The 32nd Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival begins tonight at Hill Auditorium. Spread over a two-night span, the event flaunts over a dozen acts, both old and new. Each year, the festival books a lineup with an even blend of traditional roots musicians and contemporary folk songwriters. This year’s big names suit this dynamic perfectly. The festival is headlined by Jeff Tweedy, Kris Kristofferson and an appearance by Pete Seeger. Their performances are sure to bridge the gap between generations, each performer having carved his own niche in American folk music over the years.

In addition to being a vibrant exhibition of roots music, the festival is a fund-raiser for The Ark, a nonprofit Main Street music club and fixture of the Ann Arbor folk scene since its inception 44 years ago. Tickets have been on sale for a couple of months, and an earlier discounted run was offered exclusively to University students. Though folk music may not carry the same pop-culture relevance for younger crowds as it did in the ’60s, many students eagerly snagged tickets to see Tweedy, the lead singer and songwriter for Chicago-based band Wilco.

The Ark has made extra efforts over the years to create as varied a lineup as possible, making it a point to consistently book a strong selection of up-and-comers. Other scheduled acts include Old Crow Medicine Show, Carolina Chocolate Drops, the Ragbirds, Joe Pug and Katie Herzig.

Jeff Tweedy headlines tonight and he will undoubtedly attract the most attention from students. Tweedy’s live shows are known for their somewhat communal atmosphere that prompts members of the audience to sing along to his deeply poetic — though somewhat cryptic — ballads. Tweedy has been cutting his folk chops for a while now; after an initial stint with pioneering country barnstormers Uncle Tupelo, he has since released nine albums with Wilco (including a collaboration with Billy Bragg that produced two collaborative albums containing reworked Woody Guthrie songs).

Tweedy is known for his deeply pensive and often downright depressing lyrics. Morbid ruminations like, “Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm,” and, “Tall buildings shake / voices escape / singing sad, sad songs” are common ground for the songwriter. But despite his somber lyrical material, he unfailingly elicits cheerful assistance from the voices of his audiences.

While older festival attendees may wonder how such dark themes found their way into the balmy world of folk songwriting, they'll surely recognize that the orthodox intentions of folk music are kept intact at Hill Auditorium. The varied lineup promises a cheerful gathering with copious sing-alongs in the tradition of elder folk artists like the legendary Pete Seeger.

Seeger, Saturday's headliner, really needs no introduction. A working man’s leftist (to the point of being investigated for Communist activities by HUAC and Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the late 1950s), his storied career as a singer-songwriter includes countless pro-union and protest songs. He's equally known for crafting musical children's stories, such as “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)” and “Puff the Magic Dragon." His influence on the folk movement of the 1960s is incomparably vast, and his legacy surely lives on through each performer at the Festival.

With both the traditional and experimental fringes of folk joined under one roof, it’s clear that the ever-expanding canon of American folk music is alive and well in Ann Arbor.