Ocrafolk Festival (40 Days Away) ~ Performer Profiles (Cane Mill Road/Shana Tucker)

TICKETS / VOLUNTEER / SPONSOR 40 Days To Go . . .Ocrafolk Festival 2018!

Hey Ocrafolk friends! Taking a moment here to introduce you to two of our performers this year, Cane Mill Road & Shana Tucker. Also wanted to let you know that we are close to finalizing our T-shirt styles (for all those Sponsors out there who will be selecting them before the big weekend). See ya soon! Thanks! Ocrafolk Festival Staff

Billboard-charting artists Cane Mill Road grew up just down the road from Doc Watson in Deep Gap, North Carolina. Honoring the past the band strikes a balance between preserving the bluegrass mountain sound they were raised on and boldly rocking progressive interpretations of that same sound tackling not only complex original music, but classic covers of the Beatles, Dylan, and more. Audiences love Cane Mill Road’s high-energy performances, easy going rapport both on and off stage, and the eclectic mix of originals and standards in the show. Touring internationally in Argentina and stateside from New York to Alabama to Missouri to Pennsylvania to Kentucky to Tennessee to Virginia and the Carolinas, the band is proud to be sponsored by Deering Banjos, GHS Strings, Shubb Capos, Sorensen Mandolin & Guitar Company, Kogut Violins, and MiniFlex Microphones.  The band’s debut album "Five Speed" hit #9 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Album chart and was produced by 2-time GRAMMY winner Cathy Fink, and by Tom Mindte of Patuxent Studios in Maryland. IBMA selected Cane Mill Road from hundreds of applicants as one of 30 bands to showcase during its 2017 conference/festival as the future of bluegrass. The band represented the United States of America in 2015 at a United Nations World Music Festival. You've heard them on NPR/PBS, and all over radio with every cut on "Five Speed" getting airplay.

Shana Tucker is a singer-songwriter and cellist who credits her genre-bending ChamberSoul™ journey to her jazz and classical roots, interwoven with 80's & 90's pop music influences, movie soundtracks, and world music. Touted by JazzTimes Magazine as “a jazz talent...whose imprint and vitality has already been quite visible in North Carolina,” Shana’s style and sound as been described as a mash-up of Dianne Reeves, Joni Mitchell, and Tracy Chapman, with an efficient complexity that is reminiscent of Bill Withers. Her self-defined genre of “ChamberSoul” best describes what the listener should expect when experiencing Shana's music. "I’m intrinsically drawn to ‘real’ instruments with resonance, tone and depth that can sound without amplification. Whenever possible, I always try to set a tone of acoustic intimacy with my colleagues on stage -- and also with the audience -- so that sounds and souls feel close and tangible, no matter the size the venue." With collaborations as the cornerstone of her artistry, Shana is currently a featured artist with jazz legend, saxophonist/composer Bennie Maupin's ensemble; Grammy-nominated soul collective, The Foreign Exchange; jazz drummer/composer Shirazette Tinnin's group, Sonic WallPaper; Paperhand Puppet Intervention, a North Carolina-based, socially conscious theatrical organization; and her newest project, Women's Work, a female-led creative collective of musicians and composers representing both east and west coasts. A front-line advocate for arts education, Shana is a teaching artist whose present and past affiliations include The Smith Center for Performing Arts, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Mallarme Chamber Players, Playmakers and Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. She devotes a considerable amount of her time to working with students in schools/universities, community centers and summer camps throughout the year as part of her mission to promote arts education programming for students of all ages, incorporating artist residencies, workshops and community outreach opportunities wherever in the world her performances take her.

Ocrafolk Festival Schedule Posted ~ A Fabulous Event and Fantastic Cause

TICKETS / VOLUNTEER / SPONSOR 44 Days To Go . . .Ocrafolk Festival 2018!

Hey Ocrafolk friends! Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that the Ocrafolk Festival Schedule has been posted. There will still be tweaks, but it will give you a basic flow for the weekend. Thanks! Ocrafolk Festival Staff

Your Ocrafolk Festival Ticket = Student Programming in Our Ocracoke Community Your ticket to the festival doesn't just purchase your admission this year. It supports arts programming for Ocracoke children. It funds our theatres and visiting/local musicians. And it supports cultural diversity in our community. Ocracoke Alive's mission is to enrich Ocracoke Island by encouraging and sponsoring cultural activities. You may have experienced our work during a Student Arts Partnership performance at Ocracoke, by attending the Festival Latino de Ocracoke, or our community theater project, A Tale of Blackbeard. Ocracoke Alive has largely relied upon individual donations to produce all of its programming. Many of these funds come from our “extended family and community” . . . non-residents, who have fallen in love with the island and wish to lend their support. We appreciate you, our festival family, for the love and excitement you have brought to our festival over the last 18 years. Tickets to the Ocrafolk Music and Storytelling Festival can be purchased HERE (TICKETS) or at the festival box office June 1st-3rd. If you are interested in working with us at Ocrafolk, please SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER. If you would like to help sponsor Ocrafolk, click HERE (SPONSOR) to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

Ocrafolk Festival (48 Days Away) ~ Performer Profiles (Upstate Rubdown/Mended Wing Theatre Company)

TICKETS / VOLUNTEER / SPONSOR 48 Days To Go . . .Ocrafolk Festival 2018!

Ocrafolk Festival 2018 Introduces Upstate Rubdown & Mended Wing Theatre Hey Ocrafolk friends! Ocracoke Alive would like to tell you about some of the great performers we will be having at this year's Ocrafolk Festival. Just a quick reminder that Ocrafolk is a ticketed event this year. The proceeds go to support critical student programming in our small island community. We are also inviting you to be a Sponsor and a Volunteer. Find out more at www.ocracokealive.org. Thanks!

Upstate Rubdown is an acoustic septet drawing inspiration from every corner (and decade) of America's musical heritage. Based in New York's Hudson Valley region, the band has spent years cultivating its sound, and continues to grow by the tune. The instrumentation includes Harry D'Agostino on upright bass, Ryan Chappell on mandolin, Dean Mahoney on cajón, and Christian Joao on flute and alto/baritone saxophone. The dynamic rhythm section supports a three part vocal harmony powerhouse of founding members Mary Kenney and Melanie Glenn with recent Nashville-transplant Allison Olender. Pulling from the greatest corners of American music, this group has the power to get feet moving with or without amplification. Like fresh-farmed vegetables, their music is as organic as it is good for you. From foot-stomping bass, highlighted by the slap of a cajon, to the familiar strums of the mandolin over a wailing saxophone – there’s so much going on instrumentally that when the harmonious lead vocalists chime in, the result is nothing short of a homegrown hurricane of sound."   Mended Wing Theatre Company is brought to us by Ocracoke native son, Emmet Temple. He left Ocracoke Island to attend the NC School of the Arts and is bringing some of his troupe to Ocrafolk 2018! Mended Wing Theatre Company is comprised of recent graduates and current BFA students from North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Drama. The project was born out of a desire to bring classical theatre to communities and schools free of charge in a format that is relevant and stimulating for modern audiences. In addition, they see this as a chance to encourage the next generation with overarching themes of hope, compassion, and acceptance.

Ocrafolk Festival EarlyBird Tickets on sale through April 30th!

Ocrafolk Festival EarlyBird Tickets on sale through April 30!

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How To Become a Sponsor

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About ~ Ocrafolk Festival is produced by the community non-profit, Ocracoke Alive, as fundraiser in support Ocracoke Student and Community Arts Programming. Ocrafolk Festival features musicians, storytellers, artisans, and characters of Ocracoke Island, Eastern Carolina, and beyond. This magical celebration reflects the unique nature of this remote "Pearl of the Outer Banks,"(Ocracoke Island is only accesible by ferry, and features a close-knit year-round community of 1000, and the most beautiful  undeveloped 13 miles of beach that you will find anywhere on the US east coast).

Featuring 3 days chocked full of performances and events, kids activities, a squaredance, workshops, food, and artisans, the Ocrafolk Festival will make you feel right at home. Best of all, your ticket fee supports kids and community programming on the island. Your only question upon departure . . . "How soon can I return?"

2018 Performers ~ Molasses Creek, Donald Davis Storyteller, Upstate Rubdown, Cane Mill Road, Aaron Burdette, Violet Bell, Shana Tucker, The Chatham Rabbits, Martin and Friends, Beleza w/Miles Pearce, Bob Zentz and Jeanne MacDougall, Craicdown, Skye Zentz, Mahalo Jazz 2 w/Carter Minor, Donald Thompson Band, Coyote, Rodney Kemp, John Golden, Louis Allen, Ballet Folklorico de Ocracoke, Green Grass Cloggers, Captain Jim’s Magic Show, Jef the Mime, and more!

Tickets ~ This glorious weekend is made possible by the efforts of countless volunteers and your ticket purchase. The event is held in the heart of Ocracoke Village on a combination of public and private properties. Stage Seating Areas require an Admission Armband for 2018. This helps ensure that the festival (& Ocracoke Alive’s mission) stays happy and healthy for years to come!  Thank you!

Sponsor Information ~ Sponsors can receive festival tickets and other perks. To find out more before purchasing your tickets, visit www.ocracokealive.org/sponsor-ocrafolk.html

Festival information ~ Find more details online at www.ocracokealive.org.

Get Ready for the Festival Latino de Ocracoke 2017!

Get ready for the Festival Latino de Ocracoke 2017!

Friday Dance Workshop with Fabian Vargas (Nov 10) Learn Traditional Ballet Folklorico Dancing with Fabian Vargas of Ballet Folkorico Orgullo y Alma Latina (Ocracoke School Gym, 7 PM) Saturday Schedule (Nov 11) For more details and programs visit www.ocracokealive.org Books To Be Red Lawn ~ 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Music Concert by Group “Flor Y Canto” and Mariachi Flores! Food, Including Dishes from All Parts of Mexico! Traditional Mexican Games, Including Raiguela, Loteria, Giant Tic Tac Toe, This Year’s New Addition “El Toro Loco”, Pinatas and much more! Área de Books To Be Red ~ 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ¡Gran Concierto Con Grupo Musical “Flor Y Canto” y "Mariachi Flores"! ¡Muestra Gastronómica Con Platillo de Todo México! ¡Juegos Tradicionales Mexicanos, Incluyendo Torneo De Raiguela, Lotería, y Gato Gigante!, ¡Además de nuestra nueva adición “El Toro Loco”, Piñatas y Mucho Mas!. School Gym ~ 7:00pm – 9:00 p.m. Music Concert and Folkloric Dances presented by “Orgullo y Alma Latina” and Members of the Community! A Special Representation of Day of the Dead Celebration in Mexico! Gimnasio De La Escuela ~ 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.  ¡Gran Concierto de Música y Bailes Folclóricos Presentados Por Grupo de Ballet “Orgullo y Alma Latina” y Miembros de la Comunidad! ¡Además de Una Representación Especial Del Dia de Muertos!  Dance at the Ocracoke Community Center ~ 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. To Close This Great Event, We Invite You to a Dance with the Band Kalidad Musical and a DJ! Gran Baile en el Centro Comunitario de Ocracoke ~ 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. !Cerrando con Broche de Oro, los Invitamos al Gran Baile Con el Grupo Kalidad Musical Acompañado de un DJ Sorpresa!

Ocracoke Alive Fall News: Latino Festival, Proposed Ocrafolk Festival Changes, Fall Membership Meeting

Greetings from Ocracoke Island and Ocracoke Alive! We are getting ready for a busy fall and would love for you to be a part of our events. This newsletter tells about the upcoming Festival Latino de Ocracoke, proposed changes to the Ocrafolk Festival (we want your input!), and what is happening on the island in November and December. Hope that you are enjoying the season! Your friends at Ocracoke Alive

Ocracoke Alive November / December Schedule November 11 (Saturday) ~ Festival Latino de Ocracoke. Grounds of Books to be Red, Ocracoke School, Ocracoke Community Center. 11 AM-Midnight November 17 (Friday) ~ Ocracoke Alive Fall Membership Meeting. Deepwater Theater. 7 PM November 24 (Friday) ~ Ocrafolk Thanksgiving Fundraising Concert (Tentative) Deepwater Theater. 7:30 PM December 7 (Thursday) ~ Ocracoke Community Christmas Concert. Ocracoke Community Center. 7:00 PM December 15 (Friday) ~ Concert with Finley Woolston and his Joyful Band of Singers. Ocracoke Methodist Church. 7:30 PM

Continue the Celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month with Fesitval Latino de Ocracoke (Saturday, November 11, 2017).               Although October 15 marks the close of National Hispanic Heritage Month in the US, on Ocracoke the celebration is right around the corner! November 11, 2017 brings the 2nd annual Festival Latino de Ocracoke to our community.  The festivities will begin the week before with a number of workshops at the Deepwater Theater, such as papel picado handicrafts and dance lessons.              On November 11, the Festival Latino de Ocracoke day activities will take place on the grounds of Books to be Red on School Road. Traditional games and food from different regions of Mexico will be present, as well as Tamale, Churro, and Itacate workshops. “Flor y Canto”, a folkloric group with roots from Guerrero, Mexico, will perform throughout the day. That evening, a program including music and traditional dances by Ballet Folklorico “Orgullo y Alma Latina” and community members will be held at the Ocracoke School Gym followed by a Latino dance at the Ocracoke Community Center featuring Kalidad Musical.              Festival Latino de Ocracoke is organized by the Ocracoke Latino community with the support of Ocracoke Alive.

Click to Read More & Help Sponsor Festival Latino de Ocracoke!

Give Us Feedback on Proposed Changes to Ocrafolk Festival

Ocracoke Alive Considers Changes for Ocrafolk Festival, Seeks Community Input.

In 2018, Ocracoke Alive’s Ocrafolk Festival will turn 19 years old. What started in 2000 as a small, single day event on the grounds of the Berkley Manor has grown to a three-day weekend that draws faithful followers from around the country for a celebration of music, stories, artisans, and the Ocracoke community.             With the growth of the event, Ocracoke Alive has worked to listen to the needs of the community, increasing performance locations around the village, bringing the performers to Ocracoke School students, and implementing the ideas and feedback of the Ocracoke residents and Ocrafolk fans. The island nonprofit is once again asking for community input.             The growth of the festival has resulted in an increase in its infrastructure and expenses. In 2017, the Ocrafolk Festival expenses were around $67,000, with an income of $69,000 after Cost of Goods. Around half of the expenses go towards businesses right in the Ocracoke community, with the remaining expenses covering visiting performers, equipment rental, and insurance. A little under $30,000 in pre-festival sponsorships comes from a faithful group of Ocrafolk fans, $6000 from Hyde County Occupancy Taxes, $18,000 from product sales, $5000 from a fundraising auction, and the remaining income from vendor fees. The bottom line from 2018? The event made around $2000.             The Ocrafolk Festival has relied upon voluntary admission contributions to date, but Ocracoke Alive is considering requiring admission bands to gated seating areas for 2018’s event. “We want to ensure that we maintain the spirit of this great community event, but we also need to be certain that the event is a successful fundraiser for Ocracoke Alive (and doesn’t bankrupt it), so that we can continue our mission of building cultural programming on Ocracoke,” says Executive Director, David Tweedie.             The suggested plan would not restrict visitors from strolling festival grounds (many of which are on public areas of the village), but would require attendees to have an admission armband to enter into audience seating areas. The 2017 “Requested Donation” level for visitors to support the festival was $25 for adults and $15 for kids for the weekend. Similar music and storytelling festivals throughout country commonly cost $40-50 per day per attendee.             As the festival has grown, it has drawn a greater audience, but the audience has become less inclined to make “voluntary” donations. Many consider the cost of coming to Ocracoke as their donation, and mistakenly believe that the event is completely sponsored by the town. “Their response to our requests for a donation is that they already spent a lot of money to be here,” says David. “Unfortunately, that sentiment doesn’t pay for the event or support Ocracoke Alive programming.”                Ocracoke Alive uses monies from activities like the Ocrafolk Festival to bring programming to the Ocracoke community. The organization sponsors and directs the Ocracoke School Arts Partnership, supports Ocracoke Arts week, produces the Festival Latino de Ocracoke, and summertime programs. In 2018, Ocracoke Alive will produce Julia Howard’s A Tale of Blackbeard, and will sponsor visiting director, Karen Gulotta who will be working with Ocracoke students in the spring.

Give Us Feedback on Proposed Changes to Ocrafolk Festival

Ocracoke Alive Fall Membership Meeting at Deepwater Theater (Friday, November 17, 7 PM)

Ocracoke Alive welcomes you to our home at Deepwater Theater, School Road, Ocracoke on Friday, November 17 for our annual Fall Membership Meeting. We will provide the desserts as we wrapup  2017, vote in new board members, ask for your input, and let you know our plans for 2018. Look forward to seeing you there at 7 PM!

Thanks for your support! Ocracoke Alive 2017 Board of Directors Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Tom Pahl ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Sharon Brodisch ~ Secretary Allison O'Neal Freddy Contreras Jeanie Owens David Tweedie ~ Executive Director

Ocrafolk Festival Here We Come!

Ocrafolk Festival weekend is almost here, but the fun can start right now! We have some fabulous items in our Festival Art Auction. You can view them and start bidding online today! Coming to the island for Ocrafolk? On Friday after music at the Live Oak Stage from 1-5 PM, join us at the Community Center 5-8 PM for music by mahaloJazz and De Tierra Caliente, light hors d' ouerves and drinks, and auction fun. For more details on the Ocrafolk Festival 2017, click on the program link below. Thanks for your support! Ocracoke Alive 2017 Board of Directors Desiree Ricker ~ President, Assistant Director Tom Pahl ~ Vice President Gary Davis ~ Treasurer Sharon Brodisch ~ Secretary Allison O'Neal Freddy Contreras Jeanie Owens David Tweedie ~ Executive Director