The Festival of the Sea, at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, is set for Saturday, September 10, 10am-5pm. Thefestival will feature music at four stages, kids concerts and crafts, shipboard living history demonstrations, small craft exhibits, and a grand opening of an exhibit of the ship Balclutha's cargo. The festival will celebrate the Balclutha's 50th anniversary of her restoration and opening to the public as a museum ship. I'm the ranger who organizes the music program at the festival.

This year's music program leans a little more than usual to Scottish and English music, in honor of the Balclutha, the 1886 square-rigger that was built in Glasgow and sailed under the Union Jack during her years as a Cape Horner.

The performers are:

Andy M. Stewart and Gerry O'Beirne, Alasdair Fraser, Shay and Shosi Black, Holdstock and Macleod, The Johnson Girls, Malcolm Rigby, Danny and Joyce McLeod, Carol Holdstock, Oak, Ash and Thorn, Pam Swan, Riggy Rackin, Adam Miller, Nathalie Reginster, Salty Walt and the Rattlin'Ratlines, Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch, Lintie (Christa Burch and Kim Hughes), Chris Caswell, Kathryn Daskal, Sons of the Buccaneers, Dogwatch Nautical Band, Revell Carr, Inge Wessels (kids puppet shows), Valentine Doyle, Peter Kasin and Richard Adrianowicz.

Mudcatters on this list are Dave Swan, P.J., Riggy, Radriano, Joy Bennett, Lancslad, and myself. Mudcatter Melani will be volunteering. Mudcatter BillR is the park's newest ranger. A website for the festival is being created, and I'll post the URL when it's up and running. Anyone interested in volunteering, please contact the volunteer coordinator, Terry Dorman, at 415-556-1613 or terry_dorman@nps.gov. Volunteer positions are open from everything to logistical to stage managers and emcees. Volunteers are treated to breakfast,lunch, and dinner, plus the post-festival party.

Hope to meet other Mudcatters there!

Chanteyranger