HemlockFest

HemlockFest 2009 will be held Friday - Sunday, November 6 - 8.

HemlockFest is an annual benefit music festival, held the first full weekend of November, to increase public awareness and generate funds to help save the Eastern and Carolina Hemlock trees. Funds raised each year are used for support of the Georgia laboratories rearing adelgid-devouring beetles, education and research on the HWA problem, and assisting businesses and homeowners to protect Hemlocks on their private property. Three labs in Georgia are currently in need of support: one at the University of Georgia, another at Young Harris College, and the newest one at North Georgia College and State University.

Our efforts in 2006 largely contributed to the establishment of the predator beetle-rearing lab at the University of Georgia (opened March 2007). The Young Harris lab has done a fantastic job from a small facility and is expanding its operation. And the lab at NGCSU has already released almost 50,000 beetles into local forests. Lumpkin Coalition continues to support the work of these labs and encourages you to join in the effort. Updates from the labs are posted on our Save the Hemlocks page.

As information about HemlockFest 2009 becomes available, it will be posted here.
Information from last year's festival is below for your reference.

Snapshot: 4th Annual HemlockFest a Great Success!!!

HemlockFest 2008, held on November 7-9 at Starbridge Farm just outside of Dahlonega, was a wonderful experience for everyone who participated. Even though the weekend started with a bit of rain and the economy was -- well, you know all about that! -- there was an amazing spirit of fun, camaraderie, enjoyment of a beautiful place, and charity toward the cause of helping the Hemlocks. Here are the highlights.

Highlights of HemlockFest 2008

3 days of good music, good food, and good fun for a great cause
1,570 estimated attendance
24 bands providing entertainment for over 30 hours
10 different kinds of special programs and activities
25 exhibits, demonstrations, and free-style family-style activities
9 food & beverage vendors
32 arts & crafts vendors
42 sponsors making monetary donations and 23 sponsors making gifts in kind
99 items donated to Silent Auction by 86 businesses and individuals
50 hemlock saplings adopted for donations
181 volunteers working before, during, and after festival
With overall festival income of $39,583, net festival proceeds were $20,513, of which $10,000 has already been distributed to the beetle labs at North Georgia and Young Harris; UGA indicated their budget is currently adequate to cover their needs.

The Whole Picture: HemlockFest 2008

If you happened to miss HemlockFest 2008 and want to know more (or if you were there and want to savor the memories), the sections that follow will give you the whole picture! We're already planning HemlockFest 2009, so please mark your calendar and save the first full weekend of November!