and in particular in Australia where the folk movement is alive and growing strongly. We benefit in this country from the high percentage of people living here from many varied ethnic backgrounds and countries. The real icing on the cake for us is that many of these folk are retaining their traditional music, craft and dance and passing it on, not only to their children, but also anyone who is interested. 
At this stage, I have included in this page, links to my experiences at Woodford (previously Maleny) Folk Festival which takes place in the rural hinterland of the Queensland Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane. Woodford is a festival of huge proportions run almost entirely by volunteers from the Queensland Folk Federation and is worth every effort to experience.
Others will follow, so come back often.