“As a community grows, it is especially important that it not lose sight of its historical, cultural, and natural resources.”

Pictured: Indian Dancer and Akwaabe Dance and Drum Ensemble

Celebrating Tradition, Past and Present

The Seacoast’s “favorite international block party” was a celebration of the arts, culture, history, and community spirit. Each year, the Newmarket Heritage Festival (1998-2015) brought the town together, in the shadow of the old stone mills, to honor the rich diversity of tradition that defines this New England mill town. It’s a diversity that makes for a proud heritage—and a great party!

The Heritage Festival planning committee, a hardworking team of two dozen volunteers, spent an entire year planning the event, which grew from a one-tent festival to a full weekend of multi-cultural music and dance performances, artisans at work, participatory workshops and demonstrations, hands-on children’s activities, a busy waterfront venue, fine arts and craft vendors, delicious food, and lots more.

Produced by the NMSC, with support from the NH State Council on the Arts and others, the festival was recognized as one of the best cultural events in the state. Across the years, the festival had a big cumulative impact, raising roughly $200,000 from local sponsors and welcoming thousands of festival goers from around the seacoast region and beyond.

Highlights from 1998 – 2015

The Seacoast’s favorite international block party

Music

The line-up of multicultural performances was a changing menu that included African drumming and Irish dancing, Bavarian oompah music and traditional Chinese diabolo spinning. There were dueling dulcimers, doo-wop harmonies, Israeli dancers, and Japanese Taiko drummers.

Arts

Artisans at work—craftspeople dedicated to the old ways—shared their love of tradition. Demonstrations included wildfowl carving, blacksmithing, weaving, an 18th-century printing press, the art of Chinese knot tying, Windsor chair making, timber framing, violin making, and more.

Culture

The festival celebrated culture both past and present. Former millworkers, proud of their Polish heritage, took to the stage to share their stories. Tours of the then-empty mill buildings always sold out. Performances by children from local Laotian and Indian communities were a crowd favorite.

Keepers of the Heritage

Each year, the Heritage Festival planning committee named a Keeper of the Heritage. The presentation, made during the Friday night opening ceremonies, was 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.”

1998: Sylvia Fitts Getchell* & Forbes Getchell

1999: Handtub Association

2000: Richard Schanda* & Priscilla Schanda

2001: Judy Ryan

2002: Isabel Donovan*

2003: Nick Popov*

2004: Michael Provost

2005: Jennie & George Griswold*

2006: Karl Gilbert*

2007: David LeGault & Ethel MacIntosh*

2008: Wilfred “Tidoe” Beaulieu*

2009: Suki Casanave