History & Mission
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 HISTORY: The Heritage Festival, now in its 14th year, is a celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit—rooted in a small New England mill town. The event has grown from a one-tent festival to a full weekend of multi-cultural music and dance, artisan demonstrations, historic walking tours, narrated boat tours, kayak excursions, a model railway, hands-on children’s activities, fine arts and crafts, strolling performers, vendor booths, a colonial encampment, and more. The festival is organized by a small group of dedicated volunteers, who spend all year planning for the weekend. Known as the Seacoast’s favorite international block party, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic mix of entertainment and activities, as well as its friendly atmosphere. We hope you enjoy this lively celebration, which takes place in the shadow of Newmarket’s historic mills, where laborers once worked so hard–and where a sense of community continues to thrive.
Keeper of the Heritage: Each year, the Heritage Festival planning committee selects a new recipient of this special award. The presentation is introduced with these words: “As a community grows, it is especially important that it not lose sight of its historical, cultural, and natural resources.” The “Keeper of the Heritage” award honors those who, “without thought of thanks, praise, or worldly reward, render outstanding service that benefits all residents of the community”–and so preserves the richness of our heritage. Past recipients include: 1998: Sylvia & Forbes Getchell MISSION: Rooted in the diversity of Newmarket’s past and present, the mission of the Newmarket Heritage Festival is to bring people together for an enriching celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit. The festival mission includes three goals: *to educate residents of the region and visitors about the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of Newmarket through performances and demonstrations of traditional arts, educational talks and tours, and hands-on learning opportunities; * to inspire young people to learn more about Newmarket’s heritage and the riches of our diverse cultural heritage through hands-on exposure to the arts, learning experiences, and performance opportunities; * to foster cooperation and collaboration among town committees, organization, businesses, and residents in an effort to educate and strengthen our community and its commitment to the value of culture and the arts. The festival is produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation (NMSC), a nonprofit group dedicated to strengthening and revitalizing the historic and cultural characteristics of the community and to preserving the legacy of Newmarket for future generations. The NMSC is a 501 (c) (3) organization and all contributions are tax deductible (Tax ID #02-0497634). |
The Newmarket Mills
The Newmarket Mills-
Mark your calendar now!
HERITAGE FESTIVAL 2012 IS IN THE WORKS! We’re putting together a fabulous line-up for this year’s event. And we hope you’ll join us in beautiful downtown Newmarket for the Seacoast’s favorite international block party–an annual celebration of the arts, culture, history and community spirit. More details to come in the months ahead. Meanwhile, mark your calendar now for Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. See you at the festival!
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Festival Farewell
IT’S A WRAP! Thanks to one and all for a fabulous 2011 Heritage Festival. Read about the weekend festivities here or here. Special thanks to our sponsors–and to everyone who came out to celebrate the arts, culture, history and community spirit at Newmarket’s international block party. See you in 2012!
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Culture Party!
FESTIVAL IN THE SPOTLIGHT! Check out this NH.com blog about the Heritage Festival. “What would a heritage festival be without a smorgasbord of cultural foods and flavors? Dig-in . . . and enjoy the great multicultural company at this year’s Newmarket Heritage Festival.
