2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival

Subject: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Sep 17 - 05:09 PM

The 2017 (18th Annual) Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival (PMFF) will be taking place September 23rd and 24th, in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

We've got a great lineup (in no particular order) -- David Jones, Cindy Kallet, John Roberts, Pint and Dale, Tim Radford, Nicole Singer, Castlebay, Vox Hunters with Lindsay Straw, Peter & Audi Souza, London Julie, Two Old Friends, Great Bay Sailor, Mudhook...and, as they say, more.

There's a full performer list with bios, etc. at the website -- 2017 PMFF
-- along with information, videos, and news clips about past festivals, and a printable PDF of the schedule. The Portsmouth Athenaeum is back for the Sunday cameo concerts and The Clip Joint on Daniel Street is an included venue again this year. The open sing that has been traditionally held at the Press Room (which is closed for renovations) will be held at the Portsmouth Gas Light.

Everything is FREE! From the music at the historic Moffatt-Ladd House and the lawn of the John Paul Jones House to the Saturday night concert, street busking, mini-concerts and open sings (TWO venues on Saturday), to the closing shanty blast in the Square on Sunday... Please check the online schedule.

To get everyone in a nautical mood, the festival's unofficial kickoff was JUST arranged to be held downstairs at the Thirsty Moose Taphouse on Congress Street (because the regular Friday evening trad session at The Press Room is on what we hope is a temporary hiatus).

Come and enjoy all the FREE music in Portsmouth, NH on the weekend of September 23rd and 24th!

Linn

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Sep 17 - 05:14 PM

Oops! I forgot to mention the songwriting contest that's new this year.

From the Facebook event page:

The Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival will hold its first Maritime Song Writing Competition this year. We are excited to be adding this event to the program. We hope you will come and share your original maritime song and help expand the sea music tradition we all love.

Competition rules:

1. The song must have a maritime theme.

2. You must sing your own song from memory, either a cappella or with self-provided instrumental accompaniment.

3. Enter by emailing your name and address and the song's title to [e-mail]. Bring a copy of your lyrics to the venue on the day.

4. Because our time is strictly limited, the competition will be limited to the first 15 entrants. Each entrant will have a maximum of eight minutes. If slots are available on the day of the competition, walk-in competitors will be welcome. (Bring a copy of your lyrics.)

5. Entries will be judged on maritime themed lyrics, tune, and overall presentation.

6. The winner will be invited to sing the song at the Saturday evening concert.

Good luck !

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 12 Sep 17 - 09:23 PM

Where can one find a coherent schedule for the festival?

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: RTim
Date: 12 Sep 17 - 10:22 PM

From the web page indicated in the first post here - Following links, it gives the overall schedule and the details of the whole festival.........see you there.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: ranger1
Date: 13 Sep 17 - 07:46 PM

A better link here would have been to the schedule grid pdf itself.

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: GUEST,julia L
Date: 13 Sep 17 - 11:21 PM

Thanks Tami- much easier to deal with
J

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 17 - 02:45 PM

The actual schedule, written out, and with added information about venue handicapped accessibility, whether food or drink is served, etc., was only added yesterday.

It would have been helpful to have had it posted much earlier as in previous years.

Linn

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Sep 17 - 01:02 PM

The unofficial kickoff session on Friday, traditionally held at the regular Press Room Friday trad session, will be held at the Moose Lounge, which is the downstairs bar at The Thirsty Moose Taphouse on Congress Street in Portsmouth.

Thanks to Bruce MacIntyre for finding the temporary venue!

I'll be leading the session, which will run from 4:30 to 8:30.

Linn

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: GUEST,Guest-Dianne
Date: 20 Sep 17 - 10:53 AM

Hope many of you can attend!

Dianne

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 22 Sep 17 - 12:48 PM

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸Refresh¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Unofficial kick off session this afternoon downstairs at The Thirsty Moose Taproom on Congress Street (a couple block towards downtown) from The Press Room), 4:30 to 8:30.

See you there!

Linn

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Sep 17 - 08:37 AM

LOVELY and lively kick off session! Worcester, Newburyport, Gloucester, and Norwell, Massachusetts well represented as well as Maine and New Hampshire. And I got to meet in person a Facebook (and Folk Revival) friend from Louisville! Saw lots of Press Room regulars I hadn't thought of as specific to the session or PMFF, too (as well as those who ARE).

The space worked really well.

Heading to the songwriting contest very soon.

Linn

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 17 - 11:11 AM

I wanted to go, but 10 AM, travel time and parking-spot-stalking time, and money, nope. I paid for another concert tonight, so even that's out. Want to be in 2 places at once! I will be there tomorrow for concert flitting and bucket holding.

Subject: RE: 2017 Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Festival
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Sep 17 - 09:23 AM

Really good entries in the songwriting contest. Wish the contestants had been identified. I knew them all, but a lot of people there didn't. The judges were John Roberts and Gina Dunlap. Let's see, Emery Hutchins, Chris Vaughan, April Grant, Aaron Tornberg, Brian Dunn, Bonnie Milner, Sandy Haddon, and Carol Coronis. Who'd I forget? Paul Schurr... Aaron Tornberg won first place with his dystopian science fiction sea song, "Boston Common Harbor". Emery Hutchins was second, and April Grant third.

I was disappointed another friend didn't place -- Sandy Haddon with a great song, "Rum Runner", which I really need to learn. The judges had a difficult time; all the songs were really good. I don't think I could have singled out only three.

I went to lunch at The Rosa with a friend I seldom get to talk to, then tried to park closer to the John Paul Jones House for the music on the lawn, since the weather was fabulous. Missed Great Bay Sailor and it was well into the Vox Hunters's set, but no joy on parking. So I headed to the vicinity of the Gas Light for the open sing and got "princess parking" just round the corner on Penhallow. Inside, I found the elevator to the third floor space. I was the first person there, so got princess seating on a stool close to what would be the heart of things. The place filled up fast and the sing was loud and lively.

After the sing I had a pizza and another beer at the Gas Light's cellar pizzaria and then went for a beach drive to kill time until the concert. Got to the Methodist church hall early so got to listen to the sound checks and socialize with people I haven't seen for a couple years. Stunningly good concert: Vox Hunters, Pint and Dale (I've been waiting to hear them for YEARS), and Cindy Kallet.

I didn't go to the after party at Book & Bar...I was tired, it was already after 10:00, and it's a 35 minute drive home.

I'll be back again this afternoon by 1:00 -- I'll probably spend my listening time at the Athenaeum, Market Square, and Book & Bar -- then the shanty blast closer and home.

Linn