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More than a few folks pitch in to put on the annual folk festival.

In fact, about 700 volunteers are involved during the course of the year, said Erika Gerety, director of the Albuquerque Folk Festival, which takes over Expo New Mexico all day Saturday.

And that vibe carries over to the event itself, an interactive gathering of jam sessions, workshops, storytelling and dancing, Gerety said.

"Really our mission is to get people to participate as much as possible and get people together as a community," she said.

That sense of togetherness extends to the main stage, too.

After a headlining show by million-selling folk artist Jonathan Edwards ("Sunshine (Go Away Today)," "Shanty"), a "band scramble" will mix and match musicians from various bands. Pickers and singers toss their names in a hat, and they are scrambled into bands. Each new group will have 45 minutes to come up with a name and rehearse two songs.

Gerety says the impromptu sessions are popular.

"Sometimes the band-scramble bands are almost more fun and better than the professional bands," she said. There's something about the energy. . . . They just sort of cut loose, and sometimes an incredible sound comes out of that."

Gerety herself plays upright bass in several groups, including Hands Five, which took top honors in the traditional category at the 2005 Santa Fe bluegrass festival; the Cheap Shots, which grabbed the same prize last year; and Ladyfingers, an all-female ensemble.

Otherwise, she works full time at the University of New Mexico and coordinates the volunteer army that puts on the folk festival, now in its ninth year. Gerety said there are 10 board members and 35 managers, and about 120 people will work the grounds Saturday.

And then there are about 650 musicians, dancers, presenters and workshop instructors.

Visitors will be welcomed at 10 a.m. with performances by belly dancers, Galician pipes, martial arts dancers and a marimba ensemble, Gerety said.

Other events include:

Two other stages featuring ethnic, swing and bluegrass music.

Songwriter showcases and workshops with topics that include throat singing, stage techniques (with Edwards) and a study of the ukelele.

Two dance areas featuring styles such as Hawaiian, Balkan, tango, African and Middle Eastern.

Storytelling and sing-alongs.

Three dance parties will take over in the evening: "contra" call-dancing; swing and country; and African drumming.