A joyful springtime celebration of the

APPALACHIAN and HAMMERED DULCIMER

held each year on the first weekend in May at
The Blacksmith House
56 Brattle St.
Harvard Square
Cambridge, MA

May 2 - 4, 2008

Featuring

Pam Weeks

and

Martin Grosswendt

NOTE: To insure a personal and positive learning environment workshop registration is limited - early registration is highly recommended.

Festival Overview

Note that all events except the Saturday evening concert take place at the CCAE Blacksmith House.

Presented in conjunction with the Folk Song Society of Greater Boston at St. John's Methodist Church, 80 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA. Click here for a map and directions from the Blacksmith House.

Friday evening 8:00 PM	Dulcimers in Concert - featuring Pam Weeks in Concert Pam is an outstanding fi ddler, Appalachian dulcimer player, singer, and tunesmith from Western Maine. Pam began playing guitar and piano during high school in NY State. After moving to Boston to attend the BU School of Music and study voice, she picked up fiddle and mountain dulcimer, became a street musician, and worked as a singing waitress. Count on her for a great and playful evening.
Saturday morning and afternoon	A DAY OF DULCIMERS and more... Absolute beginners and experienced players of Appalachian (fretted) and hammered dulcimers are invited to attend workshops taught by some of the finest players and teachers in the country at this joyful springtime event. Come for a day of dulcimer immersion or participate in a range of other musical workshops. Fretted and hammered dulcimer classes for players at all levels, plus jam sessions, singing, autoharp, guitar workshops and more. Hammered dulcimer teachers will include TBD, and Lorraine Hammond, Bennett Hammond and TBD will be teaching fretted dulcimer. Courtyard Vendors Hammered and mountain dulcimer builders and folk music vendors will be on hand with hard-to-find instruments, recordings, music, accessories and related materials throughout the day.
Saturday evening 8:00 PM	Martin Grosswendt and the Hammonds in Concert Once described by U. Utah Phillips as “a rumor in his own time,” Martin Grosswendt is a powerful singer who plays six- and twelve-string guitar, fi ve-string banjo, mandolin, fi ddle, bass, Cajun accordion, and Dobro is equally at home playing the old-time music of the Southern Appalachians, the Cajun and Creole music of Southwest Louisiana and down home blues. Lorraine, renowned master of the Appalachian dulcimer, also plays banjo and Celtic harp and is an expressive singer and songwriter. Bennett, a superb fi ngerstyle guitarist, names “the three Bs”, Bach, the blues and Buddy Holly, as major infl uences. Together they are versatile musicians and engaging entertainers. Their warm stage presence is punctuated with wry humor, and their command of their instruments and musical genres is without fl aw. The Boston Globe calls them “a dazzling, witty, eclectic, delightful duo.”
Sunday afternoon 3:00 PM	Family Concert with the Hammonds at the Brattle House Lorraine & Bennett Hammond welcome kids of all ages for this delightful annual event in Harvard Square featuring an array of traditional American instruments and lively traditional songs.  Sing along and re-connect with the magic of the acoustic world.

Saturday Workshop Schedule

• Coaches for the guided jams are skilled players and teachers
• They will keep the music harmonically simple enough for everyone to join, help beginners, and encourage experienced players to develop their skills for playing in a group
• Each jam will include playing by ear and also feature one tune with tab and notation
• Banjos, guitars, autoharps - all folk instruments welcome in these dulcimer and fiddle friendly sessions

Courtyard Vendors

• George Haggerty of Folkcraft Instruments of Wilmington, VT
• fretted dulcimer maker Jeremy Seeger will have instruments and accessories for sale

Directions

Click on the map on the left to zoom into a street map with more details. For personalized driving directions, after clicking on the map enter the address you will be coming from on the bottom of the page.

Parking (and driving) in the area can be challenging. We recommend using the University Garage on University Rd. which is a short walk from the Blacksmith House.

Get your parking ticket validated at the festival desk and parking at the University Parking Garage (only) is $6.00 after 5:00 PM Mon-Fri, and $9.00 all day Sat. and Sun.

Here are driving and walking directions from the Mass Pike exit 18 (Allston/Cambridge) to the parking garage, to the Blacksmith House:

Driving to the parking garage from the Mass Pike (Interstate 90):

1. cxit the Mass Pike and follow the ramp signs to Cambridge (not Allston)
2. cross over the Charles River on the River St. bridge
3. immediately at the end of the (short) bridge turn left onto Memorial Drive (which parallels the river)
4. at 3rd (?) traffic light rurn right onto JF Kennedy St.
5. turn left at first street (at light) onto Elliot St.
6. in a short distance at first street turn left onto Bennett St.
7. at end of 1 block long Bennett St. turn left onto University Rd. - the University Parking Garage will be just ahead on your right.

1. if you exited the garage onto University St., walk north on University a half block to Auburn St., turn left, and then a quick right onto Story St.
2. if you exited the garage onto Auburn St. then simply cross the street to Story St.
3. walk one block north on Story St. to where it ends at Brattle St.
4. turn left and in a few feet you'll be at the entrace to the Blacksmith House on your left

Additional Information

Nearby Accomodations for those travelling

• Super 8 motel in nearby Watertown Square - (617) 926-2200 - reasonable prices and convenient to both the Blacksmith House and St. John's Methodist Church (concert site)
• Days Inn, 1234 Soldiers Field Road - (617) 254-1234
• Howard Johnson's on Memorial Drive
• Suisse Chalet, 211 Concord Turnpike (Rt. 2 near Fresh Pond) - (617) 661-7800