Telling the Tale of the Black Squall (Performance, Thursday, April 13, 7 PM, Ocracoke School Gym) . . .
We are less than a month away from the student performance of The Tale of the Black Squall, and preparations began this week with students working with visiting artists, Courtney Conner (teaching tumbling and movement), and Paul McKibbins (with singing and choral arrangement). Ocracoke art teacher, Kitty Mitchell, and set designer Mark Brown will be guiding students in the creation of costume and critter, Gary Mitchell and Charles Temple on Sound and Lights, and Desiree Ricker and David Tweedie are finalizing the script and schedule details.
Ocracoke Arts Week (April 10-13), will feature Paperhand Puppets (character movement), Jef the Mime (clowning), Scott Paulson (Steel Drums), Jubal Creech (Percussion), and Janet Harriman (Jewelry Crafting). This team will be aiding our young community members in the creation of a show that will tell the tale of the famous 1861 Black Squall Shipwreck that brought a circus troupe to the beaches of Ocracoke Island.
Ocracoke Alive is asking Ocracoke supporters to consider making a tax-deductible donation towards Arts Week. Donors will be thanked in the Black Squall Program, and can receive reserved ringside seats for the performance. Donations can be made online at www.ocracokealive.org or through the mail to Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960.
March 31-April 1: A Visit from the Salem Select Girls Choir
The Salem Select Girls Choir under the direction of Lynne German are bringing their show choir to Ocracoke, for performances and workshops for Ocracoke students on March 31, and a free community concert at Ocracoke Alive’s Deepwater Theater on April 1st, at 7 PM.
The performers are a small but diverse group of students from Salem High School in Virginia Beach, and are joined together by their common love of singing. As the program’s top singers, they have auditioned for their spot in the group, and they accomplish a lot with only one after-school rehearsal each week. Their music covers a variety genres, from Classical to Spiritual to light Pop and Rock, with a few original works by their Director, Lynne German. We welcome their return to the island to share their talents!
What is happening in Ocrafolk Festival land . . .
The Ocrafolk Festival inches closer and closer, and we are starting to get excited! The Artisan Application closed March 15, and the Artisan Committee will announce this year’s artisan roster by April 1st.
Performers include Bio Ritmo, Violet Bell , Mitch Barrett, Hank, Pattie and the Current, Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano, Donald Davis, Molasses Creek, Martin Garrish and Friends, Beleza, Lipbone Redding, The Blue-Eyed Bettys, Mahalo Jazz, De Tierra Caliente, Oak Grove String Band, Bob Zentz and Jeanie MacDougall, Paperhand Puppets, Jef the Mime, Amy and Louis Allen, Craicdown, John Golden, the Green Grass Cloggers, Philip Howard, Rob Temple and the Skipjack Wilma Lee, Rodney Kemp, and more.
In addition to new performers, this year we will be featuring a new Ocrafolk Festival Dance Hall at the Ocracoke School Gym. We have more excitement on the way, so stay tuned.
Sponsorship levels and rewards have been posted and we will tell you more about them at the end of the month. If you can't wait to jump in, here is a link.
Vote for your favorite Ocrafolk Festival T Colors!
Karen Rhodes's fabulous festival design is complete and we have moved to picking our favorite background colors to display it on. You can be a part of the process. Just click this link, and pick your top three colors in Men’s and Women’s styles. We’ll announce the winning pallet in a couple of weeks!
That's all for now!
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
Is it really 2017? Already? With the New Year upon us, Ocracoke Alive is more committed than ever to enriching our community for both locals and visitors. Although the Skipjack Wilma Lee is quietly tied up at the Community Store docks, there is the scurry of performers feet at Ocracoke Alive's Deepwater Theater as students of the Ocracoke School Performing Arts hone their craft. Soon the spring Arts Partnership will be in full swing, and Arts Week is just around the corner, April 10-14. Both of these will culminate in The Tale of the Black Squall performance on Thursday, April 13th at 7 PM at the Ocracoke School Gym. Read more below! Next month we plan to share with you new ventures into community gardening, Latino festivities, and a possible community choir!
2017 Ocrafolk Festival Artwork by Karen Rhodes
Ocrafolk Festival Performers Announced, Artisan Applications Open Til March 15 While we anxiously await the 18th annual Ocrafolk Festival in June (2nd-4th) the planning, booking, and selection process is already well underway. Above is a sneak peak at this year’s artwork by Ocracoke Island resident Karen Rhodes. Thanks so much for her brilliant work! Can't wait to have it splashed across our T-shirts on festival weekend!
The festival performers have been selected. This year we welcome newcomers Bio Ritmo, Violet Bell, Mitch Barrett, Hank, Pattie & the Current, Ballet Folklorico de Guadalupano, and Amy Allen. We are also thrilled to have so many returning performers from previous years.
-Martin Garrish and Friends -Donald Davis -Molasses Creek -Bio Ritmo (salsa) -Violet Bell (Lizzy Ross & Omar Ruiz-Lopez) -Beleza -Mitch Barrett -Lipbone Redding -The Blue Eyed Bettys -Hank, Pattie and the Current -Ballet Folklorico -Mahalo Jazz -De Tierra Caliente -Amy and Louis Allen -Craicdown -Bob Zentz -Jef -Paperhand Puppet Theater
There may be more additions in the next month, so keep posted! Artisan Applications are now available online If you are interested in having an artisan booth at this year’s festival, please visit www.ocracokealive.org/artisan-application.html and submit your application today! The deadline for Ocrafolk Festival Artisan applications is March 15.
Ocrafolk Festival PreOrders ~ A Perfect Valentine Gift for that Ocrafolk Fan! Avoid Waiting in Line in June! February is also the month of early ticket sales and festival packages! These are now available for purchase online. Pre-order your tickets as a gift for yourself or as a great surprise for your Valentine!
Avoid the dreaded Ocrafolk Festival Moment . . . you rush to the merchandise booth to secure your T-shirt and mug with the fabulous new design, and wrestling your way to the front, you discover that the last has just been sold!
1. Pre-order online 2. We will contact you when we have finalized shirt and mug styles so that you may pick our your preference. 3. You will choose if you want to pick up your items at the festival or have them shipped.
That way you just pop off the ferry, don your shirt and button, and you are ready to strut the festival grounds!
2017 Arts Partnership & Arts Week: The Black Squall Production This year’s Arts Week and Arts Partnership aims to integrate the arts and Ocracoke Island history. The activities and classes with these two programs will culminate in a student community performance of The Tale of the Black Squall at 7 PM on Thursday, April 13 at the school gym. Both the Arts Partnership and Arts Week will include elements of performing arts from juggling and steel drums, to singing and tumbling. Each group of students, will have opportunities to showcase what they have learned as part of a retelling of this fascinating Ocracoke story.
The Tale of the Black Squall When the Black Squall wrecked off of Ocracoke Island in April of 1861, the storm washed ashore the remenents of a circus troupe, including giant tents, silk ribbons, dancing ponies, and a menagerie of animals. Walter Howard wrote an account of this wreck in the 1950s, as he learned it from Old Kade Williams, who was 17 in 1861. Nixon’s Circus, sometimes called Nixon’s Royal Circus and Menagerie of Living Animals, was en route from a performance in Havana, Cuba to Philadelphia, when it encountered a terrible storm. According to Old Kade in Walter's story: “Well the beach was strowed with animals from Lord knows where. Tigers, lions, bears, and there was one there whose neck was longer than his body.” “That was all kinds of things that washed up on the beach. Even to bales of hay and fodder. They had that for the animals, I guess. “Silks and satins, and costumes by the hundreds. The purtiest you ever seed. “Tents, I’ll bet there was a thousand of ‘em. The men folks made sails for their boats out of them and one big tent I remember they put that up out on the beach hills and held a camp meeting in it." To read more on the account and Walter Howard's story, visit Philip Howard's 2007 blog on the story at www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072507.htm
Student Activities and Opportunities for Involvement The Tale of the Black Squall will offer a variety of opportunities for the students of Ocracoke. Visiting instructors will be working with different classes on show elements. Skills will include Ocracoke activities like Squaredancing and Fig Cake Baking, as well as group movement and dance, circus poster design, circus arts (tumbling, clowning, and juggling), and music on steel drums and percussion. Middle School and High School students will also have opportunities to learn about set construction and design, lighting and sound, stage managing, and will be able to to participate as members of production teams that will be working towards the final week. Although 11th & 12th graders will be traveling during Arts Week, they will still be able to participate in the Arts Partnership programs leading up through April.
Upcoming Events January 1-March 15 ~ Ocrafolk Festival Artisan Application open. February 1-April 7 ~ Arts Partnership April 10-14 ~ Arts Week April 13, 7 PM (Thursday) ~ The Tale of the Black Squall at Ocracoke School.
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
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.
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!
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!
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!
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)
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!
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
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!)
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
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
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
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.
Village Craftsmen on Howard St. as seen from Fiddler Dave's back porch.
Fallen branches and flooded debris from Ocracoke village take up half of the Lifeguard Beach Parking Lot
