On Sunday, August 29, more than 120 artisans, musicians, crafters, and more will converge on the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus in Lehman for the 26th Annual Arts at Hayfield Summer Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the campus grounds.
Featuring blues music by Teddy Young and the Aces, folk sounds of Just Us, cultural new wave music by Tribal Waves, Irish folk music by Donegal Weavers, and belly dancer Carrey Mudlock, both local and regional performers will take to the stage starting at 11:30 a.m.
This year marks Hayfield's Centennial and, in addition to tours of Hayfield House, a special DVD will be available for the first time for purchase at the festival. The DVD is a walk back in time that lets the viewer stroll the pastures and home of John N. Conyngham II through photographs and interview with those who grew up with and experienced life at Hayfield Farm. Proceeds from the sale will benefit community arts programs, a scholarship, and a restoration fund for Hayfield House.
The day's events will also include views through the campus' Meade telescope in the Friedman Observatory, and demonstrations including blacksmith, pottery making, painting, wood carving, wheat weaving, Wycinanki (Polish paper-cutting art), jewelry making, and children's crafts. In addition, Back Mountain Youth Theater/Lake-Lehman Theater Production, under the direction of Gina Major, will present hits of musical theater.
A requested $2 donation for adults supports an annual achievement award to an arts-oriented Penn State Wilkes-Barre student, donations to public performances offered by the FM Kirby Center, Misericordia University, the Fine Arts Musical Program at the Shavertown United Methodist Church and to Great Books at Penn State Wilkes-Barre as well as occasional support for arts-oriented projects at local libraries and programs at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
In conjunction with the Summer Festival, the Third Annual Pump and Five Kilometer Run Contest will be held at the campus beginning at 9 a.m. Participants will weigh in at 9 a.m. and begin with the bench press portion of the competition. Depending on the amount of successful bench presses a contestant completes, time will be deducted from their running time. Awards will be given to the overall top two male and female finishers, with additional prizes available for the top male and female runner.
For more information, contact Summer Festival Chair Janis Winter at 570-675-9232 or [email protected] or visit the Arts at Hayfield Web site: www.artsathayfield.org.