Bob Eddy | First Light Studios

We couldn’t have asked for a better day – the weather was picture-perfect, the music was superb, the food was delicious, and the exuberant atmosphere pervaded every corner of the festival.Thanks to all our loyal patrons who attended and brought along family members and friends for their first New World Festival experience. Thanks to the scores of volunteers who helped create the welcoming, friendly atmosphere. Thanks to incredibly talented musicians who included the Festival in their busy schedules; the music couldn’t have been better! Thanks to food vendors and artisans who added so much to the day.We welcome feedback and encourage you to post photos, videos and comments on your own Facebook pages.

For those of you who loved the performances by De Temps Antan, you can order tickets to their March 9 performance at Chandler online or by calling the Chandler box office at 802-728-6464 between 3 & 6 PM weekdays!

It was a grand 20th anniversary celebration and we look forward to September 1, 2013! Save the date!

Download your official New World Festival program right here

Bob Eddy | First Light Studios

Chandler’s New World Festival, a beloved annual music and dance tradition since 1993, celebrates its 20th anniversary year on Sunday September 2 with a mix of old favorites from the festival’s first year and new bands who are appearing at the festival for the first time.

This 12-hour event on Labor Day Sunday, celebrates the region’s Celtic and French Canadian musical traditions brought to northern New England by English, Scottish, Irish and French-Canadian immigrants. It has earned a reputation as one of the finest traditional music events in Vermont and once again, has been designated as a Top Ten Fall Event by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Nearly 75 of the best regional and international musicians play concerts on six all-weather stages, offer workshops, participate in dance bands, and share tunes and traditions at this family-friendly festival.

The Clayfoot Strutters, Wind That Shakes the Barley, Claude Méthé and Dana Whittle (Mil), Roberts & Barrand, Sarah Blair, and John and Deb Drury are musicians featured on the 1993 roster returning to the festival this year. De Temps Antan, the Nuala Kennedy Trio, Elixir, and The Fretless are on the line-up for the first time.

The New World Festival has been a great showcase for French Canadian music and dance and has been a driving force in the growing popularity of this exuberant musical heritage. De Temps Antan, Rapetipetam, Mil, and Méthé, Savoie-Levac, Chartrand & Babineau represent this vibrant musical tradition at this year’s festival.

The Nuala Kennedy Trio headlines the Celtic portion of the festival. National Heritage Fellow Norman Kennedy will share songs and stories learned while growing up in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Dominique Dodge offers Celtic harp and singing. The perennially popular band, Cantrip, returns for another round of performances sure to bring the house down.

From 7 – 10 PM, the festival’s sixth stage in Chandler’s upper gallery will be transformed into a pub with acoustic performances of old Vermont songs by Pete Sutherland, Keith Murphy and Tony Barrand; and performances by Wind That Shakes the Barley and Roberts & Barrand. Beer and wine will be for sale.

Contradancing and freestyle dancing close out the dance tent at the festival’s end. Reduced prices are offered after 6 PM.

Affordable student and children’s ticket prices ($11/$5, free for under age 2) and an array of creative activities in the children’s tent, including storytelling by Jennings & Ponder and performances by the No Strings Marionette Company, make the festival family-friendly. An array of food and drink offerings from local organizations and caterers will satisfy diverse appetites.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the New World Festival, we’re creating a one-of-a-kind commemorative quilt for this year’s celebration on Sunday September 2, 2012. Our goal is to raise enough money from the sale of raffle tickets to purchase the Festival’s own dance floor.

We hope that the quilt squares created for this project are as diverse as the people that love the festival, and that each reflects its joy and vibrancy. We’d love to receive squares from musicians, dancers, patrons, and festival volunteers, and we encourage everyone to spread the word about this project. Perhaps we’ll even have enough for two quilts!

All squares should be constructed of washable materials. Traditional and not-so-traditional quilting, appliqué, paper piecing, and fabric painting are all acceptable submissions. The size of the quilt will be dependent upon the number of squares received.

Each square should be 10.5 inches. With allowances for quarter-inch seams, the finished squares will be ten inches. Finished squares should be submitted to Chandler by April 30 at 71-73 Main Street, Randolph, Vermont 05060.

You have been an important part of the Festival’s long and distinguished history. Even if you aren’t able to contribute to this effort, please think about forwarding information about the project to someone who might be interested.

Thank you, one and all, for a great festival! Coming together in celebration of these great musical traditions was especially important in the aftermath of the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Irene.  As one dedicated festival patron put it, “There’s nothing like music to re-infuse one’s soul.” More than $200 was raised at the festival for flood relief in Vermont.

The winners of the drawing for a free pass to next year’s festival are Ben Smith, Danielle Pepin and Anne Lambert.

See you next year!

Tim Calabro | First Light Studios