National Folk Festival a family affair

Organisers of this year's National Folk Festival in Canberra are expecting crowds of 52,000 across the five-day event.

For some performers at the National Folk Festival in Canberra it's BYO mosh pit groupies.

Blue Mountains singer-songwriter Kate Fagan is returning to the festival this year with two of her biggest fans in tow - her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Ruby and one-and-a-half-year-old son Felix.

"They're both big dancers, they bust some pretty radical moves," Fagan told AAP.

A festival veteran, she's clocked up a dozen performances at the event and loves the all-inclusive family friendly atmosphere and enthusiastic crowds.

The last time Fagan performed at the festival her daughter was still an infant and became excited when she saw her mother up on a big screen.

"She was right up the back with her daddy and she shouted out. I was heckled by my own baby," Fagan said, laughing.

Fagan will be performing songs from her new album Inner Nature and is one of the 1300 performers involved in 200 acts at the festival.

All the action kicks off over the Easter long weekend from April 17-21 at Exhibition Park.

Organisers are expecting crowds of 52,000 across the five-day event, which is in its 48th year.

Among the world musical delights of ukuleles, Celtic mandolins and a capella street choirs will be poetry slams and swing dancing.

This year's line-up includes British folk icon Martin Carthy, American Blues legend Woody Mann and Aboriginal singer-songwriter Archie Roach.

But it's not just about music - festival-goers can be schooled in various arts such as henna, bookbinding, leather work and circus tricks.

* Tickets available at www.folkfestival.org.au