Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Ocracoke Alive News: 1st Annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke (November 12)! Ocracoke survives Hurricane Matthew. And more!

Annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke is almost here! Nov. 12

On Saturday, November 12, Ocracoke will host the first annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke. Events will take place at Ocracoke School from 11 AM to 9 PM, followed by a dance at the Ocracoke Community Center from 9 PM to midnight. (Click here for a detailed program)
The Festival Latino de Ocracoke will be a day to honor vibrant Hispanic traditions, and a day to celebrate the unity of all who are part of this great community. Through delicious authentic food, traditional dances and music, exciting games, crafts, and fun for all ages, organizers hope this festival will bring the community together to experience and enjoy the friendship of our cultures.

Ballet Folklorico de Guadalupano

Ocracoke Island has become home to many Latinos over the past 20 years. Just as the Ocracoke community has opened its doors and embraced many Hispanic families, organizers of the Festival Latino invite the community to join in a fun-filled day of sharing and learning that will strengthen the bonds between cultures through the celebration of differences and the appreciation of all we have in common.

“We are very excited to partner with Ocracoke’s Latino community and assist them in producing this event,” says David Tweedie, executive director of the community non-profit Ocracoke Alive.  “Ocracoke’s Hispanic residents have become an integral part of our community as friends, co-workers, and business and property owners. We are thrilled for this opportunity to learn more about their culture,” says David.

Festival committee members include Freddy Contreras, Eduardo Chavez, Gloria Perez, Adrian Espinoza, Cira Badillo, and David Tweedie.

In addition to performances and presentations by Ocracoke residents, visiting artists will include Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano (dance) and Fantasia Huasteca and
Mariachi Espuelas de America.

“The majority of Latin Festivals around the nation are created with the main objective of celebrating the Latino or Hispanic culture. However, we want this one to be a little different,” said Freddy Contreras, member of the festival committee. “We want this festival to be an occasion where all participate, build friendships, and get to know each other’s cultures. We share a wonderful place as a home and I personally think that we all should always be united in working for the best of this community,” says committee chair Freddy Contreras.
 
Mariachi Espuelas de America

The event receives financial support from Ocracoke Alive, the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association, Eduardo’s Tacos as well as from businesses and individual sponsors. A portion of proceeds will benefit Ocracoke School and the Ocracoke Child Care.

Show your support of the Festival Latino de Ocracoke!
There are two ways to make a donation.
1. Mail in a tax deductible contribution to "Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960"

2. Donate Online at www.ocracokealive.org
Read more by clicking the button below.

Donors will receive
(1) A Festival T-shirt for every $50 donated
(2) Thanks on Website & from Stage
(3) Tax Letter from Ocracoke Alive
Questions? Contact David Tweedie (252) 921-0260

Ocracoke Receives a 4 AM Visit from Hurricane Matthew

Village Craftsmen on Howard St. as seen from Fiddler Dave's back porch.

We have our fair share of storms on Ocracoke, but Hurricane Matthew was certainly one for the books. With the exception of those who remember the storm of ’44, Matthew covered the island with more water than any current residents had seen. At the Village Craftsman the water level measured at 4.5 inches above Hurricane Alex (the highest water level previously recorded). Deepwater Theater flooded about six inches inside but had little damage once the water went down.
Ocracoke Alive's Deepwater Theater really lives up to its name!

The Skipjack Wilma Lee was safe at the National Park Service docks, thanks to Captain Rob who had moved it prior to the storm. This level of water caused a massive amount of destruction to cars, homes, freezers and refrigerators stocked with food and, most importantly, the ability to restore what was lost as businesses were forced to close. While the community of Ocracoke is amazingly resilient, there are plenty of people relying on help from UMCOR, Albemarle Food Bank, FEMA and other organizations that have recently visited the island to help.Fallen branches and flooded debris from Ocracoke village take up half of the Lifeguard Beach Parking Lot


Gary Mitchell of Molasses Creek made a video of Hurricane Matthew as viewed from his soundside porch.

Classes at Deepwater!

Fall at Deepwater Theater means a renewed focus on upcoming performers and artists and a rest for those who performed all summer. Ocracoke School of Performing Arts began their fall session in September offering classes to students 3 and up in acting, dance, musical theater and singing. Each day after school students chasé into the theater in tutus, sing songs from classic musicals, or practice their skills in acting and improvisation…and it’s beautiful! Community classes and events, from concerts and yoga to piñata making and past life regressions (really!) are either scheduled or already happening. It’s an exciting time of year as the theater transforms from a space entertaining visitors to one bursting with local children and adults.

Test run of Skipjack Wilma Lee Educational Programs a success!


The educational programs aboard the skipjack Wilma Lee that we field tested this fall were well received.  We held a total of 5 programs, 4 Saturday programs and one weekday program for a junior Girl Scout troop.  In total, we reached 18 students and 16 adult learners who all responded positively and felt that had learned something new about sailboats and navigation.  This was also a learning experience for us as we tested our programs and made additions, adjustments and realized that we have a lot of fun and interactive information that we can share.  We are looking forward to tweaking these programs and offering a few more this spring in hopes of attracting student groups from off the island.  Many thanks to Laura McClain and Tom Pahl for their hard work! Also thanks to all the donors who supported our Labor Day Gala. You made the workshops possible!

Upcoming Events

November 17, 7:00 PM ~ Ocracoke Alive Fall Membership Meeting at Deepwater Theater

November 25, 7:30 PM ~ Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser. Join members of Molasses Creek, storyteller Donald Davis, and performers from the Ocrafolk Community for our annual concert. $15 Adults, $7 Kids

December 9, 7:30 PM ~ Free Christmas Concert with Finley Woolston and the Joyful Band of Singers. At the United Methodist Church.

 

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Skipjack Wilma Lee Labor Day Gala, New Educational Programs, Latino Festival de Ocracoke, Ocrafolk Festival and More!



Is it just me or is the humidity a bit less? Kids are heading back to school and geese south, so it must mean that we are wrapping up another summer on Ocracoke Island. Here is what happened over the past few months, and what we are looking forward to this fall.

Get Ready to Set Sail for the 3rd Annual Skipjack Wilma Lee Labor Day Gala, Sunday, Sept 4th!

Artwork by Mark Brown
We have managed to make it through an entire year since our last taste of Tom Pahl’s famous grilled shrimp . . . but we can’t take it anymore! Fortunately the Annual Skipjack Wilma Lee Labor Day Gala is right around the corner on Sunday, Sept 4th. By making a donation of any amount, you can join us for stories, drinks, and fabulous hors d’oeuvres from 3-6 PM at the Community Square Docks.

Ocracoke Alive invites visitors and community members alike to step aboard our flagship vessel, to enjoy a beautiful afternoon and hear about our latest developments in our educational programming. Donors who contribute $100 or more are also invited to bring a guest on board for a special sunset cruise at 6:30 PM. If you are planning to attend, please let us know at www.ocracokealive.org or by calling 252-921-0260. The sail has limited spaces. See you there!

Educational Programs to Grow Aboard the Wilma Lee

Free September offerings to feature test programs "Anatomy of a Sailboat" and “Nautical Charts and Navigation"  

Ocracoke Alive has announced the recent hiring of Laura McClain to serve as part-time Educational Program Coordinator.  According to David Tweedie, Ocracoke Alive's Executive Director, McClain's initial focus will be on creating and marketing educational programming to take place aboard the organization's historic sailing vessel, the Skipjack Wilma Lee.

“In the long term, Ocracoke Alive is aiming to grow our educational mission,” Tweedie explained.  “We see that mission involving not just the Wilma Lee and not just school-age learners, but all ages and many areas of learning.”

Initially the organization will work to develop a series of educational programs which will take place around and aboard the Wilma Lee and which will be geared toward middle school students.  A book of lesson plans that was developed for Ocracoke Alive by LEARN NC (a spinoff of the UNC School of Education) will serve as a key guide in that process.

Ocracoke Alive hopes to be able to offer half day and then full day programming to both private and public schools around the state, and, of course, to students and teachers on the island.

“The first step in that development is to create a few 90 minute trial lesson plans and offer them for free to local students as Saturday programs,” McClain explained.
“We are taking small steps, beginning our programs, but we have plans to expand the content and offerings. Having an outdoor classroom aboard a historic boat will give us a platform for so many learning experiences and possibilities,” said McClain.

Besides the two programs they are offering next month, McClain described other possible lessons, including a program highlighting the Wilma Lee’s past as an oystering boat.  “That's next in the pipeline,” she explained, “but we have a lot of work to do and we have some great on-island experts who we are working with to create a collaborative program.”

Ocracoke Alive's initial educational programs will take place Saturday mornings during September.  The programs will be hands-on experiences, designed to entertain and educate all ages.  Kids (and anyone interested) will gather at the Wilma Lee at the Community Square dock.  Programs begin at 9:30 and run for 90 minutes.

"Anatomy of a Sailboat."  During this program, students will come to understand the differences between sail boats and other kinds of boats.  They will get to tour deep into the structure of the boat.  They will examine and take home “scantling drawings” of the skipjack.  Students will learn sailing terminology and classic knot tying.  They may even get to take a ride up the mast in a "bosun's chair." (Sept 10 and Sept 24)

"BUOY Bingo  - Nautical Charts and Navigation" During this program, students will learn the fundamentals in reading nautical charts, using longitude and latitude hydrographic maps to determining location in degrees, minutes and seconds, reading compasses and learning about nautical symbols.  Students will make their own compasses and investigate the variations in magnetic north as well as play a game that will allow them to locate different maritime and historical features in and around Ocracoke Inlet. (Sept 17 and Oct 1)

Please note:  for both of these two programs, the Wilma Lee will remain tied up at the dock.  Future programs will involve sailing trips in the sound. Interested in participating, please let us know by emailing info@ocracokealive.org or calling 252-921-0260.   

Fall into the Deep…Deepwater Theater that is!

 

While summer comes to a close, that doesn’t mean the fun at Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater has to! We’ve extended the run of each of our shows into September. This means if you’ve been busy like the rest of the island all summer and haven’t been able to make it to a show, or you’d like to get one more night in with Blackbeard, Molasses Creek, the Island Historian or the Pastor Poet, you can order your tickets online today. There are only a few weeks left!

Here are the remaining dates. For more show info, click on the links. Thanks!


Ocracoke School of Performing Arts will be starting up their fall classes in Deepwater Theater the week of September 12th with acting, dance, musical theater and private voice lessons. Information on these classes can be found at www.facebook.com/OcracokeDance or by emailing ocracokeschoolofperformingarts@gmail.com

Ocracoke Alive proudly presents, the 1st Annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke on November 12th

If you have visited Ocracoke over the past twenty years, you have probably noticed the growing Latino population that has become part of our island community.  Some of these residents have their own businesses that you know and love (Eduardo’s Taco comes to mind . . . one moment, I need to run and pick up an order. . . Okay, I’m back!), and others you may have seen working at various jobs throughout the island. From the Ocracoke School to the fire department, the grocery stores to the restaurants and motels, Ocracoke depends upon these friends and neighbors who have come to call our remote island home. 

Ocracoke Alive is very excited this year to be partnering with members of the Latino Community to assist them in creating the very first Festival Latino de Ocracoke on Saturday, November 12th at the Ocracoke School and Community Center.  The festival organizers, Freddy Contreras, Adrian Espanosa, Gloria Perez, Eduardo Chavez, Cira Badillo, and David Tweedie have been hard at work creating a day filled with traditional games, dances, music, and food, that will be great fun for everyone. Special guests presentations include dance demonstrations by the Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano, and music by Fantasia Huasteca.

Daytime activities will take place at Ocracoke School from 11-5 PM, with an evening performance at the school gym from 7-9 PM (and a movie for the kids at Deepwater Theater). From 9 PM until midnight, the action will move to the Ocracoke Community Center for more dancing and fun.
In addition, during the week leading up to the festival, Ocracoke School students will have an opportunity to learn about Latino Culture, try their hand at piñata making, cooking, traditional dancing, and practicing their skills at games like raiguela, cintas, and much more.

If you are interested in helping sponsor the event, please contact David Tweedie at info@ocracokealive.org or 252-921-0260. Hope that you can join us! For more information and to keep up to date with plans, visit our Latino Festival page at www.ocracokealive.org

Ocrafolk Festival Memories, June 3-5, 2016

 It’s hard to believe that it is almost Labor Day. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Memorial Day and enjoying another amazing Ocrafolk Festival! Nestled between two tropical storms, we had quite a team working to pump out the lake that was the festival grounds Friday morning, while another group did highly effective rain dances to hold off the next storm until our three days of fun had concluded (which it did). 

So with a muddy beginning, the weekend turned beautifully. This year we had many firsts including music beginning Friday afternoon and Friday night’s “Taste of Ocracoke” with the introduction of “Ocrabucks.” Read Annelise Straw’s review on the Ocracoke Current at www.ocracokecurrent.com/137714.
 
While there are some first year kinks to be worked out with A Taste of Ocracoke, the food was great and many restaurants were happy about the business brought by Ocrabuck toting festival attendees! Our first 50/50 auction went well with stunning pieces donated by so many talented artists. With this new format under our belts next year’s auction promises to be even better.  If you are an artist interested in having your work in the 50/50 art auction, join our Ocracoke Alive e-news list at www.ocracokealive.org/blog.html. After the turn of 2017, we will send out a note letting you know that it is time to sign up!

The new musicians and bands fit right in to the mix of much loved returning artists. Fresh faces included Lipbone Redding, the Bucket Brothers, De Tierra Caliente, the Oak Grove String Band, Michael Stanwood, and the Madame Presidents. For our returning performers, each group had grown more, had more to share, and provided a unique and special element to the festival. With music from Friday afternoon through early Sunday evening, this was certainly our longest festival, yet it always seems to pass by too fast! Our artisans had such lovely collections of art, jewelry, and folk pieces that it was difficult not to walk away with one of everything. Paddy’s Hollar at the Magic Bean had much appreciated adult refreshments provided by Zillie’s, and local restaurants and cooks provided a variety of delicious lunch and dinner options.

Our Admiralty Cruise was a fantastic fundraising event that featured festival artists aboard the Skipjack Wilma Lee with wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres, and a sunset sail for certain levels of sponsors and those who had purchased tickets. If you haven’t spent time on this amazing vessel, you should try it our next year, it’s a pretty special treat! Saturday evening concluded with more intimate shows at Deepwater Theater dancing in the Community Square and the Community Center. 

From puppet parades and kid’s fun, to workshops and all-star jams, new faces and old favorites…this was a year to remember! We are so thankful to everyone who came out to the festival this year. Thank you to our outstanding sponsors, proud button wearers, INCREDIBLE volunteers, inspiring musicians and storytellers, mud-dancers, water-pumpers, artisans, food vendors, and the truly special island of Ocracoke that allows this wonderful festival to take over this tiny village every year. To read more and see more pictures from this year’s festival check out the Ocracoke Observers article “Ocrafolk Festival: Like a Family Reunion” at https://ocracokeobserver.com/2016/06/08/ocrafolk-festival-like-a-family-reunion/

Next year’s Ocrafolk Festival will be June 2-4, 2017. Keep up on all the festival news at www.ocracokealive.org

Ocracoke Fig Festival Unleashes a Fruity Frenzy

 
 While only in it’s third year, the Fig Festival in August is decadently delicious! The growing event featured two days of fig competitions (cake & preserves), performances by Molasses Creek, and Martin Garrish and friends, an Ocracoke square dance led by Philip Howard, fun booths selling fig related items, and an open house on the Skipjack Wilma Lee. 

This year Ocracoke Alive had a booth at the festival and sold our (rather appropriate) Ocracoke Alive t-shirts with the fig leaf on the front and the fig cake recipe on the back. Didn’t get yours? Just shoot us an email and let us know what sizes and colors you are looking for and we can see what we have left. We will be restocking for 2017 before the next season begins! 

Here is a tutorial on making Fig Muffins, produced by Gary Mitchell and David Tweedie. 

That's all for now! Look forward to seeing you off the island!

Skipjack Wilma Lee Labor Day Gala, New Educational Programs, Latino Festival de Ocracoke, Ocrafolk Festival and More!



Is it just me or is the humidity a bit less? Kids are heading back to school and geese south, so it must mean that we are wrapping up another summer on Ocracoke Island. Here is what happened over the past few months, and what we are looking forward to this fall.

Get Ready to Set Sail for the 3rd Annual Skipjack Wilma Lee Gala, Sunday, Sept 4th!

Artwork by Mark Brown
We have managed to make it through an entire year since our last taste of Tom Pahl’s famous grilled shrimp . . . but we can’t take it anymore! Fortunately the Annual Skipjack Wilma Lee Labor Day Gala is right around the corner on Sunday, Sept 4th. By making a donation of any amount, you can join us for stories, drinks, and fabulous hors d’oeuvres from 3-6 PM at the Community Square Docks.

Ocracoke Alive invites visitors and community members alike to step aboard our flagship vessel, to enjoy a beautiful afternoon and hear about our latest developments in our educational programming. Donors who contribute $100 or more are also invited to bring a guest on board for a special sunset cruise at 6:30 PM. If you are planning to attend, please let us know at www.ocracokealive.org or by calling 252-921-0260. The sail has limited spaces. See you there!

Educational Programs to Grow Aboard the Wilma Lee

Free September offerings to feature test programs "Anatomy of a Sailboat" and “Nautical Charts and Navigation"  

Ocracoke Alive has announced the recent hiring of Laura McClain to serve as part-time Educational Program Coordinator.  According to David Tweedie, Ocracoke Alive's Executive Director, McClain's initial focus will be on creating and marketing educational programming to take place aboard the organization's historic sailing vessel, the Skipjack Wilma Lee.

“In the long term, Ocracoke Alive is aiming to grow our educational mission,” Tweedie explained.  “We see that mission involving not just the Wilma Lee and not just school-age learners, but all ages and many areas of learning.”

Initially the organization will work to develop a series of educational programs which will take place around and aboard the Wilma Lee and which will be geared toward middle school students.  A book of lesson plans that was developed for Ocracoke Alive by LEARN NC (a spinoff of the UNC School of Education) will serve as a key guide in that process.

Ocracoke Alive hopes to be able to offer half day and then full day programming to both private and public schools around the state, and, of course, to students and teachers on the island.

“The first step in that development is to create a few 90 minute trial lesson plans and offer them for free to local students as Saturday programs,” McClain explained.
“We are taking small steps, beginning our programs, but we have plans to expand the content and offerings. Having an outdoor classroom aboard a historic boat will give us a platform for so many learning experiences and possibilities,” said McClain.

Besides the two programs they are offering next month, McClain described other possible lessons, including a program highlighting the Wilma Lee’s past as an oystering boat.  “That's next in the pipeline,” she explained, “but we have a lot of work to do and we have some great on-island experts who we are working with to create a collaborative program.”

Ocracoke Alive's initial educational programs will take place Saturday mornings during September.  The programs will be hands-on experiences, designed to entertain and educate all ages.  Kids (and anyone interested) will gather at the Wilma Lee at the Community Square dock.  Programs begin at 9:30 and run for 90 minutes.

"Anatomy of a Sailboat."  During this program, students will come to understand the differences between sail boats and other kinds of boats.  They will get to tour deep into the structure of the boat.  They will examine and take home “scantling drawings” of the skipjack.  Students will learn sailing terminology and classic knot tying.  They may even get to take a ride up the mast in a "bosun's chair." (Sept 10 and Sept 24)

"BUOY Bingo  - Nautical Charts and Navigation" During this program, students will learn the fundamentals in reading nautical charts, using longitude and latitude hydrographic maps to determining location in degrees, minutes and seconds, reading compasses and learning about nautical symbols.  Students will make their own compasses and investigate the variations in magnetic north as well as play a game that will allow them to locate different maritime and historical features in and around Ocracoke Inlet. (Sept 17 and Oct 1)

Please note:  for both of these two programs, the Wilma Lee will remain tied up at the dock.  Future programs will involve sailing trips in the sound. Interested in participating, please let us know by emailing info@ocracokealive.org or calling 252-921-0260.   

Fall into the Deep…Deepwater Theater that is!

 

While summer comes to a close, that doesn’t mean the fun at Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater has to! We’ve extended the run of each of our shows into September. This means if you’ve been busy like the rest of the island all summer and haven’t been able to make it to a show, or you’d like to get one more night in with Blackbeard, Molasses Creek, the Island Historian or the Pastor Poet, you can order your tickets online today. There are only a few weeks left!

Here are the remaining dates. For more show info, click on the links. Thanks!


Ocracoke School of Performing Arts will be starting up their fall classes in Deepwater Theater the week of September 12th with acting, dance, musical theater and private voice lessons. Information on these classes can be found at www.facebook.com/OcracokeDance or by emailing ocracokeschoolofperformingarts@gmail.com

Ocracoke Alive proudly presents, the 1st Annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke on November 12th

If you have visited Ocracoke over the past twenty years, you have probably noticed the growing Latino population that has become part of our island community.  Some of these residents have their own businesses that you know and love (Eduardo’s Taco comes to mind . . . one moment, I need to run and pick up an order. . . Okay, I’m back!), and others you may have seen working at various jobs throughout the island. From the Ocracoke School to the fire department, the grocery stores to the restaurants and motels, Ocracoke depends upon these friends and neighbors who have come to call our remote island home. 

Ocracoke Alive is very excited this year to be partnering with members of the Latino Community to assist them in creating the very first Festival Latino de Ocracoke on Saturday, November 12th at the Ocracoke School and Community Center.  The festival organizers, Freddy Contreras, Adrian Espanosa, Gloria Perez, Eduardo Chavez, Cira Badillo, and David Tweedie have been hard at work creating a day filled with traditional games, dances, music, and food, that will be great fun for everyone. Special guests presentations include dance demonstrations by the Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano, and music by Fantasia Huasteca.

Daytime activities will take place at Ocracoke School from 11-5 PM, with an evening performance at the school gym from 7-9 PM (and a movie for the kids at Deepwater Theater). From 9 PM until midnight, the action will move to the Ocracoke Community Center for more dancing and fun.
In addition, during the week leading up to the festival, Ocracoke School students will have an opportunity to learn about Latino Culture, try their hand at piñata making, cooking, traditional dancing, and practicing their skills at games like raiguela, cintas, and much more.

If you are interested in helping sponsor the event, please contact David Tweedie at info@ocracokealive.org or 252-921-0260. Hope that you can join us! For more information and to keep up to date with plans, visit our Latino Festival page at www.ocracokealive.org

Ocrafolk Festival Memories, June 3-5, 2016

 It’s hard to believe that it is almost Labor Day. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Memorial Day and enjoying another amazing Ocrafolk Festival! Nestled between two tropical storms, we had quite a team working to pump out the lake that was the festival grounds Friday morning, while another group did highly effective rain dances to hold off the next storm until our three days of fun had concluded (which it did). 

So with a muddy beginning, the weekend turned beautifully. This year we had many firsts including music beginning Friday afternoon and Friday night’s “Taste of Ocracoke” with the introduction of “Ocrabucks.” Read Annelise Straw’s review on the Ocracoke Current at www.ocracokecurrent.com/137714.
 
While there are some first year kinks to be worked out with A Taste of Ocracoke, the food was great and many restaurants were happy about the business brought by Ocrabuck toting festival attendees! Our first 50/50 auction went well with stunning pieces donated by so many talented artists. With this new format under our belts next year’s auction promises to be even better.  If you are an artist interested in having your work in the 50/50 art auction, join our Ocracoke Alive e-news list at www.ocracokealive.org/blog.html. After the turn of 2017, we will send out a note letting you know that it is time to sign up!

The new musicians and bands fit right in to the mix of much loved returning artists. Fresh faces included Lipbone Redding, the Bucket Brothers, De Tierra Caliente, the Oak Grove String Band, Michael Stanwood, and the Madame Presidents. For our returning performers, each group had grown more, had more to share, and provided a unique and special element to the festival. With music from Friday afternoon through early Sunday evening, this was certainly our longest festival, yet it always seems to pass by too fast! Our artisans had such lovely collections of art, jewelry, and folk pieces that it was difficult not to walk away with one of everything. Paddy’s Hollar at the Magic Bean had much appreciated adult refreshments provided by Zillie’s, and local restaurants and cooks provided a variety of delicious lunch and dinner options.

Our Admiralty Cruise was a fantastic fundraising event that featured festival artists aboard the Skipjack Wilma Lee with wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres, and a sunset sail for certain levels of sponsors and those who had purchased tickets. If you haven’t spent time on this amazing vessel, you should try it our next year, it’s a pretty special treat! Saturday evening concluded with more intimate shows at Deepwater Theater dancing in the Community Square and the Community Center. 

From puppet parades and kid’s fun, to workshops and all-star jams, new faces and old favorites…this was a year to remember! We are so thankful to everyone who came out to the festival this year. Thank you to our outstanding sponsors, proud button wearers, INCREDIBLE volunteers, inspiring musicians and storytellers, mud-dancers, water-pumpers, artisans, food vendors, and the truly special island of Ocracoke that allows this wonderful festival to take over this tiny village every year. To read more and see more pictures from this year’s festival check out the Ocracoke Observers article “Ocrafolk Festival: Like a Family Reunion” at https://ocracokeobserver.com/2016/06/08/ocrafolk-festival-like-a-family-reunion/

Next year’s Ocrafolk Festival will be June 2-4, 2017. Keep up on all the festival news at www.ocracokealive.org

Ocracoke Fig Festival Unleashes a Fruity Frenzy

 
 While only in it’s third year, the Fig Festival in August is decadently delicious! The growing event featured two days of fig competitions (cake & preserves), performances by Molasses Creek, and Martin Garrish and friends, an Ocracoke square dance led by Philip Howard, fun booths selling fig related items, and an open house on the Skipjack Wilma Lee. 

This year Ocracoke Alive had a booth at the festival and sold our (rather appropriate) Ocracoke Alive t-shirts with the fig leaf on the front and the fig cake recipe on the back. Didn’t get yours? Just shoot us an email and let us know what sizes and colors you are looking for and we can see what we have left. We will be restocking for 2017 before the next season begins! 

Here is a tutorial on making Fig Muffins, produced by Gary Mitchell and David Tweedie. 

That's all for now! Look forward to seeing you off the island!

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Ocracoke Alive April Activities . . . Ocrafolk Festival Sponsorships/Pre-sales, Deepwater Theater Summer Shows, Skipjack Wilma Lee News, Ocracoke Arts Week.

As we move closer to the summer season, we have been working hard at Ocracoke Alive to ensure this summer is full of education, entertainment, fun and hijinks. We are excited to include in this newsletter a summary of Arts Week at Ocracoke School, as well as information about the Ocrafolk Festival, Deepwater Theater, the Skipjack Wilma Lee and programs being offered from June through August! We are also working on fabulous new merchandise for this year. By purchasing Ocracoke Alive items (1) through our website, (2) on island at our new shop at Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater, or (3) at one of our many island events, you will be supporting great Ocracoke Alive activities. As always, we are committed to creating community programming that benefits both locals and visitors to our beautiful island home. Keep reading to hear our exciting summer news, and thank you for being a part of our Ocracoke Alive family!

Ocrafolk Festival 2016

In just two months we will be celebrating another Ocrafolk Festival and sharing our memories with family and friends. Ocrafolk music fans will be listening to newly purchased albums and reminiscing about the creative energy that streamed from live-oak-canopied performers on stage. We will be hoping those songs can hold us over for a year until the next festival. Lucky for us, it’s still April and we are just starting to feel the buzz of excitement becoming real as we edge closer to June!

http://www.ocracokealive.org/sponsor-ocrafolk.html

Ocrafolk Festival Sponsorships

 Our “gate free” Ocrafolk Festival depends upon the generosity of patrons like yourself! We work hard to create an event worthy of your love and you can do your part to make sure we can keep this Ocracoke home town ($65,000) event healthy into the future.
This year, consider becoming even more a part of the festival family by becoming a sponsor. We’ve updated our selection of sponsor options, and you can visit our website to become a Stellar Soloist, Performer Sponsor, Premier Sponsor, or something in between. You will receive cool rewards (T-shirts, Mugs, etc), and the biggest prize of all, that you made this year’s festival happen! Visit www.ocracokealive.org/sponsor-ocrafolk.html to find out more, or view our 2016 Ocrafolk Festival Sponsorship pdf.

Ocrafolk Festival Pre-purchases (Deadline April 30)

http://www.ocracokealive.org/store.html

 Arrgg! I arrived on the Ocrafolk festival scene and just missed getting the last Ocrafolk Festival T-shirt (mug/totebag/etc) in my favorite color!

Don’t let this happen to you! Prepurchase your festival goodies from our Ocracoke Alive shopping cart, and have them waiting for you when you arrive at the festival!


Art thou an Artist? Donate your Artwork to the Ocrafolk Festival 50/50 Art Auction! Support the event and yourself!

http://www.ocracokealive.org/auction.html

Each year we hold an Art Auction Fundraiser that brings excitement to both locals and visitors alike. Past auction items have included paintings, photography, clothing, jewelry, quilts, furniture, and even restaurant and entertainment packages. Local artists and businesses, as well as festival artisans and off-island participants donate these. This year, the auction will be 50/50 format for artist donors who will receive 50% of the proceeds from the sale of their item. Details at http://www.ocracokealive.org/auction.html. If you are an artist who would like to donate, please contact David at info@ocracokealive.org.

Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater & Music Hall

http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwater-theater
Spring-cleaning is in the air and we have been working on Deepwater Theater both inside and out. Painting, cleaning, planting, hammering, organizing our new shop space and writing new shows….wait! What was that last part? Deepwater Theater will have entertainment Monday, Wednesdays and Thursday nights all summer long! Purchase tickets for individual shows, or get a weekly discounted pass ($35) to see all three.  Ocracoke Alive receives a % of all ticket sales, so you can be entertained and contribute to our community mission! We strive to produce shows and programming that are enjoyable for children and adults alike, so bring the whole family! Visit our website for tickets and more information!

Blackbeard: An (Historical/Hysterical) Account (New in 2016!) 

http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwater-theater
Mondays, May 30-August 29,  7:30 pm.  This goofy and irreverent show examines pirate culture and the infamous Ocracoke character, presenting myths and history through song, dance, beard styling, duels, and audience participation. Think of a mashup between Saturday Night Live, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the History Channel and you’ve got the idea. Tickets $15 Adults/$5 Kids

Ocracoke Opry

http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwater-theater
Wednesdays at 8pm. One of the favorite family shows on the island, this is quite the Ocracoke event!  The evening is hosted by members of Molasses Creek and features a variety of music, stories, & theatrics.  Tickets $15 Adults/$7 Kids

Molasses Creek  

http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwater-theater
Thursdays at 8pm. If you have been to Ocracoke and have never seen Molasses Creek, this concert is a must! Legendary island musicians have been performing for 23 years and have just released their 16th album. Join Gary, Fiddler Dave, and Kim for an evening of elegant harmonies and arrangements, stellar songwriting, blazing instrumentals, and quirky sense of humor have won loyal followers throughout the United States and around the world. Tickets $15 Adults/$7 Kids

Deepwater Theater Store Summer Schedule

http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwater-theater

Deepwater Theater will now be open afternoon hours during the week, June through August! Come visit us to learn about our organization and Ocracoke’s unique history, purchase tickets for shows, book an adventure on the Skipjack Wilma Lee, and purchase cool Ocracoke Alive merchandise (proceeds go towards our community programming). You might even observe a class or practice. Our next newsletter will include some exciting youth opportunities for June and July (ie. Summer Camps!), so check back in and come visit us!

We have some exciting new merchandise making its debut at the Deepwater Theater shop this summer. With festival gear and skipjack memorabilia, we will also be selling a new Ocracoke Alive t-shirt with features an Ocracoke treasure on the back (a recipe for our beloved fig cake)! By purchasing t-shirts, mugs, magnets, etc., not only do you have a keepsake of your Ocracoke trip, but you are also contributing to the work we do within our community.  

Skipjack Wilma Lee



The Skipjack Wilma Lee recently underwent some TLC to prepare it for its National Coast Guard inspection, which it passed with flying colors! With Captain Rob diving to clean the propellers and Tom Pahl inspecting the mast (all 65 feet of it!), the boat had its best inspection yet and is in great condition for the 2016 season. 

Education

The Wilma Lee is docked at the Community Square Docks on Ocracoke harbor and during the season we have weekly dockside talks. These talks are educational and entertaining, covering the history of the boat, Ocracoke sailing history, pirates, nautical lore, and more. This summer we are moving our talks to morning hours (to avoid midday heat and beach time hours) and may even include a short piratical play performed by our young actors from Ocracoke School of Performing Arts.

In our January/February blog we introduced Laura McClain as our newest recruit, working on Skipjack curriculum and implementation. Laura has been researching, studying, and working hard and we are looking forward to start test runs of our half-day programing to local and regional students this fall.  The content of these programs includes biology, conservation, art, history and of course, maritime fun.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Ocracoke Alive March Activities . . . Visiting Performers, Ocrafolk Festival Preparations, Arts Activities at Ocracoke School, A Deepwater Theater Makeover, and Announcing the Festival Latino de Ocracoke

Is it really March, already?  Time certainly flies when you’re having this much fun!  February was a great month as we opened our pre-sale of Festival Packages and got into our 2016 Arts Partnership Program, but the best part of February is that we finally started to look ahead to Spring and Summer. With Spring’s activities, and Summer’s Ocrafolk Festival and Deepwater Theater Shows taking shape, we have so much exciting news to share with you. We have such wonderful opportunities this month, so make sure you scroll down to learn about everything from Festival Artists and Arts Week, to Deepwater Theater Summer Shows, Steel Drum Classes, and Bland Simpson’s return to Ocracoke!

Help the Ocrafolk Festival by hosting a performer June 3-5!

Interested in hosting some of our performers over Ocrafolk Festival Weekend? We would like to hear from you! One of the things that we love about the Ocrafolk Festival is how audience, artists, and performers become a close-knit family over the weekend. If you have a place on Ocracoke and would like to help host a visiting performer, please contact us! Finding housing for our entertainers is costly and becomes more difficult as the festival becomes more popular. Housing sponsors will be recognized in the program and will receive complementary admission buttons to the festival. Contact David Tweedie at 252-921-0260 or info@ocracokealive.org for more details.

Arts Partnership Program with Ocracoke School

Mexican cooking, baking, acting, photography, sign language, square dancing, print making, recycled mixed-media critters, polymer clay….doesn’t sound like your ordinary art class does it? Well, it’s not! The Arts Partnership Program is an incredible partnership between Ocracoke School and both regional, and local, artists. In the past six weeks alone, students have learned about all of the topics listed above, and we’re not even done yet. Don’t believe us? For proof, and just for fun, head to our YouTube Channel or Facebook Page (just search Ocracoke Alive on both sites) to check out the videos of each week’s classes!

Ocracoke School Arts Week 2016

 Ocracoke School Arts Week is fast approaching (March 21-25), and Ocracoke Alive is proud to be  a partner in sponsoring this fabulously creative week at Ocracoke School.  This year, we will have almost double the number of artists! Middle through high school students will dive into Filmmaking with Andrea Tani and Anna Rose (to see some of their work, visit the Molasses Creek website at www.molassescreek.com/videos), Mask Making with Paperhand Puppets, Printmaking with Robert Chestnut, Steel Drums with Scott Paulson and Barbara Smith, and Fiber Arts with Genevieve Miles. The elementary classes will have sessions in Tie Dyeing with Kim Hanson, Mexican Culture and Dance with Gloria Perez, Drawing with Carol Bullard, and one more artist (yet to be determined). Can’t wait to bring you more pictures and videos. Please join us at Ocracoke School for the community sharing assembly at 9:30 AM on Friday morning, March 25. Thanks to Susan and Todd Collins, Pat and Steve Tweedie, and Philip Howard for providing housing for our artists.

Steel Drum workshop offered to the Ocracoke Community

While Scott Paulson and Barbara Smith bring their Caribbean music to Ocracoke School for Arts Week, they will also be offering a chance for Ocracoke community members to try their hand in a steel drum band. The five session workshop will take place at Deepwater Theater, March 18 & 19, and 21-23 from 6-8:30 PM at Deepwater Theater.  No musical experience or note reading ability is required. Tuition for the 5 sessions is $75. There are just a few spaces left, so contact us quickly if you are interested in joining the fun! Contact Scott at islandtimesteel@hotmail.com or call 802-234-6987. You can also contact David Tweedie at info@ocracokealive.org or 252-921-0260.

Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater Gets a Makeover, Summer Shows Announced



Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater and Music Hall is getting a makeover for the new 2016 season with a new shop and upgrades to the space.  Just across from the Methodist Church on School Road, the facility is the headquarters for our organization, as well as the home venue for summertime shows for Ocracoke's internationally renown folk band, Molasses Creek (Thursdays), the Ocrafolk Opry (Wednesdays), and Blackbeard: An (Historical/Hysterical) Account (Mondays).  

If you'd like to experience a uniquely Outer Banks thing to do June through September, be in these audiences!  Detailed schedules and information about other special events are posted online, at the entrance to the theater and around the village. Stop by to visit during afternoon open hours to find out more about the Skipjack Wilma Lee and community events.

Ocrafolk Festival Artisan Application Deadline Looming! . . . March 15

Any artisans interested in having a booth at this year’s Ocrafolk Festival must submit their application through the Ocracoke Alive website by Tuesday, March 15. The festival artisan jury will select around 40 of the applicants to reflect a variety of mediums and creative spirits (We would love to invite everyone to participate, but unfortunately we have limited spaces). For more information visit www.ocracokealive.org/artisan-application.html.

Songs and Stories of the Carolina Coast: An evening with Author and Musician, Bland Simpson

On March 12, at 7:30 PM at Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater, NC writer Bland Simpson, will be sharing music and stories from his new book, Little Rivers. Bland is a Kenan Distinguished Professor at UNC and a musician with the famed NC music group the Red Clay Ramblers.

Bland will regale us with new tales of coastal North Carolina’s “water-loving land,” revealing how its creeks, streams, and rivers shape the region’s geography as well as its culture. Drawing on deep family ties and coastal travels, Simpson and wife and collaborator Ann Cary Simpson tell the stories of those who have lived and worked in this country, chronicling both a distinct environment and way of life.

Whether rhapsodizing about learning to sail on the Pasquotank River or eating oysters on Ocracoke, he introduces readers to the people and communities along the watery web of myriad “little rivers” that define North Carolina’s sound country as it meets the Atlantic.
The event is sponsored by Ocracoke Friends of the Library and Ocracoke Alive. 

Inaugural Festival Latino de Ocracoke set for November 12, 2016

 Ocracoke Alive is very excited to be working with the Latino residents of Ocracoke Island, assisting them in the creation of the first annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke on Saturday, November 12.  Committee members include Gloria Espinosa, Freddy Contrarez, Adrian Espanosa, Eduardo Chavez, Cira Badillo, and David Tweedie. The celebration will take place at the Ocracoke School and Community Center and will include traditional dances, food, music, games, and crafts. Put it on your calendar and stay tuned for more details!