Ocrafolk Festival 2020 Announces Performers and Invites You to Become a Sponsor!

A picture is worth a thousand songs . . . so instead of talking a lot, we're gonna show ya who will be here at this year's Ocrafolk Festival. Thank you for helping make it happen by becoming a sponsor! Your friends at Ocracoke Alive . . . . . . plus Mended Wing, food, square-dancing, all your Ocracoke friends and more!

Why do we live on Ocracoke? Plus, Ocracoke Fundraiser in Washington, NC & Ocracoke Appeals to NC Legislature.

Why Do We Live On Ocracoke? A wonderful article by Frances Stead Sellers just came out in the Washington Post a few days ago, entitled “Amid flooding and rising sea levels, residents of one barrier island wonder if it’s time to retreat.” As an Ocracoke resident, I am often asked by friends and visitors how long I plan to stay, how many times we think we can rebuild and fight the inevitable rising tides when it would seem smarter and more secure to move inland to a more stable location. My response reflects why I moved to Ocracoke Island twenty-six years ago.  I believe it also explains why visitors return year after year, generation after generation to this special place. Why do we stay? The simple-yet-complex answer is because it is much easier to rebuild from physical damage, however costly and time consuming, than it is to build a community, especially one that has roots that stretch back 300 years. Although I was first attracted to Ocracoke’s beautiful natural setting, I stayed for the relationships I formed and the sense of welcome I received.  Ocracoke’s tiny village (chocked full of local families, artists, restauranteurs, academics, lost wanderers, curmudgeons, masseuses, and misfits all looking to drop off the map) resonated deep in my heart and soul. I know there are other special places like Ocracoke around the globe, but they aren’t easy to find. So, when I stumbled on one, I instinctively latched on. Living in isolation does something to your psyche, and living in chosen isolation with a group distills and clarifies meaning in life.  Here on the frontier, I am forced to rub shoulders with a wide variety of folks. Most of these characters thrive at this remote post because they have strong personal compasses. . . ones that point in every possible direction. I find it invigorating and inspiring to mix with them each day. Thank you for your interest in the Ocracoke community . . . for your donations, contributions, prayers and thoughts. Whatever the long-term future might hold, we are here now, and look forward to your return. David Tweedie Ocracoke Alive Executive Director Photo by Casey Robertson Upcoming Events That Support Ocracoke Wednesday, Nov 13 ~ 10:30 AM-12 PM, Legislature Building, Raleigh, NC . Rally at the NC State Legislature Building to ask the state legislature to pass a hurricane relief bill for Eastern NC before the end of the session. Come show your support! Saturday, November 16, 7 PM  ~ Music Across the Sounds Benefit Concert for Ocracoke Artists at the Turnage Theatre in Washington, NC presented by Arts on the Pamlico. Funds raised will be channeled through the non-profit Ocracoke Alive to sponsor programming in the Ocracoke community by Ocracoke artists. How Else Can I Help? Ocracoke Alive is recommending two ways that you can donate to help the community. 1. Assist Ocracoke Alive through a tax-deductible donation to help repair Deepwater Theater at www.ocracokealive.org  or mail a contribution to Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960. Donations made through our Ocracoke Alive General Contribution Fund will help us get Deepwater Theater back in operation so that this fall and winter, our space will be available for student and community activities and meetings. As you can imagine, a multipurpose space is much in need with so many structures damaged. Fortunately, we had moved many of our supplies to our new storage shed, but we still anticipate about $25,000 in repairs. The Outer Banks Community Foundation has generously started us off by awarding Ocracoke Alive $5000 to replace contents lost (fridge, tables, displays). 2. Make a General Contribution to Ocracoke through the Outer Banks Community Foundation Dorian Disaster Fund. These monies will pass through the Ocracoke Fire Department Board for distribution in the community. When making the donation, you can determine if you would like it to go to a more general fund for Hatteras and Ocracoke, or focus just on Ocracoke. Ocracoke is a resilient community. As we work together, the core spirit of the village has earned the admiration of the aid workers who have arrived on the scene. Thank you for your support in helping us heal. We look forward to having you back here when the dust settles.

That's All for Now! David Tweedie ~ Executive Director OCRACOKE ALIVE BOARD Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Sharon Brodisch ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Katy Mitchell Chad Macek Gloria Perez Shae Youell

Ocrafolk Festival Artwork Released, Kids’ Inspiration Sparks at Ocracoke Arts Week, Ocrafolk School Returns in October, and more. . .

Ocrafolk Festival Artwork Released Kids’ Inspiration Sparks at Ocracoke Arts Week  Courses Announced for Ocrafolk School Fall Retreat, October 20-25  Deepwater Project Update  Ocrafolk Festival Early Bird Ticket Sales End April 30 Donald Davis Storytelling and Dessert Tickets Released A Tale of Blackbeard Rehearsals in Full Swing (Look Out for That Cutlass!) Ocrafolk Festival Artwork Released She’s done it again! When we wanted a special image to encapsulate all our warm wonderful feelings about Ocrafolk Festival we approached Kitty Mitchell. Kitty is the Ocracoke School Arts instructor, a past member of Molasses Creek band, and has created some of our favorite festival art over the years. Once we had Kitty’s black-and-white design, we shared it with our layout artist Justin Casey to prepare it for the poster and T-shirt. And here is the result! Kids’ Inspiration Sparks at Ocracoke Arts Week You never know when inspiration will strike and launch a youngster on the path of lifetime of creativity. Ocracoke School Arts Week is one of the favorite programs that Ocracoke Alive helps produce in partnership with Ocracoke School.  This year, Ocracoke youth hand-made Italian pasta, Greek dishes, and tamales, learned about African drumming patterns and Senegalese culture, crafted Eastern Carolina decoys, threw pottery and built a raku kiln, designed their very own digital arts animations, stitched whimsical felt art characters, wrote and performed songs, poured stunning acrylic paintings, and metal crafted colorful canvases. Many thanks to Nancy Leach, and the support of Ocracoke Occupancy Tax, Ocracoke Alive, housing donors, and private sponsors. Photos by Carol Woolgar Ocrafolk School Fall Retreat Returns October 20-25 Courses Announced In October, the much loved Ocrafolk School Fall Retreat will be returning to the island. This week long “school” offers an insider’s guide to Ocracoke that will spark creativity and a sense of community. Instructors and guest teachers will guide adult participants through their choice of one of six specialized courses. Students will enjoy handcrafted local food, inclusive tours, and unique activities as they make new friends and meet some of the most fascinating residents of our remote Outer Banks island. 2019 classes include Cooking with Island Chefs with Debbie Wells, Jewelry Making with Robin Macek, Mind and Body Renewal with Desiree Ricker, Decoy Carving with Jason Daniels, Drawing with Love (and a Little Science) with Kitty Mitchell, and Exploring Ocracoke’s Past, Present and Future with Ann Ehringhaus. Class sizes are usually limited to 6 to 8 people. Ocracoke Alive has a 11 rooms reserved on “campus” at the historic Berkley Manor and the adjacent Berkley Suites, as well as four rooms at Oscar’s House Bed and Breakfast.  Find out more about Ocrafolk School Deepwater Theater Project Update David Perez and John Brock have been working hard over at Deepwater Theater converting our pencil sketches and imaginative scribbles into real world structures. In the next two weeks, we will be finishing  the 16 x 16 storage shed, as well as the front deck expansion. Our faithful team of board members, Blackbeard cast members, and community volunteers have also been scouring the inside theater, repainting, and clearing away a scramble of vines from the property to expose the beautiful live oaks that line the driveway.  The season’s first Deepwater Theater shows will be Molasses Creek in Concert on May 30, and A Dingbatters (All New) Comedy Guide to Ocracoke (Season II) on June 5.  Pre-Sale Tickets are available through the Ocracoke Alive website, by calling 252-921-0260, and also at the door. Discount tickets are available for groups and seniors. We do recommend purchasing your tickets ahead of time as shows do sell out.  Ocrafolk Festival Early Bird Ticket Sales End April 30 Donald Davis Storytelling and Dessert Tickets Released   Just a quick reminder that Early Bird tickets sales will end on April 30. After that date, Weekend Pass prices will increase to $65. Day Pass prices will be released in May. Also, tickets have been released online for Donald Davis’s Storytelling and Dessert Evening on Saturday night June 8th at the Ocracoke Community Center. Tickets are limited to this event, so it is wise to purchase them before festival weekend. Links to Early Bird and Donald Davis Tickets A Tale of Blackbeard Rehearsals in Full Swing (Look Out for That Cutlass!) Avast! Avast! The Captain is our man! With Blackbeard’s return to Ocracoke (actor Peyton Piquard), rehearsals for A Tale of Blackbeard musical by Julia Howard are in full swing. Although Julie has not yet arrived on the island to play live accompaniment, Director Desiree Ricker is at the helm with a steady hand, guiding the cast and the good ship Adventure on its steady course towards destiny. Opening night is July 1st, 2019. The production will run at Ocracoke School on Mondays at 8 PM through August 12. Even if you’ve seen the show in past years, there are many new surprises you won’t want to miss! Tickets can be secured ahead of time online, or at the door. Ocracoke Alive Hosts Salem Select Choir On April 12th and 13th, Lynne German’s Salem Select Choir inspired Ocracoke School students and community members with beautiful performances. These visitors are all members of the Salem High School Madrigals Choir in Virginia Beach. Having performed on stage with the Virginia Chorus Women, at the Virginia Convention Center for Leadership Events, and in the local community for Black History Month events, their singers represent their school well with their energy and musical talent. Thanks so much for their contribution to the Ocracoke community, and also to all the folks on the island who helped make their visit possible! That's All for Now! David Tweedie ~ Executive Director OCRACOKE ALIVE BOARD Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Sharon Brodisch ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Katy Mitchell Chad Macek Gloria Perez Shae Youell

Ocrafolk Festival 2019 Performers Announced, Valentine Early Birds, Artisan Applications Due

Ocrafolk Festival 2019 Performers Announced Get Your Ocrafolk Festival Early Bird Tickets, Sweetheart! Artisan Applications Due Now Ocracoke's Latino Festival Makes a Great Contribution Ocracoke Alive Announces Lineup for 20th Ocrafolk Festival We are so excited to announce this year's Ocrafolk Festival Performers. 2019 is our 20th anniversary, and so we wanted to bring back some of the audience favorites from previous years. Please understand that most of our performers turn out to be favorites (Hey! We have pretty good taste!). So if someone you love is missing from this list, take heart . . .they will probably be returning in future years. 2019 Performers include: Molasses Creek (your hosts), Donald Davis, the Steel Wheels, Mipso, Kaira Ba, Aaron Burdette, Chatham Rabbits, Beleza, Craicdown, Noah Paley, Bill Harley, Martin Garrish, Coyote, The Wilders, Paperhand Puppets, Mahalo Jazz, Warren, Bodle & Allen, Bob & Jeanne Zentz, Green Grass Cloggers, John Golden, Rodney Kemp, Jef the Mime, Ballet Folkorico de Ocracoke, and more! Early Bird All Weekend Passes ($50) Available Through April 30! Thinking of Getting Early Bird Tickets? Now's the Time! Valentine's Day can be a sweet time to surprise your family and friends with Ocrafolk Festival Tickets. You also get the added bonus of taking advantage of Early Bird Ticket Specials of $50 for the whole weekend of Ocrafolk fun! Plus we will throw in an Ocrafolk Festival Collector's Button good for stage drawings ($15 value). After April 30th, the price goes up to $65 for the weekend. Single Day Passes to the Ocrafolk Festival will be released at a later date, but you should note that if you are planning on attending two days of the festival weekend, it will be less expensive to purchase the Early Bird All Weekend Ticket Pass than separate day passes.   Sponsor Ocrafolk and Receive Exclusive Rewards 2019 Sponsor Levels are from $600-$3000. Sponsors receive tickets and many perks for helping to ensure that the festival can continue.  For more information, contact us through the Sponsor Ocrafolk page. If you are obtaining tickets by becoming a Sponsor, you will not purchase your tickets separately through the website (unless you need additional tickets for your group). We will include the tickets in your Sponsor Bag.   Ocrafolk Festival Artisan Application Deadline, March 15 Artists who would like to be considered for Ocrafolk Festival 2019 need to apply by March 15. Apply to be an Ocrafolk Festival Artisan Festival Latino de Ocracoke Contributes to Our Community This week the Festival Latino de Ocracoke committee presented $2000 to Ocracoke School (in addition to $500 donated to the Arts Class and Shop Class), as well $1000 to the Ocracoke Health Center. 2019 will mark the 4th annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke, November 8-10. Join us for a multicultural celebration produced by Ocracoke Alive in partnership with Ocracoke's Latino Community! That's All for Now! David Tweedie ~ Executive Director OCRACOKE ALIVE BOARD Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Sharon Brodisch ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Katy Mitchell Chad Macek Gloria Perez Shae Youell

Ocracoke Alive Fall News: Hurricane Report, Latino Festival, A Tale of Blackbeard, Ocrafolk Festival 2019

Hurricane Florence Update   Hello friends! We’ve had a lot of people asking how the storm affected Ocracoke, and would like to assure everyone that things are well on the island.  We did have a bit of rain and wind as we caught the northern arm of hurricane Florence, but for the most part our community was fortunate and received little tide swell from the sound and ocean. Power did go out, but Tideland EMC crews worked hard to keep electricity coming to most of the houses during the storm. Many thanks for their dedicated service! The biggest impact to Ocracoke has been the two weeks interruption in our fall visitor season. With a seasonal economy, that time off can be the equivalent of a 3-4 weeks break. We know that businesses are as eager to reopen as the tourists are to return, but it takes a little bit of time to put the house back in order. Currently there is sand on the road between Ocracoke Village and Hatteras to the north.  A few days of work, and ferry traffic via Hatteras Island will be able to resume. As of today, residents, non-resident land owners, emergency personnel, and essential services are being allowed to return to the island through Swan Quarter Ferry. The island will reopen to visitors on Friday. Conditions are much different for mainland North Carolina, especially south of us where the eye of the storm came ashore. Morehead City, Harkers Island, Beaufort, and Wilmington have dramatic tales to tell. We are keeping our coastal friends in our thoughts during these challenging times.

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Ocracoke Alive September-November Schedule October 27 (Saturday) ~ A Tale of Blackbeard Ocracoke School Gym Auditorium. 8:00 PM  November 9-11  ~ Festival Latino de Ocracoke.  November 15 (Thursday) Tentative ~ Ocracoke Alive Fall Membership Meeting.Deepwater Theater. 7 PM November 24 (Saturday) ~ Ocrafolk Thanksgiving Fundraising Concert (Tentative)Deepwater Theater. 7:30 PM

A Tale of Blackbeard Final Performance (Saturday, Oct 27, 2018). (Photo by Eakin Howard) Our next big event coincides with Ocracoke’s Blackbeard Pirate Jamboree, Oct 25-28. On Saturday, October 27 we will have a special performance of Julie Howard’s A Tale of Blackbeard Musical at the Ocracoke School gym auditorium. Presale tickets are available at our website and tickets will also be available at the door. This will be the final performance of this production for the 2018 season and we look forward to all the piratical revelers in the audience as well as on stage. Please check cutlasses and small arms at the door. Many thanks to our volunteer cast and crew for a terrific season! The production has not only been great fun, but has also helped raise funds for Ocracoke Alive's programming in our community and at Ocracoke School!

Reserve Your Ticket to A Tale of Blackbeard, Saturday, Oct 27

When is Ocrafolk Festival 2019? June 7-9, 2019 Photo by George Wood A quick reminder that next year’s Ocrafolk Festival will be June 7-9, 2019. We always tell folks that the Ocrafolk Festival is the first Friday-Sunday of June.  This next year it jumps back a weekend, so make sure you have reserved the correct date! October is the month when our Ocrafolk Festival Entertainment Committee lines up performers for the next year. 2019 will be our 20th Ocrafolk Festival and we are planning a big celebration featuring many favorites from previous years. The 2018 Ocracolk Festival ticketing system worked tremendously well! We appreciate you, our fans, for your enthusiastic support and for helping us to stabilize the finances of this outstanding event. You enabled us to pay our bills while raising money for critical student programs! Pre-purchase 2019 Ocrafolk Festival Tickets in November & December . . . The Perfect Holiday Gift for the Folkie in your Family! We’ve had many emails asking about pre-purchasing tickets for next year. We plan to release 2019 Ocrafolk tickets sales in November . . . in time for 2018 holiday season. Give your friends and family the magical gift of Ocrafolk Festival in their holiday stockings!

Festival Latino de Ocracoke is right around the corner (Nov 9-11, 2018)! As the summer season comes to a close, our focus has shifted to the Festival Latino de Ocracoke.  This third annual celebration will take place November 9-11, 2018. The weekend will feature music, dances (by our very own Ballet Folklorico de Ocracoke), games, workshops, and (of course!) food. On Sunday, there will be a basketball tournament at Ocracoke School as part of the festivities. We will post schedule details on the Ocracoke Alive website, so stay tuned as we near November.

Photo by George Wood

Deepwater Theater Fall Schedule Fall is almost here and there’s just one Molasses Creek Deepwater Theater concert on the schedule. On Thursday, September 27, our hometown band will take to the stage to wrap up its official 2018 season. The MC crew may add more concerts spontaneously on October weekends, but for the time being if you would like to see them . . . now is your chance!  In 2019, they will return, along with a brand-new comedy show from the folks who brought you A Dingbatter’s Guide to Ocracoke. Rumors have also been circulating about an encore season of A Tale of Blackbeard. Stay tuned!

Reserve Your Ticket for Molasses Creek's Sept 27 Concert at Deepwater Theater

Thanks for your support! Ocracoke Alive 2018 David Tweedie ~ Executive Director OCRACOKE ALIVE BOARD Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Tom Pahl ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Sharon Brodisch Allison Serafin Freddy Contreras Katy Mitchell