Music and More!
Back by popular demand the legendary band, the Clarks, will be the main headliner at this year’s Northern Appalachian Folk Festival Inc. After getting their start at IUP, they have been voted as one of the best rock bands in the Pittsburgh region. They will take the main stage on Saturday September 7th on the 500 block of Philadelphia Street from 8:30 pm – 10 pm. In addition to the Clarks, the Pittsburgh band Brownie Mary will perform a reunion concert on Friday September 6th from 8:30 pm -10:00 pm.
In all, the festival will include over 10 bands including Indiana local favorites Costal Remedy who will open the festival on Friday night at 5:45 pm.
https://clarksonline.com/multimedia/hiresband2018.html
In addition, the festival is set to offer educational workshops, a children’s alley, food and arts and crafts vendors, beer vendors and our third annual story telling/liars contest.
Documentary of the Closing of the Robertshaw Controls Factory Thursday night 6:30 m at the Indiana Players Theater. Prior to the Friday night festivities, a 99-minute documentary that provides an overview of the closing of the Robertshaw Controls factory which occurred in 1981 will be presented. At the time of the closing Robertshaw was the 99th largest corporation in the United States. The closing affected over 1,200 workers. This event is free and open to the general public.
Workshops - All workshops will be held at Spaghetti Restaurant Starting at 1:00 pm
This year’s workshop line-up includes a wide variety of topics. Josh Krug of the Indiana County Planning Office will discuss the Multimodal Corridor/Hoodlebug trail extension which will go into Indiana borough. In addition, he’ll discuss the Hoodlebug bike/pedestrian bridge that will extend over route 22 near Blairsville. Karin Eller of the Plant-it-Earth Greenhouse will give tips on growing garlic and the many problems to avoid. An update on the proposed injection well in Grant Township will be presented by representatives from the local group called the Hellbenders. And finally, Cindy Rogers will talk about the various uses of geocaching.
Saturday afternoon starting at 1:00 pm. Story telling/Liars Contest
This will be the third year of NAFF Inc.’s Storytelling/Liars contest. These types of contests are very popular throughout the United States. Some attract large crowds and some winners have risen to achieve national rock star status within the genre. Each contestant will be given three minutes to present a story or lie that will be evaluated by a panel of storytelling experts who will score them in the following categories: technique delivery, confidence, general stagecraft; story development, good development of the time available, originality, new material and effectiveness. The judges will also include audience response into the final evaluation process. The first-place winner will be awarded $100, the second $75 and third $50. Josh Widdowson of Renda Broadcasting was last year’s first place winner. The event will start at 2:00 pm on Saturday at the Coney Island restaurant.
The “Walk of Fame.”
Founded in 2016, the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival’s also has a “Walk of Fame.” It recognizes the important contributions made by residents of the Northern Appalachian region including and not limited to the fields of education, the environment, human rights, the arts and sports. Nominees are inducted into the “Walk of Fame” at an annual ceremony that takes place during each Northern Appalachian Folk Festival Inc. festival. The 2019 class of inductees include: Nellie Bly, John Brophy, the Hellbenders, Jim Rogers and the IUP Women’s Basketball Team.
Education: Nellie Bly
Elizabeth Cochran Seaman (May 5, 1864– January 27, 1922), better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist who was widely known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg, and an exposé in which she worked undercover to report on a mental institution from within. She was a pioneer in her field, and launched a new kind of investigative journalism. Bly was also a writer, inventor, and industrialist. Early in her life she lived in Pittsburgh and briefly attended the Indiana Normal School (now IUP).
Human Rights: John Brophy
Brophy was born in Lancashire, England to a family of miners. His family emigrated to the United States when he was nine years old and found work in the central Pennsylvania coal mines. Brophy began working in the mines at age eleven; by the age of fourteen, he had joined the UMWA. He rose within the union to become president of District 2 of the UMWA. Brophy ran against John L. Lewis for President of the UMWA in 1926 calling for nationalization of the coal industry, a 30 hour work week at the same pay as a 40 hour week and the establishment of a third national progressive political party. He lost the union election to Lewis, but most historians feel it was rigged and that Brophy probably would have won the election if the vote had been held democratically. Lewis controlled the counting of the ballots. Brophy advocated for the human rights of the miners, their families and communities. He also created a very innovative community-based education program called “Labor Chautauqua’s” that sought to educate miners and their families about democracy and the role of government.
Environment: Hellbenders
Stacy Long of the Grant Township Hellbenders group.
“Hellbender” is the name of a large salamander that is indigenous to Northern Appalachian. In the spring of 2019, it was classified as the official state salamander by the state legislature and the Governor. It is very sensitive to environmental change and water pollution. In a sense they are a canary in the coal mine. Canaries are sensitive to methane gas. Before there were mechanical gas detectors mine workers would carry the bird in cages into the mines with them. If the canary died the miners knew they could die as well. Similarly, if the hellbender dies due to water pollution humans could experience the same fate.
In 2012 residents of Grant township in northeastern Indiana County were informed that a Marcellus shale company from Erie Pa wanted to create an injection well where they would literally shoot the wastewater from Marcellus shale gas wells into the ground near their homes. Since all the residents of the township use well water, this became a major concern and created fear that the wastewater could leach in the ground and eventually pollute their water. In response they created a group that would try to stop this threat and took on the hellbender name as a symbol representing their cause. Major newspapers have written stories about the Hellbenders including the Rolling Stone Magazine. Currently the issue is unresolved.
Arts: Jim Rogers
He was employed by the Communications Media Department of IUP as a faculty advisor for WIUP-FM and taught classes in radio and photography. Volunteering at WIUP-FM for over 30 years, he primarily aired Saturday and Sunday morning radio programs which highlighted singer-song writers, folk music and bluegrass. As Special Programs Director/Community Volunteer Coordinator, he was producer/host of WIUP-FM’s Modern Troubadours (29 years), FolkTime! (34 years) and The Bluegrass Ramble (9 years). He was also director of FolkTime! Productions, Indiana Pa.
Sports: IUP Women’s Basketball
IUP women's basketball followed up its wildly successful 2017-18 season with another historic year. The Crimson Hawks won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division regular season title, the PSAC tournament championship, and another Atlantic Region crown to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. The Crimson Hawks opened the season with a 15-game win streak as they vaulted to the No. 1 team in the WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. It was the best ranking in program history for IUP, which held onto it for three weeks. IUP spent 15 of the 18 national poll releases inside the top-5, the most of any team in Division II, and finished the year at No. 4. The Crimson Hawks tied the program mark for wins in a season with a 30-4 record, including 18-3 in conference play. They went 7-1 in the postseason, blowing through the conference tournament with three wins by an average of 19.0 points per game. IUP then won three tightly-contested games in the regional tournament, including victories over No. 9 Virginia Union and No. 22 Cal U, before defeating No. 24 Azusa Pacific in the national quarterfinals. IUP head coach Tom McConnell was named PSAC West Coach of the Year, with seniors Carolyn Appleby, Lauren Wolosik and Brittany Robinson each earning all-league honors. Appleby also earned All-Atlantic Region and All-American accolades.
Children’s Alley at the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival, Inc.
Saturday September 7, 2019. Noon – 5PM.
5th & Philly Street in Indiana, PA.
Join Evergreen After School Club and the Children’s Advisory Commission’s Safe Children’s Network for an afternoon fun and games in the Children’s Alley NAFF Inc.!
FREE activities for kids ages 2-12 (approximate). Parents must remain with their children.
· Bicycle Safety Course (bring your own bikes and helmets, or borrow the ones at the course.) Tricycle riding for the younger participants.
· Face Painting
· Juggling Demo
· Appalachian Animal Crafts and Photo Op
· 4 tents of Carnival Games
· Info on how to become an Evergreen After School Club Member (at county-wide sites)
· Info on Children’s Advisory Commission of Indiana County’s Family Events: Family Fun Fest & Family Nature Palooza
Karin Eller is an f___ing psycho!