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Newmarket Heritage Schedule for 2011

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The Heritage Festival, the Seacoast region’s annual international block party, takes place September 24 & 25—and you’re invited! Don’t miss this 14th annual celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit—in historic downtown Newmarket. Read on to learn more about the festival—and for a sneak preview of this year’s schedule. (Continued below)

 

 

OVERVIEW: The Newmarket Heritage Festival honors the rich diversity of tradition, past and present, that defines this New England mill town and the Piscataqua region. Through the years, the traditional art forms of many cultures have been featured at the festival, including Polish, French, Irish, German, Laotian, African-American, Chinese, Indian, and traditional American cultures. The event has grown from a one-tent festival to a full weekend of multi-cultural music and dance performances, artisans at work, participatory workshops and activities, try-it-yourself traditional crafts, a busy waterfront venue, fine arts and craft vendors, delicious food, and lots more.

Organized by a small group of volunteers, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic mix of entertainment and activities, as well as for its friendly atmosphere. We hope you enjoy this lively celebration, which takes place in the shadow of Newmarket’s historic mills, where so many once labored so hard–-and where a sense of community continues to thrive.

MAIN TENT & WORKSHOP TENT: The festival’s Main Tent and adjacent Workshop Tent showcase outstanding local and regional performers, sharing the sounds of multicultural traditions old and new. The smaller Workshop Tent is a second stage for intimate, up-close performances and demonstrations where audiences learn and participate in traditions that have been passed on through the generations. The weekend begins Saturday morning at 10 am and continues until Sunday at 7 pm.

New this year: Trash Can Lid Productions, a band with an environmental twist—they make music on recycled instruments; the harmonies of the Bel-Airs Doo-Wop group singing “the best of songs from the best of times”; a Dueling Dulcimers performance on the mountain and hammered dulcimers; a lively Israeli dancing workshop; high-energy African drum circles with percussionist and teacher Carl Nickerson; and Gary Sredzienski’s popular serf rock band, the Serfs, which closes the festival on Sunday afternoon.

Returning favorites: extreme juggling antics with the nationally-acclaimed duo, Two; a dazzling diabolo demonstration, dragon dance, and more by the Chinese Folk Art Workshop Troupe; the foot-tapping Bavarian tunes of Opa’s Oompah Band; a dance party with the Jumbo Circus Peanuts, who will rock the main tent during the Saturday night Soup and Chowder Fest; the stunning beauty of traditional Indian Dancers; the rhythmic spectacle of the Japanese Taiko Drummers; a high-energy Bollywood dance workshop; Newmarket’s own father-and-son fiddling duo, Ryan and Brennish Thomson, playing world music; and ever-popular accordion man, Gary Sredzienski playing the music of Eastern Europe and more.

MORE MUSIC: WATERFRONT STAGE, BANDSTAND and STROLLING MUSIC: The festival has three other stages featuring loads of great local artists. Waterfront Stage: the Brandy-Leif Duo, Ray Demarco, Peg & Cheryl, Clayton Willoughby, Random Acts of Harmony, Steve Brennan, Grass Knuckles, Erin Robertshaw. Main Street Bandstand: Stinky Creek, Cedar Mountain Boys, Shades of Grass, Pressure’s On. Strolling Music: Dick Kapalan’s Excellent Jazz Band, Eastern Sound Trio, Opa’s Oompah Band, Vibe Barbershop Quartet.

ARTISAN TENT & CHILDREN’S TENT: This year’s Artisan Tent, funded in part by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, includes artisans who love sharing their passion for the past: blacksmith Garry Kalajian, cooper Ron Raiselis; dulcimer maker Alan Batchelder; wildfowl carver Fred Dolan, and 18th-century printer R.P. Hale, who will be creating the seventh in a series of prints of historic buildings. The adjacent Children’s Tent features try-it-yourself traditions for all ages: Chinese brush painting, pottery, letter-press printing, magnet fun, spinning, weaving, woodworking, and a host of traditional tools to try. 

ACTIVITIES: The festival is packed with activities in each of its three venues: the Main Festival Venue, the Waterfront and Downtown. (Some require a small fee.) Activities include: kayaking on the river and scenic boat rides; a colonial encampment and a model railway; farm animals and giant oxen teams; a bungee bounce and climbing wall; tai chi workshops, sidewalk art, and historic walking tours; a giant ladder truck and a sand sculptor who will create a replica of Newmarket’s historic Community Church.

GREAT FOOD & VENDORS: The festival features two great community meals: the Saturday night Soup and Chowder Fest and the Sunday night Community Church Harvest Supper. (These meals are fundraising events and space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.) The festival also features dozens of high-quality vendorsselling fine arts, crafts, gifts, and edible goodies.

HOURS AND ADMISSION
Hours: Friday, Sept. 24, 10 am – 8 pm; Saturday, Sept. 25, 10 am – 7 pm
Admission:
Adults: $7/day; $10/weekend. Children: $3/weekend (ages 6-12); under 6, free. Family: $25 cap.Admission covers all performances and events (excluding meals and select activities). Festival Dollars Card FREE with admission! Great values at participating businesses


LOCATION
The festival has three venues:

I) Main Venue
Next to the Newmarket Public Library at the corner of Main St. (Rte. 108) and Elm St.
Main Tent & Workshop Tent, Artisan Tent & Children’s Tent, vendors, ladder truck, tai chi, and sand sculptor.  

II) Waterfront Venue
At end of Water Street in Schanda Park and along the Lamprey River
Kayaking on the river, boat tours, colonial encampment, climbing wall, bungee bounce, juggling, farm animals and giant oxen teams, waterfront stage.

III) Downtown Venue
Along Main Street from the Library to the American Legion
Model Trains (Legion building), Art Exhibit (Ampers& Studio), Historic Tours (New England Footwear sidewalk entrance), Engine House, Stone School Museum, Harvest Supper (Community Church), Bandstand Music (Main Street bandstand).

Handicap Access: The festival site is handicap-accessible except for the second floor of the Stone School Museum, parts of the mill building, and the trolley.

PARKING & TROLLEY
Parking is available at the festival site, with overflow parking at the Newmarket Junior/Senior High School (213 S. Main St.). Please note: The Newmarket Main Street Corp. accepts no responsibility for illegally parked vehicles, which may be towed at the owner’s expense. A free festival trolley runs continuously on Saturday (9:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.) and Sunday (9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.) among all the festival venues and the parking areas.

SPONSORS
Produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation, the Heritage Festival is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: LEADERS: New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, TD Bank, Town of Newmarket. PARTNERS: Independent Fabrication & Bailey Works, Flavor Magazine, Liberty Mutual, Loco Sports, Newmarket Business Association, PSNH, 98.7FM The Bay 102.1FM The Shark. SUPPORTERS: Anonymous, Chinburg Builders, Churchill’s Gardens, L Wynn Sound, Lamprey Health Care, New England Footwear, Newmarket Dental, Proulx Oil, RBC Wealth Management. Thanks also to our Friends and Community Partners.

Rooted in the diversity of Newmarket’s past and present, the mission of the Newmarket Heritage Festival is to bring people together for an enriching celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit. The festival is produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation (NMSC), a nonprofit group dedicated to strengthening and revitalizing the historic and cultural characteristics of the community and to preserving the legacy of Newmarket for future generations.
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COMPLETE 2011 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
HOURS
Friday, Sept. 24, 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday, Sept. 25, 10 am – 7 pm
ADMISSION
Adults: $7/day; $10/weekend. Children: $3/weekend (ages 6-12); under 6, free. Family: $25 cap. Admission covers all performances and events (excluding meals and select activities). Festival Dollars Card FREE with admission! Great values at participating businesses. www.heritage-festival.org


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MAIN TENT
Saturday
11:00-11:45 | Children’s Musical Medley
12:30-1:15  | Two: Extreme Juggling
2:00-2:45 | Bel Airs Sing Doo-Wop
3:30-4:45  | Chinese Folk Art Troupe
5:30-6:30 |  Opa’s Oompah Band
5:30-7:30  | Soup and Chowder Fest ($)
6:45-7:00 | Keeper of the Heritage
7:00-8:00 | Jumbo Circus Peanuts Dance Party

Sunday
10:30-11:00 | Indian Dancers
12:15-1:30  | Trash Can Lid Productions
2:15-3:15  | Japanese Taiko Drummers
4:00-4:45  | Accordion Man Gary Sredzienski 
5:00-5:45  | The Serfs!
5:30-7:00 | Harvest Supper ($) |
Community Church vestry

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WORKSHOP TENT

Saturday
10:30-11:00 | Pantomonium
11:45-12:30 | Drum Circle
1:15-2:00 | Dueling Dulcimers
2:45-3:30 | Dulcimer Workshop
4:45-5:30  | Israeli Folk Dance Workshop
Sunday
10:30-11:00 | Fencing Demo
11:30-12:15 | Drum Circle 
1:30-2:15 | Fiddling Thomsons
3:15-4:00  | Bollywood Dance Workshop

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WATERFRONT STAGE
Saturday
10:00-1:00 | BrandyLeif Duo
1:00-4:00 | Local Artist Showcase 
* Peg Chaffee & Cheryl Sager: 1:15-2:00
* Clayton Willoughby: 2:15-3:00
* Random Acts of Harmony: 3:15-4:00
Sunday
10:00-1:00 | Ray DeMarco
1:00-4:00 | Local Artist Showcase
* Steve Brennan: 1:15-2:00
* Grass Knuckles: 2:15-3:00
* Erin Robertshaw: 3:115-4:00

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STROLLING MUSIC
Saturday
10:30-1:30 | Dick Kaplan’s Excellent Jazz Band
1:30-4:30 |Opa’s Oompah Band
Sunday
10:30-1:30 | Eastern Sound Trio
1:30-4:30 | Vibe Barbershop Quartet
1:30-5:30 | Patriot Fife and Drum 
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BANDSTAND
Saturday
11:00-1:00 | Stinky Creek
2:00-4:00 | Cedar Mountain Boys
Sunday
11:00-1:00 | Shades of Grass
2:00-4:00 | Pressure’s On

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ARTISAN TENT & CHILDREN’S TENT
Saturday & Sunday 10-5
Blacksmith: Garry Kalajian
Cooper: Ron Raiselis 
Dulcimer Maker: Alan Batchelder
Printer: R.P. Hale
Wildfowl Carver: Fred Dolan

Chinese Brush Painting: Bruce Iverson 
Pottery: Jessica Seaton and Deb Moran
Printing Press: Tom Johnson
Magnet Fun: To Your Art’s Content (Sat. only)
Tools for Kids: Dave and Anne Emerson 
Weaving: Pat Lipman 
Spinning: Melissa Walker (Sun. only)
Woodworking: The Arnold Family

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ACTIVITIES
Saturday & Sunday 10-5, unless otherwise noted
($): A small fee is charged for these activities.

MAIN VENUE 
Ladder Truck (Sat & Sun. 1-4) 
Parking Area
Sand Sculptor
Across from Children’s tent
Tai Chi Workshops (Sat. 2:00 & 3:30; Sun. 10:30 & 12)
Library lawn

WATERFRONT VENUE
Boat Tours (Sat. 9-3; Sun. 9-4)
Bungee Bounce ($)
Climbing Wall ($) 
Colonial Encampment
Kayaking on the River
Meet the Oxen
Oyster Information (Sat. 10-4; Sun. 12-4)
Pantomonium (Sat. 11:30-3:30) 
Traveling Barnyard

DOWNTOWN VENUE
Art Exhibit: “Everyday Beauty” (Sat. 12-5; Sun. 12-5)
Ampers& Studio
Engine House (Sun. 10-1)
Main Street across from Rocky’s Burgers
Model Trains
American Legion
Ring the Church Bell! (Sun. 4:30-5:30)
($)
Community Church Belfry
Sidewalk Art & Gallery Open House
Newmarket Creativity Center
Silent Auction: “Hot Seats for a Cool Cause” (Sat. 12-5; Sun. 12-5)
Ampers& Studio
Tour: Historic Millyard (Sat. & Sun. 11:30-1)
Meet at the Mills: New England Footwear sidewalk entrance
Tour: Historic Main Street (Sat. & Sun. 12-1:30)
Meet at the Mills: New England Footwear sidewalk entrance
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VENDORS
Saturday 10-6; Sunday 10-5
Fine arts and crafts, great gifts, delicious food–be sure to enjoy the Heritage Festival marketplace!
Main festival venue

 


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