We Are All Connected: 8th Hammonassett Festival at Guilford Fairgrounds

This year’s Hammonassett Festival honors Native American heritage and nature with a special focus on Children and Families: We Are All Connected.

The Hammonassett Festival returns to the Guilford Fairgrounds this fall for two days of celebration, education and entertainment. Honoring the environment and Native American traditions, the 8th Festival will take place on Saturday, September 29, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We’ve listened to feedback about ways to enhance the experience and educational value of the Festival,” says Barbara Hanson, Festival Chair, “and we chose Children and Families: We Are All Connected as this year’s theme to complement the celebration. Children and families are at the heart of all cultures, they are the beginning and the future.”

“The gift of knowledge provided by the elders and passed down through generations of family and community is a time-honored tradition of Native American peoples”, says Darlene Kascak (Schaghticoke), Education Coordinator at The Institute for American Indian Studies. “It teaches us how to live in balance with all living things, leading us to a deeper respect for each other, ourselves and our environment.” “It is knowing that we are all connected”, adds Ms. Hanson.

Each day begins with a Native American blessing and smudging ceremony, led by Allan Saunders (Mohegan). There will be multiple appearances by our featured performers:

Erin Meeches (Schaghticoke) and the Native Nations Dance Troupe. The Native American dancers will gather in the Dance Circle to share their dances and interpretations, dressed in traditional regalia and accompanied by live singing and drumming of a Native drum group.

The Chankas of Peru who will once again share the amazing Scissors Dance, a traditional highland Andean ritual competition between two or more dancers. Each dancer will showcase his repertoire of acrobatics, gymnastics, aerial jumps, and intricate footwork.

Tchin (Narragansett), Native American storyteller, will make his Hammonassett Festival debut. Tchin is a nationally known performance artist and educator who, through the art of oral tradition, shares stories that have been passed down through generations and that will illuminate minds of all ages.

Music and song will be provided both days by Allan Madahbee (Ojibway) playing Native American flute and guitar. There will also be performances by Scott Shuffitt, playing Native American-style flutes, with Todd Secki on drum. Around the grounds, under tents and in the Butterly Building you will find an array of vendors and traders, exhibitors and educators. There will be live wildlife shows, an expanded children’s area, the ever-popular New England Atlatl Championship, and a variety of food choices.

“Come join us as we celebrate the importance of children and families”, Ms. Hanson concludes. “And how the knowledge that we are all connected can nurture hope and gratitude and strengthen our responsibilities to one another and our environment.”

Exhibitors and vendors:
Pre-registration is required. Contact: [email protected]
What: 2018 Hammonassett Festival
When: Saturday, September 29, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford, CT
Admission: Adults, $5; children under 12, free
Parking: Free on-site parking
Note: No pets or alcohol at the Fairgrounds; no ATM on premises

Find more information and schedule of events at Facebook.com/HammonassettFestival or the Friends of Hammonasset website: Hammonasset.org

The Festival is presented by the Friends of Hammonasset, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. FOH provides public environmental awareness programs, serves as advocate of Hammonasset Beach State Park, and seeks to preserve the integrity of the Park’s natural resources. The Friends of Hammonasset is affiliated with Friends of Connecticut State Parks and works in cooperation with state and local park management.
Contact information
[email protected]

Note: Variations in spelling of Hammonasset are correct and are not identical. Two “t”s are used for the Festival to reflect an older variation of the spelling.