Fall Family Festival featuring Traditional Drummers' Summit

ROCKLAND TRADITIONAL DRUMMERS’ SUMMIT TO HIGHLIGHT FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL AT
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY
 
Celebrate the region's best craft tradition at the Fall Family Festival on the grounds of the Historical Society of Rockland County, Sunday, October 2nd  from 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.  Step inside the historic 1832 Jacob Blauvelt farmhouse and learn about life in 19th century Rockland County.  Costumed docents will demonstrate chores and delights of 19th Century farm life.  The house will be open for guided tours all afternoon.  The Blauvelt barn has been recently restored and will feature the Society’s outstanding collection of local farm equipment.  Children can write with a quill pen, make a stencil and more. 
 
This year's event even features a musical festival-within-a-festival:  a Drummers’ Summit.  The Drummers’ Summit includes demonstrations of rhythms and related dance forms across three Rockland-based ethnic traditions:  West African (Ghanaian), Haitian, and Puerto Rican. Invited musicians this year (line up may be subject to change) include NEA National Heritage Award-winning Haitian drummer Frisner Augustin and members of La Troupe Makandal; Ghanaian drummer Jerry Dzokoto’s students Christian Kutte and Morgan Greenstreet from Suffern’s Chiku Awali African Dance and Drum Company; and Puerto Rican conguero Danny Del Valle of the Rockland-based folk ensemble Brisa Tropical. Consultant folklorist Eileen Condon will serve as host and emcee.  The Drummers’ Summit has been made possible by public funding from the NY State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Also featured will be a public sale of surplus tools and other items from the barn, and books from the society’s library of local history.  Among other items for sale will be folk-life toys, publications relating to life in Rockland County and historical maps.  All prooceeds of this sale will be used solely for the care of the Society’s collection of local artifacts and documents.
 
The Fall Festival will also be the grand finale of the Ghost Army Exhibit, due to close October 16, 2011.  It tells the story of a group of young army artists, Rockland residents included, who helped win World War II by using their artistic skills to simulate military facilities such as air bases and tank columns where none really existed in order to divert the enemy from actual allied plans and forces.
 
Reservations are not required.  Entry fees are $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. Parking is free.  The festival takes place at The Historical Society of Rockland County, 20 Zukor Road,  New City, NY.  For more information, call the Historical Society at 845-634-9629 or visit www.rocklandhistory.org.