| Newmarket Heritage Fest is Back May 31 |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
After a short hiatus in 2013,the award-winning Newmarket Heritage Festival, one of the Seacoast region’s most anticipated annual events,will return this spring on May 31, 2014. (Click title to see full info)
Produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation, the event celebrates the arts, culture, history, and community spirit, bringing together a host of talented performers and artisans to create an experience recognized by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts as one of the region’s outstanding cultural events.
New Location
This year’s festival will be held inside the renovated Newmarket Mills at 55 Main Street.TheSouth Venue Millspace features the main stage and dozens of vendor booths. TheNorth Venuefeatures artisans at work, music, and more vendors.“What better location than our historic mills for a multicultural celebration rooted in the rich mix of immigrant traditions that define the heritage of this mill town,”says Suki Casanave, who has served as director of the festival for the past 13 years.
Festival planners have been working closely with local organizations and businesses to determine the shape of this year’s event, which will focus on the music and arts that represent the core of the festival mission. “The Lamprey Arts and Culture Alliance, Chinburg Properties, and Rivermoor Landing Condominiums have been invaluable partners as we work out the logistical details,” says David LeGault, a member of the NMSC board and logistics coordinator for the festival. “Together, we are working to ensure the long-term viability and high quality of the festival.”
Great Line-Up!
The 2014 Newmarket Heritage Festival features a great lineup of multicultural performers, including the legendary accordion master Gary Sredzienski, the dazzling Chinese Folk Art Troupe, the rhythms of the Flamenco Dance Project, and the high-energy African drumming of the Awkwabba Ensemble. New this year will be the New England Irish Harp Orchestra, the local McDonough-Grimes Irish Dancers, and a hip hop dance crew. Popular artisans, include R.P. Hale and his 18th-century printing press, Fred Dolan and his wildfowl carving, and fly tier Bob Wyatt, among others.
The festival also features dozens of vendors, including local merchants on Main Street and in the Newmarket Mills, who will be open for business and offering festival specials! Don’t miss this chance to stock up on handcrafted gifts, specialty items—and good eats!
Learn about local history with walking tours of the downtown and the historic mills or a visit to the Stone School Museum. The Bristol S-Gauge model trains will be running in the American Legion, medieval knights will be strolling the streets, and the Community Church will host a Soup and Chowder Supper. (Main Street will remain open to traffic.)
Sponsors
The festival would not be possible without sponsorship support. Major sponsors of this year’s event include the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the Town of Newmarket, as well as festival partners LOCO Sports, Liberty Mutual, and Newmarket Dental, PSNH, and Wintercrow Studiio. Other supporters include Ron Lemieux, Proulx Oil, and RBC Wealth Management. Friends of the festival include Appledore Real Estate, Lamprey Health Care, and Northeast Delta Dental.
“We are delighted to be returning this year in a new location and with a new format,” says Casanave, “and to be able to continue the celebration of the arts, culture history and community spirit that have defined the Newmarket Heritage Festival for so many years. We look forward to seeing everyone at the festival!”
About the Festival
The Heritage Festival, now in its 16th year, is a celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit—rooted in a small New England mill town. Known as the Seacoast’s favorite international block party, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic mix of entertainment and activities, as well as its friendly atmosphere. Produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation, this lively celebration takes place within Newmarket’s historic mills, where laborers once worked so hard–and where a sense of community continues to thrive.
2014 Information
Date:May 31, 2014.Hours:10 am – 8 pm.Admission:Adults $5; children $2 (ages 6-12); under 6 free.For updates:visitwww.heritage-festival.orgor find us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/HeritageFestivalNH).Volunteering:Interested in volunteering?