36th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife

October 3 & 4, 2009

View the 2009 Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife progam as a PDF file.

The 36th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife will be held on October 3 & 4, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily at Newport News Park in Newport News, Virginia.  The festival, which attracts 70,000 visitors each year, will feature traditional crafts from 200 craftspeople, trade demonstrations, traditional/folk entertainment on three stages, and food vendors.   New entertainment for this year’s festival includes the Busch Gardens’ Animal Show and the Amazing Buttercup Band (Americana).

Visitors will have the opportunity to watch the stages of craft production from natural raw materials through the finished product in the Heritage Area where 29 craft/traditional tradespeople will showcase their skills.  In the Juried Crafts Area, 50 highly-skilled craftspeople will compete for $2,600 in cash prizes.  The Marketplace Crafts Area will feature a wide variety of handmade crafts that are great for holiday gifts, collecting, or home decorating from 124 crafters.  

Country inspired merchandise (chocolate, herb mixes, and spiced nuts) will be sold by 23 vendors in the Country Store Area.  Seafood, barbeque, pork rinds, and other “country cooking” favorites will be sold by 21 vendors in the Food Area.   Food vendors will compete for the “Best Food Vendor” award. Children can enjoy free “make and take” crafts in the Busch Gardens Children’s Area, and a new farm-themed play area.

The Daily Press Children’s Stage will feature Kim & Jimbo Cary (World Rhythms) at 11:00 a.m. (Saturday & Sunday), City Arts (Dance Group from Newport News Instructional Classes) at 12:00 p.m. (Saturday), Mad Science (Children’s Science Show) Sunday at 12:00 p.m., Jerry Brown (Vaudeville) at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday), and the Busch Gardens’ Animal Show (Animal Educational Show) at 2:00 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday).  The Lake Stage will feature Shane Cooley (Acoustic Rock, Americana) at 10:15 a.m. (Saturday and Sunday),  Gospel Ship Quartet (Traditional Gospel) at 11:15 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday), Made from Scratch (Bluegrass) at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday), the Amazing Buttercup Band at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Saturday), and Kindred Spirits (Country) at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Sunday),    The Heritage Folk Dance Stage will offer performances by the Suwabi African Ballet (African Dance) at 11:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday), Red Crooked Sky American Indian Dance Troupe (Native American Dance) at 12:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday), and the Kountry Kickers (Clogging) at 1:45 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday). 

Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife lapel pins (15th in the series), festival t-shirts, festival hats, and festival tote bags will be sold at the Information Area.  Admission is free; parking fee $5.00 per vehicle on-site and at satellite areas (Greenwood Elementary School/Woodside High School). 

Free shuttle bus service will run between the satellite parking areas and the festival.  No pets permitted in the festival area.  Newport News Parkis located at the intersection of  Ft. Eustis Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue (Exit 250B from I-64).

For more information or special assistance, call (757) 926-1400.  Complete festival information is available at www.nnparks.com/festivals.php.

36^th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife Exhibit Areas:

Juried Crafts Area:

50 high-quality craftspeople competing for $2,600 in awards: pottery, folk art, woodworking, baskets, stained glass, fiber crafts, jewelry, metal working, quilting, and paper arts.

Marketplace Crafts Area:

124 craftspeople selling a wide variety of crafts.

Heritage Area:

29 exhibitors demonstrating traditional crafts and trades: Civil War history, apple butter, knitting, decorative gourds, quilting, pottery, pysanky “Ukrainian Eggs,”  decoys, chair caning, wood turning, local history authors, Native American crafts, basket weaving, watermen’s trades, livestock, sheep shearing, antique farm equipment, scale ships and boats, historical musical instruments and performances, and antique automobiles.

Country Store:

23 vendors selling country inspired merchandise: kettle corn, baskets, herb mixes, dog accessories, chocolates, clothing, and spiced nuts.

Busch Gardens’ Children’s Area:

6 free make-and-take crafts by Newport News Youth Programs,  free balloon animals; Busch Gardens’ Christmas Town crafts, Busch Gardens Animals “meet & greet” from 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday); Daily Press Children’s Stage (see Entertainment Schedule)

Food Vendors:

21 vendors selling a variety of food items: funnel cakes, seafood, sausage, pork rinds, baked sweet potatoes, fried pickles, corn on the cob, turkey legs, barbecue, etc.

Exhibitors:

Festival t-shirts, Festival hats, Festival tote bags, Festival lapel pins (15th in the series), Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism; Newport News Libraries, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Newport News Master Gardeners, Junior Woman’s Club of Newport News, Friends of the Lee Hall Depot, Newport News Instructional Classes, Newport News Active Lifestyles Program, Newport News Visitor Center, Newport News Aquatics, Newport News Parks Division, Newport News Green Foundation, Sister Cities of Newport News, and the U.S. Census.

36th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The following information concerns parking facilities, shuttle services, etc. for the 36th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife on October 3 & 4, 2009:

  ·“No Parking” zones will be strictly enforced on Jefferson Avenue and Ft. Eustis Blvd. during the Festival on October 3 & 4.

· There is a $5.00 per vehicle parking fee in both the park and the satellite parking lots.  Shuttle buses to the Festival area are free.

· Satellite parking is available at:

            Woodside High School (13450 Woodside Lane)

            Greenwood Elementary School (13460 Woodside Lane & Ft. Eustis Blvd.)

· NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE FESTIVAL AREA.

 ·For everyone’s comfort and protection, bicycles, skateboards, and radios are NOT allowed in the Festival area.

 ·For traffic and weather updates during Fall Festival, listen to: BOB 93.7  FM, WNIS 790 AM, WTAR 850 AM, 2WD 101.3 FM, and The Point 94.9 FM                          

 DIRECTIONS TO NEWPORT NEWS PARK:

 I-64 Westbound

• Take Exit 250B
• At the traffic light, make a left onto Jefferson Ave.
• Newport News Park is on the right

I-64 Eastbound

• Take Exit 250B
• At the traffic light, make a left onto Jefferson Ave.
• Newport News Park is approximately 1/4 mile up Jefferson Ave. on the right

For more information, call (757) 926-1400 or visit www.nnparks.com/festivals.php.

36th Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife Entertainment Schedule       

Daily Press Children’s Stage:

Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4                                                                   

11:00 a.m.       Kim & Jimbo Cary* (World Rhythms) *Partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

12:00 p.m.      City Arts (Dance Group from Newport News Instructional Classes)- Saturday

                     Mad Science (Children’s Science Show)- Sunday        

1:00 p.m.           Jerry Brown (Vaudeville)                                

2:00 p.m.           Busch Gardens Animal Show (Animal Educational Show)                     

3:00 p.m.           Jerry Brown (Vaudeville)                                        

Heritage Folk Dance Stage:

Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4                                                         

11:45 a.m.             Suwabi African Ballet

12:45 p.m.             Red Crooked Sky American Indian Dance Troupe                     

1:45 p.m.               Kountry Kickers (Clogging)                             

2:45 p.m.               Suwabi African Ballet                      

3:45 p.m.               Red Crooked Sky American Indian Dance Troupe                            

Lake Stage:

Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4                   

10:15 a.m.             Shane Cooley (Acoustic Rock, Americana)                                  

            11:15 a.m.              Gospel Ship Quartet (Traditional Gospel)                                                                                

12:30 p.m.             Made from Scratch (Bluegrass)

1:30 p.m.               Amazing Buttercup Band (Americana)- Saturday

       Kindered Spirits (Country)- Sunday

2:45  p.m.              Made from Scratch (Bluegrass)