Placer Ukulele Festival
featuring Julie Holloman
Saturday, September 26, 2026
William Jessup University, Rocklin, CA
Get ready to strum, sing, laugh, and connect at the 2026 16th Annual Placer Uke Fest! Whether you’re picking up a ukulele for the very first time or you’ve been playing for years, this fun-filled festival has something for everyone. Enjoy hands-on workshops for all skill levels, jam with fellow music lovers, and soak in the welcoming community spirit that makes Uke Fest such a favorite annual tradition.
This year’s featured concert artist is Julie Holloman, bringing her talent, energy, and love of music to an unforgettable live performance. Festival attendees can also look forward to exciting raffle and door prizes throughout the day, plus convenient lunch options available with ticket purchase.
The 2026 festival will be held at William Jessup University in Rocklin. Due to venue and event policies, attendance is limited to guests who are 18 and older.
Come for the music, stay for the community, and celebrate the joy of the ukulele at Placer Uke Fest 2026!
If you are in need of overnight accommodations, please consider the nearby La Quinta Inn and Suites in Lincoln, CA. We have partnered with them to provide a discounted rate to our festival attendees. Please use this link to book your room(s).
Schedule to be posted soon!
Workshops
The 2026 Placer Uke Fest offers numerous workshops for ALL levels. (Due to venue and event policies, attendance is limited to guests who are 18 and older.) We have a great lineup of instructors offering their insights and sharing their fundamental techniques to make you a better ukulele player. Whether you are just starting out or have been playing for a while, you'll find our workshops informational and fun!
Workshop Handouts
To help us reduce paper use and keep the festival running smoothly, workshop handouts will be available digitally only. Please download your handouts before the festival. If you like having a paper copy, feel free to print them at home and bring them with you.
You can also save the handout on your phone or tablet for easy reference during class.
We recommend downloading your handouts before you arrive—don't wait until you're at the festival!
The download links for the workshops can be found in the workshop descriptions.
Flamenco Fun for Ukulele-You Can Play This Stuff! - Julie Holloman (Levels 2 & 3)
Julie has played this passionate Spanish music for many years on the classical/flamenco guitar. In time she began to develop tunes that work for ukulele. Learn the AWESOME lick from the Malaguena Regional style. You only need 2 chords!
Learn 5 basic right hand techniques--thumb strokes, arpeggios, rest strokes, rasgueados, and tremolo. Apply these techniques to your AWESOME lick, and learn Sevillanas #1 and Sevillanas#2. OLE!
Download the workshop materials here.
UKULELE TOOL KIT - Julie Holloman (all levels)
Are you a swinger or a rocker? Do you outpace your ukulele group, or get behind? Can you sing and play at the same time? This workshop will give you the tools you need to play well with others:
1. You’ll learn techniques to count and strum a steady beat.
2. You’ll count and play creative rhythm patterns.
3. You’ll learn how to practice with a metronome.
4. You’ll develop skills to help you play and stay with a group.
5. You’ll practice these skills playing by ear, then learning 2 songs: “Banana Boat Song” and
“Put A Little Love In Your Heart.”
By the end of the workshop you’ll add tools to your Ukulele Tool Kit that will help you to uke on!
Download the workshop materials here.
DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ - Journey - Julie Holloman (all levels)
This fantastic song was inspired by keyboardist Jonathan Cain’s despair. He was
struggling and broke in Hollywood and considered quitting music. He called his father,
who told him, “Don’t stop believing.” Years later, during sessions for the album “Escape”
Steve Perry asked for one final song idea. The rest is history!
During this workshop:
1. You’ll learn the fingerstyle pattern used in the song.
2. You’ll learn a strum pattern to use at the beginning if you’re not a fingerstyle fan.
3. You’ll learn the strum pattern used in the chorus.
4. You’ll learn a muted percussion pattern to do on your uke if you want to be a
drummer.
5. You’ll learn how to play the melody during the verse 3 instrumental break.
6. There is a bass part for the lovely bass players in the group.
Learn all of the parts, and play your favorite for our final play-through. Baritone ukes are
welcome. We’ll have so much fun!!! Workshop materials coming soon!
Ukulele Q&A Jam: Ask Me Anything! - John Sandoval (all levels)
Got questions about chords, strumming, fingerpicking, practice habits, performance nerves, music theory, or how to make your playing sound smoother and more musical? Bring them all to this lively, interactive “Ask Me Anything” workshop designed especially for beginning to intermediate ukulele players (including baritone)!
Led by an experienced teacher and performer, this relaxed and fun session is part mini-lesson, part group jam, and part musical hangout. No question is too basic or too advanced - we’ll explore real-world playing tips, common challenges, creative techniques, and practical shortcuts that help you grow as a musician. Expect live demonstrations, audience participation, play-along moments, and spontaneous musical discoveries along the way.
Whether you want to improve your strumming, understand chords, learn songs faster, or simply gain confidence playing with others, this workshop is all about learning together in an encouraging and supportive environment. Bring your ukulele, your curiosity, and your favorite questions!
Download the workshop handout here.
Chord Melody Ukulele Workshop - John Sandoval (all levels)
Discover how to make your ukulele sound like a whole band in one instrument! In this fun, hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the art of chord melody playing — combining chords, melody, rhythm, and musical expression all at once. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned strummer looking for fresh inspiration, this interactive session will give you practical techniques you can use right away.
We’ll explore easy arranging tricks, movable chord shapes, melodic embellishments, and playful jam exercises designed for all skill levels. Expect group play-alongs, creative challenges, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and try things together in real time. Bring any ukulele — soprano, concert, tenor, or baritone — and get ready to turn simple songs into rich, beautiful solo arrangements while having a great time with fellow uke lovers! Download the workshop handout here.
Blues Rhythm Styles & Patterns - Carla Fontanilla (levels 2 & 3)
Explore Rhythm strumming patterns and fills on your uke which can emulate iconic regional Blues styles, i.e., Delta, Piedmont, Chicago and Texas. Focus is on right-hand rhythms and left-hand bass lines, chord manipulations, percussive effects and “feels.”
Attendees should be familiar with major, major dominant 7th, minor, minor dominant 7th Barre chording as well as rhythm control (muting, slide, hammer-on, pull offs, tremolo, etc.)
Workshop handouts coming soon.
Jazz Uke Chord Enhancements & Substitutions - Carla Fontanilla (levels 2 & 3)
This workshop elevates the standard “2 5 1” jazz chord progression through tastier and more textured chordal movements and characteristics. Learn how chord pattern enhancements in mid- and high-range voicings will bring more color and vitality to your playing.
Attendees should be familiar with major, major dominant 7th, minor, minor dominant 7th Barre chording as well as left and right hand rhythm and control.)
Workshop handouts coming soon.
What Strum Do I Use? - Steve Kritzer (levels 1 & 2)
Exploring the mechanics of the right hand, and how to take some basic strums up a notch or two, including mutes, chucks, and a few fingers as well. Download workshop handouts here.
Licks and Leads - Steve Kritzer (levels 2 & 3)
How to add fills, licks, and leads using some basic major and pentatonic scales and when to use them.
Download the workshop handouts here.
Workshop schedule to be listed shortly... stay tuned!
What’s your level?
These ukulele workshop levels have been taken from a magazine article by Heidi Swedberg.
Level 1: Beginner
Welcome! You are a new uke player and have already played with others or taken a few lessons.
The beginning player is new to the uke (1-3 months), knows some basic, first position chords.
You are fluent with (at least) your C, F, and G7, can make chord changes easily as well as keep a beat.
Level 2: Intermediate
Now you’re a player, but chord diagrams over the words are still a must. Your job here is to master B-flat,
get some strums under your belt and grow into your instrument—this is when you truly learn how to practice.
Level 3: Experienced Intermediate
You know a bunch of chords and are ready to use them. Challenge yourself with some exciting techniques,
and maybe venture further up the neck. Be proud of yourself, this is a fine plateau to reach.
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