Welcome to Friends of
Occoneechee State Park
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL For more information to come or just contact the Occoneechee State Park Office by phone (434) 374-2210 or email occoneechee@dcr.virginia.gov
OCCONEECHEENOTE:
19th ANNUAL FESTIVAL TO BE HELD AT OCCONEECHEE PARK SATURDAY, MAY 8th, 2010
**GATES OPEN AT 10:00 AM
**GRAND ENTRY AT 12:00 NOON
ADMISSION:
$5 PER ADULT, $3 KIDS 3-12, KIDS UNDER 3 ARE FREE!
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If you have never experienced the drums, the dances, the celebration and the pagentry of an actual Native American Pow-Wow, this preservation event of heritage and jubilation is a must see for young and old. Visitors will appreciate the visualization of a legacy that lived long before this country was created.
This is a non-tribal event but it includes an actual Indian Pow-Wow. Traditional non-trial dance and songs will highlight the ceremonies with lots of Native American hand crafts and merchandise for sale and plenty of food and fun.
PHOTOS FROM RECENT FESTIVALS
EASTER EGG HUNT & KID'S GAME DAY
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010
Friends of Occoneechee State Park and the Park sponsored the first Easter Field Day featuring egg hunts for children and GPS egg hunts for youth and adults. Over 200 kids and parents hopped in sack races, balanced eggs on spoons and hunted for Easter Eggs all the while being greeted and photographed with, who else, the Easter Bunny! Chief Ranger Brian Detweiler said the park hopes to make the event larger next year, hoping to make it an annual event.
Kids of all ages welcome Spring & Easter at the first Easter Field Day at Occoneechee State Park.
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The Easter Bunny hopped into a few games & spent lots of time for photos with kids.
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(Photos courtesy of Linda Timberlake)
MARK YOUR EASTER CALENDAR FOR 2011 TO CHECK FOR THE DATE OF NEXT YEAR'S EASTER FIELD DAY!
OCCONEECHEENOTE:
6th ANNUAL SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 15th & MAY 16th
NEW TIMES & SCHEDULES! DON'T MISS ANY PERFORMANCES! SAME SCHEDULE FOR BOTH DAYS!
4:30 PM til dusk
(about 8:30 PM)
ADMISSION:
$5.00 PER VEHICLE AT THE GATE - ALL PROCEEDS GO TOWARDS PARK IMPROVEMENTS!
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HEADLINERS FOR THE JAZZ FESTIVAL include: Headliners for this year's festival include: Peggy Alee, a tribute artist and impersonator of '40s and '50s jazz legend Peggy Lee; pianist, composer, recording artist and music professor Monika Herzig; and the Decatur Street Beat, a Dixieland band from Chapel Hill, N.C. Other headliners include Boo Hanks, "The Last of the Original Piedmont Blues Singers," and Gilbert Baskerville, saxophonist and smooth jazz artist. Many other professional jazz artists and several area high school jazz ensembles are scheduled or invited to the 2010 festival.
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This year's format will allow local and visiting musicians to participate in some musical workshops prior to the two weekend performances during the Jazz by the Lake Festival. The festival kicks off Saturday, May 15th at the recently renovated Occoneechee amphitheatre featuring improved lighting. The amphitheatre offers concert goers backed bench seats or festival open terrace seating. "We have people sitting on the benches, lawn chairs and blankets, even wheel chairs," remarked park manager Scott Shanklin.
Attendees not involved in the workshops can tour historic areas, shop, boat, dine or just relax in the park before the start of the two-day performances. As in previous years the festival is sponsored by the Southside Virginia Jazz Society and the Friends of Occoneechee State Park.
The founder of the festival six years ago and this year's event director, Ross LeCompte commented, "As a lifelong jazz performer I wanted to expose the local communities to the enjoyment of America's original art form..being jazz. From the gitgo, we have been pleasantly surprised at the participation of the artists, the attendance of area folks and the support of the communities."
Jazz by the Lake Festival Photos
(Courtesy Occoneechee Staff)
For more information to come or just contact the Occoneechee State Park Office by phone (434) 374-2210 or email occoneechee@dcr.virginia.gov or go to www.virginiastateparks.gov
