At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Acoustic Brew will present folk artists April Verch Band and Mark Elliot at the Center for Well-Being, 123 Mt. Nittany Rd., in Lemont.

The April Verch Band, a four-piece group fronted by 22-year-old April Verch, plays a plethora of folk tunes ranging from Canadian to Celtic.

Verch, a graduate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, has taken her violin to a variety of venues. The Canadian performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., for the Millenium Celebrations.

The group's lively renditions of folk standards appeal to many. Linda Littleton, artistic director of the Acoustic Brew, said that their shows are full of high energy fiddling and dancing."

Opening for the April Verch Band is Mark Elliot. The singer songwriter's guitar work and original tunes have garnered him the respect of fellow musicians -- including county artist Neal McCoy, who covered one of his songs. McCoy broke into the Billboard Top 40 with "Every Man for Himself," an Elliot-penned creation.

Elliot's personal melodies have taken the Oklahoma native all over the United States as well as abroad.

The Center for Well-Being, a converted church, needs no sound system because of its naturally great acoustics, Acoustic Brew Publicity Manager Paul Rito said. The room seats about a hundred people comfortably, he said.

Prior to the concert on Saturday, Verch will be conducting a free folk workshop on Canadian and traditional music for musicians and observers.

This year's first installment of the Folks Learnin' Folks, series will take place al 3:30 p.m. in the Center for Well-Being. The staff of Acoustic Brew is extremely optimistic about this year's events.

Jason Saltman, the opening act committee coordinator of Acoustic Brew, said that the 2002 series is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance. Rito said this will help the Brew reach its goal -- to bring traditional folk music to State College residents at an affordable cost.

Tickets for this event are $10 and still available at Webster's Bookstore Cafe, 128 S. Allen St., and the University Book Centre, 206 E. College Ave. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended, because these intimate shows sell out regularly.