Aug 11, 2004

GRAFTON, Ont., AUG. 11 — For Immediate Release
If you’ve ever wondered what reiki, qigong, aromatherapy and yoga can do for you, now’s your chance to experience them first hand. The Shelter Valley Folk Festival, while primarily a music event, will also host a “Lifestyles Village” where festival-goers are welcome to meet and talk with practitioners about their speciality. They can also experience short, hands-on sessions at a fraction of the normal cost. There will be yoga or qigong classes scheduled each morning.

Jessica Westbrook, a Registered Massage Therapist and Certified Reflexologist with a Cobourg based practice, is Director of the Festival's Lifestyles Village with two main areas of focus; wellness and community. Westbrook has assembled a representative sample of the holistic practitioners in Northumberland for the festival including Port Hope's Alison Clarke, a Natural Health Therapist with experience in reflexology, aromatherapy, massage, and therapeutic touch. Marvis Solimano, a Reiki Master from Brighton, will be in attendance as well as Wendy Murdoch of Warkworth who offers iridology sessions. Karen Belyea of Baltimore of Steps Ahead Dance, offers healing to breast cancer survivors through the Lebed Dance technique, while Suzanne Liptay, a Registered Physiotherapist who lives in Shelter Valley will focus, during the Festival, on the importance of good posture. In addition to displays and short sessions all of these people will be available to answer questions about their healing programmes.  Westbrook concluded, “I’m really excited about the varied experience that this group of professional wellness practitioners offers.”

Juxtaposed with the Wellness practitioners are the Sustainable Community exhibitors who will provide answers to many of the environmental concerns we face today. Garnet McPherson, Director of the local Green Planet Foundation and head of the Festival’s  Community Village says, “The goal is to educate, raise awareness and  provide solutions.” To do this the area will include displays and representatives from various fields including The Organic Growers Association, The Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition, The Lone Pine Marsh Conservation group, and William Kemp, an environmental engineer and author. Throughout the day there will be interactive seminars on sustainable living, alternative construction techniques, home power systems and woodlot management to name a few. There will also be eco vehicles to see and live demonstrations of straw bale and adobe construction methods.

For festival attendees the opportunity to not only take in the music, artisans and fine food, but to also meet and talk  with experts in a range of Wellness and Sustainable Community fields will be a rare and added bonus.

The Shelter Valley Folk Festival on Sept 3-5 is an outdoor family music event. Folk, Roots & Blues musicians from across North America will perform and conduct workshops on outdoor stages. The festival also will feature food booths, an artisans’ village, a lifestyle, wellness and community area with interactive displays, and a children’s area with storytellers and arts workshops. On-site camping is available. The Festival is a volunteer-run, non-profit community event.

Aug 4, 2004 :: Back To Top

GRAFTON, Ont.,  AUG. 4 — For Immediate Release

The Shelter Valley Folk Festival not only has a stellar list of musical acts for their Labour Day weekend but will also feature an Artisans’ Village. This will engage the senses of sight and touch in all who attend the Festival. Among the 20 participants will be potters, weavers, jewellery-makers, painters, woodworkers, makers of stained glass and sculptors.

In addition to established artists, Barbara Buntin, the Artisans’ Village director, says the event will provide several young artists with their first shows. “This will ensure a fresh approach to the artisans’ area,” she says.

The Village will compliment the acoustic pleasures of the music, tactile restoratives in the arts of wellness area and the gustatory pleasures of the food booths.

“This is a group of artists who are passionate about their work and willing to involve others in an understanding and appreciation of the creative process,” Barbara says. There will be interactive demonstrations and ample opportunity for learning, discussion and appreciation. Some of the works also will be for sale.

In selecting the artisans, Barbara says she was searching for high-quality work, original concepts and a variety of creative media. As well, she looked for individuals with “a story to tell.”

Staging his first show, Alex Heissler, 19, of Frankford, Ont., is the youngest exhibitor. Alex is an ornamental woodworker. His mother, Maia, creates fantasy sculpture using natural materials and gave her son early exposure to the exhibition circuit. She, too, will be participating in the festival.

Chris Greatrex, a stained glass artist from Shelter Valley, is among the most experienced exhibitors. His creations include whimsical insects and creatures for the home and garden, in glass, metal and wire.

Cobourg’s Veronica Derry does exciting and innovative work at the loom. Her woven images combine with paper, vintage trims and fabrics. Colour and its endless possibilities intrigue her. “Joy, wonder, delight and sense of play — these are the feelings I experience while creating.”

Other artisans at the Festival include: Max Sexsmith, who has demonstrated soapstone carving at Science North in Sudbury; Monika Beker, a jeweller who has had shows at galleries in Toronto and throughout Northumberland County; and Terry Self, whose photography has been featured in shows around Ontario.

The Shelter Valley Folk Festival on Sept 3-5 is an outdoor family music event. Folk, roots and blues musicians from across North America will perform and conduct workshops on outdoor stages. The festival also will feature food booths, an artisans’ village, a wellness and community area with interactive displays, and a children’s area with storytellers and arts workshops. On-site camping will be available. The Festival is a volunteer-run, non-profit community event.

GRAFTON, ONT., JULY 28, 2004 - Volunteers joined forces at the Henkel farm on Vernonville Road last weekend to create a foundation for the Shelter Valley Folk Festival by preparing the site.

Festival site manager Leslie Benson was on hand to direct operations and explained the main objectives for the day: to install the permanent
perimeter fence and a fence around the "family" activity area. Existing
fences were to be mended and a barn cleared.

John Liptay of Grafton donated posts and in advance of the installation
Benson and Liptay had staked out the lines. Professional fence-maker Joseph O'Kane donated his time and equipment to drill the holes. Teamwork between O'Kane, Liptay and Dwight Beer of Cobourg, a specialist in home renovations, resulted in 140 posts being installed during the morning alone.

Another group worked on the preparation of the festival's backstage. A small barn was cleared and tidied and the floor levelled to make space for equipment, stage managers and performers. The stage will be positioned at the foot of a gently sloping hill, providing excellent sightlines.

Although the festival is being held on rough farmland, Benson, a
professional engineer, noted, "We are endeavouring to create an accessible area for people with physical limitations. They will be able to park close to the main stage, limited walkways will be cleared and accessible toilets are being sourced."

A small group of volunteers worked to pack up and relocate the contents of a shed that will serve as the performer check-in. The building was cleared, windows cleaned and the walls given a fresh coat of paint.

Construction of the main stage will be done by David Crowe and will begin on Saturday, Aug. 7. Qualified carpenters are required so if you're interested in volunteering please contact the Festival Office at 905-377-9556 or register online at www.sheltervalley.com.

The Shelter Valley Folk Festival needs more volunteers to assist with lots of onsite tasks as the countdown to the Labour Day weekend approaches. Helpers, even those who can only come for a day or a few hours, are welcome Benson said.

The festival also needs office help and crew chiefs who can commit a
reasonable amount of time to  organizing groups ahead of the festival and supervising them over the Sept. 3-5 weekend.

July 21, 2004 :: Back To Top

COBOURG, ONT. , July 21 — In preparation for the Shelter Valley Folk Festival, September 3-5, committee members, volunteers and friends of the festival will be lending a hand with fence-building and site preparation this Saturday, July 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The festival site is the 30-acre farm of Arnie and Tracy Henkel, located on Vernonville Road, north of County Road 2 between Grafton and Colborne. The site will be divided into different activity areas using cedar pole fencing. A volunteer group of fence-builders will perform this task on Saturday. Other jobs that will be undertaken are the preparation of the barn for the backstage area, preparation of the front of the barn and creating the on-site festival office in a trailer that has been offered for this purpose.

Site Manager Leslie Benson and Artistic Director Aengus Finnan will be on site at 10 a.m. to take you on a guided tour of the property. Please bring your camera for the photo opportunity of seeing Shelter Valley volunteers roll up their sleeves and get down to building the foundations for this event.

In the interest of safety, volunteers have been asked to wear heavy-duty boots and work clothes and to bring any safety gear that they anticipate they may need. The camping area will be carved out with the use of weed-whackers, the grass will be cut and sunflowers planted.

Teamwork is key to the success of the festival. New volunteers interested in joining the project will be able to register on Saturday.

Bring your own “brown bag” lunch, water, sunscreen, bug spray and a willing attitude!

The Shelter Valley Folk Festival is a family music event in the rolling hills of historic Northumberland County. Folk, Roots & Blues musicians from across North America will be performing and offering workshops on outdoor stages. The Festival will also feature a range of Fine Food booths, an Artisans’ Village, a Wellness and Community area with interactive displays and a children’s area with storytellers and arts workshops. On-site camping will be available.

Finding the site:  Vernonville Road is 4.7 km east of the Lyle Street/Highway 2 intersection in Grafton. Turn left (north) on Vernonville Road for 1km. At the T-junction with Dudley, go straight ahead - that’s the driveway to the site.