FESTIVAL

December, 2014 Report:

We continue to plan and hire for our Spring Festival, Memorial Weekend Friday through Sunday, May 23-25, 2014.

Annual 2014 Year End Report:

Our mission is to form a weekend musical community that entertains, educates, and offers self-expression opportunities to Project members at “The Best Damn Three-Day Music Party Ever.”

This year the Festival Committee held two very successful festivals, featuring Ian Hicks, Jacob Johnson, Mike Merenda & Ruthy Ungar, Cliff Eberhardt, Brother Sun, Peter Hagen, The Copper Ponies, Tom Chapin, Olga & Gerry, Bing Futch, Beppe Gambetta, Jean Rohe, Ilusha Tsindaze & Their Band, Patty Larkin, Naomi Sunshine.

Live in the Lounge and The Big Vocalotto put almost 30 individual members in the spotlight, as did the Learn It, Sing It Chorus.

Organizational successes include:

Better and smoother organization

The camp allowing a stage, plus a better seating arrangement

The camp fixed the dining hall floor for us and we moved the contra dance inside

The new Story Slam is a rousing success

Financial success

Sold out attendances

An improved assistance program to defray members registration costs

Drawing First Timers

Retaining newcomers

In addition to the core committee, Elizabeth Lachowicz, Pat Brangs, Laura Hertz, and Mike DelVecchio, and your Chaircouple, a very large percentage of Folk Project attendees contributes to running the weekend. This festival runs on volunteer power, and we officially thank everyone who helps.

The committee and Board members visited a potential new site for Festival.

Each year we continue to check out alternate sites.

We decided to remain at our present site, Camp Bernie.

Attracting first timers has been an essential goal of every Festival Committee and we spend a lot of time every year on this goal. A continuing problem that makes it difficult is the name “Festival,” which conjures up images of thousands of people watching an outdoor concert. We cannot harness the internet to introduce newcomers to us when our name is entirely misleading. We love the name, but it is counterproductive. We are regretfully looking for a new name. Send any suggestions to festival@folkproject.org.

Yours in Song,

Mark & Robin

Mark & Robin Schaffer

Festival Chaircouple