Pittsboro, NC – Folks may head out to The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance to see Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, or Béla Fleck, or to camp out with old friends, but one of the lesser-known and yet most impressive aspects of the event is its family-centered feel. The festival is a rich, interactive experience for children of all ages, with several special activities for kids and their families throughout all four days. Near the heart of the festival grounds is the Kid’s Zone. Hands-on art projects, performances, group activities, story-telling, face painting, a crafts bazaar, and a Sunday afternoon parade are just a few of the possible activities!
Camping families can choose to settle down in the quiet camping area, a peaceful cove that lets folks get some shut-eye after a busy day. Youth tickets (ages 13-15) are available at a reduced price, and kids 12 and under get in free. All of this a pretty great deal for a family vacation in this tough economy.
Here is just a quick selection (taken from the festival program) of some of the things going on in the heart of the festival grounds this October. See specific schedules and more info at: http://shakorihillsgrassroots.org/happenings/kids-family
Seedlings & Sprouts
An area especially designed for families with children age 10 and under. This Fall, look forward to Wonderful Worms, poi dance, tie dye, water science, building, leaf changing wands, pumpkins, hoop craft, and so much more! Come to story-time, play in the sand pile or grab a make-and-take craft to go. Kids Tent: Thursday 4:30-7pm; Friday 9am-7pm; Saturday 9am-7pm; Sunday 9am-4pm
The Paperhand Band: The Paperhand Band features magical musical adventures that originate in Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s giant puppet shows. The music is driven by strong rhythmic pulses that blend a textured mix of traditional sounds like the banjo and kora (African harp) to piano and electric guitar, cello and bass. Let your imagination go on a wild ride as this extraordinary award-winning group produces sounds and grooves to inspire all ages. Puppets will be present! Cabaret Tent, Sunday 12:30pm
Stories with Alex Weiss & Li-Lan Hsiang: Alex Weiss & Li-Lan Hsiang Weiss (Señor Blanco y La Chinita) share multi-cultural music and storiesŠLets go on a journey! We are boarding the boat, your passports please! This is a participatory event for children of ALL ages. Cabaret Tent, Saturday 10am
Sandbox: Sandbox is a five-piece kids and family music band from the Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill area. They play rockin’ rootsy music for children of all ages – songs that moms and dads will enjoy as much as the kids! Their live shows mix timeless traditional songs (with their own twist) and their own original kids’ music. Sandbox sings about food, dreams, family and friendship. Four vocal leads, loads of humor and harmony, rockin’ guitars, swinging bass and twangy mandolin and dobro make a great formula for fun! Cabaret Tent, Saturday 12:30pm
Mother Goose & Musical Friends: Mother Goose and her talented friends return to share fun, love and music from Dr. Laura Janelle Royster’s “I Feel Better With Music!,” a wellness program designed for preschoolers and their parents. Diali Keba Cissokho again joins her unique combination of musicians to both relax and energize you with fun songs and dance movement. Mother Goose brings musical instruments and bubbles to share, so everyone can participate-come play, sing, dance and blow your troubles away!! Cabaret Tent, Friday 12:45pm
Children’s Poi Workshop: Join Albert and Friends and make your own Poi. Then stick around and learn some basic moves with them to music. Poi refers to both a performance art and the tools used for it. Poi are tethered weights swung through a variety of rhythmical and geometrical patterns. Kids Tent, Friday 12 noon & Saturday 9am
Kids’ Arts & Crafts Bazaar: Calling all crafters 15 and under and shoppers of all ages! Spread out your blanket and sell your own hand-made arts and crafts. Check at the Kids Tent for rules and information. Near the Kids Tent, Saturday 3-5pm & Sunday 11am-1pm.
Wonders of Water: Join Casey for this fantastic voyage in water science exploration: refraction, consistency of liquids, does-it-float, tin foil boats, wine cork frogs and much more! Ages 5-10. Kids Tent, Friday 1:30pm
Jammin’ Baby: Are you ready for some good-time baby groovin’? Jammin’ Baby is a licensed provider of Music Together, an internationally recognized program that has been providing early childhood music education programs for children 0-5 years old for more than 20 years. Jammin’ Baby provides a culturally diverse musical experience for the entire family through singing, dancing and instrument-play to music from around the world. This is truly an experience for you and your child to enjoy. Cabaret Tent, Saturday, 11am
Pumpkin Carving & NC Tales: A favorite fall past-time now comes to Shakori Hill, thanks to popular demand. We’ll provide pumpkins, candles and tools, or you can bring your own. Pumpkins will be displayed at the Kids Tent. Then stick around and join in on our North Carolina Tales Family Story Time with Suz. Kids Tent, Friday 5pm.
Treemendous Trees: Join Grand Trees of Chatham to get to know some the TREEmendous trees here at Shakori Hills! We will create a tree journal out of recycled materials and then head out to meet some of the native trees. We will investigate leaves, bark and habitat, plus we’ll make “rubbings” in our journals! For ages 6 & up. Meet at the Kids Tent, Saturday 3pm
Storytelling with Louise Omoto Kessel: Louise’s stories wave humor and spirit. Rivers speak, an elderly woman sights an angel out near her backyard barbeque pit, rocks sing and a small boy helps an elderly neighbor find her lost memories. The stories reflect our experience and bring us to a feeling that we share this journey of being human together. Cabaret Tent, Friday 2:15pm
Wonderful Worms: Join the Grand Trees of Chatham for a fun afternoon learning about a tree’s best friendŠ the earthworm! We will spend some time getting to know these amazing little creatures and discover why worms and trees get along so well. We will create some worm artwork and then release our worms into the wild where they can make friends with the beautiful trees here at Shakori Hills! Open to first 20 participants, ages five and under. Meet at the Seedling Corner of the Kids Tent, Friday 10am
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There will also be Maple Sugar Cotton Candy and Face-painting in the Kids’ Area with all proceeds going toward the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center Summer Camps program. See www.shakorihills.org for details on camps.
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The Outpost
Area for young people-stop by and see what’s happening! Songwriting workshops, tie-dye making, mural painting, human foozeball & Capture the Flag, board and table games, Open Jam, Poetry Slam, teen lounge and lots more! You could even learn a thing or two. The Outpost is for people ages 10 to 18. Friday through Sunday, 11am – midnight
Capture the Flag: Come play Capture the Flag with us this weekend! Sophia Hoffer-Perkins creates a safe and supportive environment in summer camps, community play and workshops in which people can explore their identity, learn leadership, team-building and communication skills. Everyone 8-120 years old, who loves to be playful and run around, can get involved in an epic five-team game. The game can be joined every 20 minutes, as long as materials last. Everyone must sign a waiver to participate, so bring a guardian if you’re younger than 17. Meet at the Oak by The Outpost, Saturday, 4-7pm
Open Mic: Bring your best voice, instruments and friends and show us what you’ve got! Open Jam intended for young musicians only. The Outpost, Saturday 9pm
Spoken Word Workshop with Kimberly McCrae: This workshop will offer an opportunity for self- expression in the form of written and spoken poetry. We will visit social issue that is prevalent and universal in nature and offer each person an opportunity in participating and creating a “community poem” as well as an individual work of art to be later presented at the open mic. The Outpost, Saturday 7pm
Blues Songwriting Workshop: Led by Ira Planer, this workshop is geared for kids and teens. It will focus on a short history of the blues and its influence on modern music, including rap-then teach the basic structure of the music. Participants will leave the workshop with a song they have written and an opportunity to perform it at the Open Mic on Saturday evening. Ira currently works with Burris Amps and Effects Pedals, setting up community outreach programs for the company including Wake County’s first Blues in the Schools program. The Outpost, Friday 7pm
Improv Workshop: Maya Burgess has been performing for audiences in North Carolina and Virginia with Once Upon a Blueridge Theatre for five years. She has been an actress, stage manager, assistant director and has helped teach drama classes and summer camps. She is 13 years old and plans to make a career in musical theater. Come with a creative spirit, an open mind, and be ready to make a scene! The Outpost, Friday 3pm
Above Gravity: Above Gravity is an all-girl four-piece rock band from Chapel Hill who channel No Doubt, Paramore and All American Rejects. The 2010 winners of the Cat’s Cradle Orange County High School Battle of the Bands, these four young women have been entertaining audiences with their infectious stage energy and dynamic musicianship for more than five years. Friends since elementary school, the band’s line-up features a rhythm section of twins, Jewell and Katie Brey, Sarah Howard and Shannon Elliott. Even more impressive than their average age of 15 is their multi-instrumental talent. All sing, play guitar and write songs together. The Outpost, Saturday 8pm
And last, but far from leastŠ
Paperhand Puppet Intervention Parade: When the music stops on Sunday afternoon, the parade is coming through town! Dress up in your fanciest costume, don your masks, grab any noisemaker you can find and come along! Paperhand Puppet Intervention teams ups with YOU on this magical musical tour through the festival grounds. Meet at the Kids Area, Sunday 1:30pm
The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance
October 6-9: Starts Thursday at 4pm and goes until Sunday night
1439 Henderson Tanyard Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Information: www.shakorihillsgrassroots.org
Tickets: http://shakorihillsgrassroots.org/festival/tickets-info
Or by phone: 919-542-8142
