Ocrafolk Festival Announces 2012 Performer Lineup/Invites Sponsorship

 The 13th annual Ocrafolk Festival will showcase some new and returning artists this year.

This free weekend (June 1 – 3) presented by Ocracoke Alive, celebrates music, storytelling, and artisans from the NC coastal region and beyond.  An increasing buzz about this popular event has drawn even greater visitors over the past several years.  In fact, in the February 2012 issue of the nationally distributed magazine Coastal Living, the Ocrafolk Festival was rated as one of the top fifteen island festivals in the world.

The Hyde County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melissa Joyner has noted that the festival attracts more than 2,000 people to the island.

“Everywhere we go, people know about the festival,” Joyner said.

The 2012 Ocrafolk Festival is also seeking private and business sponsorships of stages and performers, and is accepting applications for limited program advertisement.  The festival is financed solely upon donations, grants, merchandise sales and fundraising events to pay for the artists and production for the weekend.  

Interested contributors should visit the website at www.ocrafolkfestival.org and click on “Financial Sponsors” for more information, or contact the festival at info@ocrafolkfestival.org.  For an online information form visit www.ocrafolkfestival.org/files/OcrafolkFestival_Donors_E.pdf.  The press deadline for contributors for inclusion in the program is April 30.  

New performers in 2012 include Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Jacob Johnson, Lizzy Ross, Shana Tucker, The Bernie Pettaway Trio, Carolina Lightnin’, & Banjo Island.

The festival will also feature returning favorites Storyteller Donald Davis, Molasses Creek, Beleza, The Steel Wheels, L Shape Lot, The Green Grass Cloggers, Martin Garrish and the Ocracoke Rockers, Bob Zentz, Philip Howard, Lou Ann Homan, Capt. Rob Temple, The Ocrafolk Opry, Chainsaw Artist Clyde Jones, Jef the Mime, The Ocracoke Jazz Society, Rodney Kemp, Craicdown, John Golden, Aaron Caswell Band, The Ocrachicks, and the NC Marionette Theater.  

Artisans in and around the festival grounds will showcase fine arts and crafts in painting, sculpture, wood carving, jewelry, textiles and more.

For more details visit the festival website at www.ocrafolkfestival.org.

Ocracoke Alive, Inc., is a private non-profit committed to enrichment of the Ocracoke Island community through the encouraging and sponsoring cultural, artistic, educational, and environmental activities including the production of plays, musicals, musical events, exhibits, schools, workshops, and festivals.  For more information, visit the website at www.ocracokealive.org.