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HemlockFest 2009
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 to help us to continue to raise public awareness of the Hemlock problem and promote action; provide ongoing support for the efforts of all three labs in Georgia that raise predatory beetles to combat the HWA on public land; assist private land owners and public agencies in managing the health of their Hemlock trees; and facilitate other projects that benefit north Georgia, Lumpkin County, its residents and visitors.  Three labs in Georgia currently in need of support are: one at the University of Georgia, another at Young Harris College, and the newest one at North Georgia College and State University.  

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 after expenses were $20,513, of which $10,000 was distributed to the beetle labs at North Georgia and Young Harris in early 2009; UGA indicated their budget was currently adequate to cover their needs.  $2,000 more was used in 2009 for the Private Landowners Assistance Team program to help private property owners in Lumpkin County manage the health of their Hemlocks.

Highlights of HemlockFest 2009

Results of HemlockFest 2009 will be posted here as soon as they're available.

Dates:        November 6th, 7th, & 8th of 2009

Place:         Starbridge

Tickets:     Available in advance on-line, at Shenanigans Irish Pub in Dahlonega, or by mail. 
                    Also at the gate during the festival.

Preview:   Great music, food, and fun for the whole family. 

Purpose:  To help preserve our beautiful forests.  All donations/proceeds from the festival will go toward advancing the Hemlocks' defense against the woolly adelgid.

Help:         Sponsors, volunteers, and specific items are needed.

Info:           See below for more festival information.

Location

Starbridge Farm
326 Starbridge Rd.
Murrayville, GA 30564

Click here for Maps and Directions.

Tickets

Preview of Bands and Activities

Emerald Rose Photo by Fox Gradin

Bands -- FireDance, as well as music from genres such as singer-songwriter, folk, blue/newgrass, blues, classic oldies, Celtic rock, and jam bands

Click on HemlockFest Bands for a three-day schedule of bands with photos and links.

Activities --

• Primitive camping -- please reserve early!

• Knife throwing and archery

• Canoeing, fishing, and pond discovery on Lake Merlin

• Arts and crafts demonstrations

• Interactive presentations and exhibits, including live birds of prey

• Hemlock information booths and programs with top hemlock experts on hand to answer questions

• Medicine wheel walks, morning bird walks, plant walks, and interpretive nature walks

• Birds of prey demo and live snake and furs & skulls demo

• Silver smith demo

• Silent auction

• Putt-putt frisbee golf

• Story-telling, face painting, rock painting, and lots of other kid-friendly activities

• Puppet parade themed around the fierce battle between the heroic hemlocks and the wicked woolly adelgids

• Lots of musical entertainment, including fire dancing and after-hours acoustic jam

• NEW THIS YEAR -- an entertaining and educational Kids' Nature Village; great for kids of all ages!

Click on HemlockFest Activities for a three-day schedule of special programs as well as detailed lists of exhibits, demonstrations, and ongoing activities.

Vending --

Click here for more on Vendors.

Preserving our Beautiful Forests

The eastern and Carolina hemlock trees are dying due to a spreading infestation of the Hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect native to Asia.  Hemlock stands are among the only old growth forests in the east and are of great importance to wildlife, water quality, economy, and basic quality of life. The Lumpkin Coalition's goal in sponsoring HemlockFest is to raise money to help support Georgia laboratories raising several types of predator beetles to help control woolly adelgid populations in our national forests.

Research has shown that these beetles prey only on adelgids and, used as part of a complex of controls, may hold promise for establishing a long-term, natural predator-prey balance similar to that which exists in Asia.

How You Can Help

We need sponsors, volunteers, and donations!

Sponsors -- The Lumpkin Coalition is  100% volunteer 501(c)3 organization with no paid officers or staff members, and we are continually seeking sponsors for HemlockFest.  You can read about the Sponsorship Program and see who some of our sponsors are on the Sponsors page.  And if you'd like to help, please visit the Donations page or Contact Us with questions.

Volunteers -- If you would like information about the wide variety of volunteer opportunities, please visit the HemlockFest Volunteer page.

Silent Auction -- Each year the Silent Auction has raised a significant portion of the funds that we donate toward saving the Hemlock trees.  Local and surrounding businesses (near and far) are invited to donate Silent Auction items of any size and stature.  Be sure to include your business information with your item for display purposes, along with the item's value and a mailing address so we can send a tax recognition form to you.  For more information, please visit the Vendors page.

Materials Needed -- Each year we have need of some specific items and materials for HemlockFest.  A list is posted here several weeks in advance of each festival. 

More Information

Please visit the HemlockFest Information page for more on activities, facilities, what to bring, what to expect, and how best to enjoy this wonderful fall festival.

Experts will be speaking on the Hemlock issue and available to answer your questions throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

Come on out, bring your families and friends to hear the great music, eat wonderful food, take part in the fun activities, and enjoy the fall colors.

Learn what you can do to save your Hemlock trees.

For more information:

e-mail info@lumpkincoalition.org

or call Forest Hilyer at 706-864-9003

Please visit www.myspace.com/hemlockfest for a different look at the festival. 

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©Lumpkin Coalition 2008, 2009.