Folklife Center 30th Anniversary Festival

In City Park, the Folklife Center celebrated its 30 year Anniversary from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday, July 25th. Live music played at the Bandstand as people sat and listened, content to enjoy the summer day surrounded by friends and neighbors… Artisans explained their crafts, and food trucks set up along Maple Street. 

The lawn at City park was dappled with bear sculptures made by Peter Winters Bears and Signs and artisans setup under white tents to show and explain their crafts. Carrie Hill of the Akwesane Mohawk Territory was on hand to explain Black Ash and Sweet Grass Basket Making – she teaches her own classes, performs demonstrations, and even offers restoration services. 

“I got an invitation from Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) to attend. So I worked with them a few times and they thought that I would be a good fit for this event… I’m showing and explaining basket making. This is a traditional art form that has been in my family for many many many generations,” Carrie said. 

TAUNY is a nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing the folk culture and living traditions of New York’s North County. This organization collects, preserves, interprets and presents the customs and traditions of the Mohawk River from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to Lake Champlain, including the Adirondack Mountains.

Rickele Lomax and Amy Hughes, both librarians in the children’s department of Crandall Library, were on hand to help with events for children: “We have fun activities for children to do along with the Folklife Festival,” Rickele said. 

The Folklife Center partnered with New York Folklore of Schenectady and Traditional Arts in Upstate New York of Canton to organize the event. Friends of Crandall Public Library donated additional funds.