SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH from 3PM to 9PM
6 performances of 20-30 mins
clown, theater, puppetry, circus, visual art
by six different artists or companies
audience led by ushers throughout the orchard for an immersive theater experience
+ night music event
WHERE
at LITTLETREE ORCHARD, 345 Shaffer road, Newfield, NY 14867
For the first time, the Harvest Punch Festival will come to Littletree Orchards, one of the agricultural jewels of the region. Littletree Orchards is a 60 acre family owned and operated farm serving the Tompkins County community since 1973. Their 10,000 little trees have been providing you-picking for generations. From the Littletree Orchard website – “From varieties to tree size, pruning style to pest control, general layout to hours open — all our decisions are based on providing the best possible experience to all who come out to share in the fun of picking, being in the country, communing with nature, or relaxing with friends”. https://www.littletree-orchards.com
ORIGIN
In fall 2023 due to a perfect storm of unfortunate weather, many local farms within Tompkins County experienced devastating crop loss, Littletree Orchards in particular lost 100% of their crop (the first time this has happened in the orchard’s 50 years). Because of this catastrophic happening, Littletree Orchards asked us, “The Apple Cow Lips Company”, to perform a puppet/theater/clown show on their opening weekend to encourage people to visit the beautiful grounds since they could not offer the traditional apple picking loved by all. Art could serve as a way to gather community when crops were missing. As former workers of the orchard, we have been struck by this awkward reality and inspired to manifest this one day festival and share it with the community. The theme of the “Harvest Punch Festival” (a funny play on Punch and Judy puppets, fruit punch, and ‘nature punching back and persevering’) is celebrating harvest and bounty.
ARTISTS
BLACKBIRD REDWING THEATER – AMY TROMPETTER
Redwing Blackbird Theater is a community driven, puppet theater & workshop located in Rosendale, NY. The space was created out of an old bus station, and has been converted into a theater, workshop, home, puppet museum & community meeting space. They have been creating puppets, art, music & performance in the Hudson Valley for nearly 30 years. The theater is a celebration of community and citizen driven action, and has helped work towards justice and sustainability within the United States and all over the world. They build and perform giant puppet operas, mask and puppet shows, sung banners and cranked movies, brass band and parades. They also run puppet making workshops, help stage parades and protests, show up at our congressional representatives offices, and host community celebrations. They like to work together with people of all ages and types. https://www.redwingblackbirdtheater.com
LILY PAD PUPPET THEATRE
Lilypad Puppet Theatre is a non-profit theatre based in Ithaca, NY. Our mission is to educate the general public in the art of puppetry through performances and workshops and to provide public performances of puppet theater which are accessible to all ages, and income levels, in Central NY. https://www.lilypadpuppettheatre.org
FERN HILL CIRCUS. Fern Collective is a group of multidisciplinary artists that have grown together through circus. https://www.facebook.com/people/Fern-Circus/61559510709030/
BUOYANT HEART OF BRATTLEBORO is an artists & friends collective space based in Brattleboro VT https://www.instagram.com/thebuoyantheart/
APPLECOWLIPS COMPANY creates and performs inspiring family friendly puppet and clown shows. It organizes and hosts this outdoor theater festival. It aims to create and show theater outside of its traditional venues, with encouraging affordable participation (nobody will be turned away for lack of funds) and showing how artists can create with inexpensive and recycled materials.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS
The audience will be led through the orchard to the performances by ushers, signs and a map; there will be some seating provided by way of picnic tables at certain locations, but all are encouraged to bring blankets to sit upon or be prepared to stand. There will also be a tractor wagon working as an accessibility shuttle available throughout the day for audience members with mobility issues to get to the performances.
We encourage the audience to come and see all six performances, as they will together form a sort of theatrical tapestry, but all are welcome to come for individual shows as well. Starting at 3 o’clock, there will be six 20-30 minute performances with 15 minute breaks in between to allow time for the audience to walk to the next location. Each performance is unique and will be performed one time at each location. Following the roaming performances, there will be a reception around 7:30, with musical performances beginning at 8pm. The festival will end at 9pm.
This program is made possible (in part or in full) with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the office of the Governor and NYS Legislature, administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, as well as a grant from the Tompkins Today and Tomorrow Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.
GET INVOLVED ?
Do you want to get involved in this festival ? We are looking for volunteers !