Folk, fiddles and flutes highlight second Festival of Wood

If a woodchuck could chuck... MILFORD - Musical offerings at this year’s Festival of Wood on Aug. 12-13, 2006 will include a bit of folk, fiddling and flutes. In addition to the music, the two-day event at Grey Towers National Historic Site includes a variety of activities including handmade wood crafts, children’s activities, exhibits and demonstrations, workshops and much more. All activities illustrate the use of wood and most are free. The headliner musical event is planned for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, in the outdoor amphitheater, and will feature the French Canadian folk band “Matapat.” With a sound system donated by Altec Lansing, the music is sure to be “cosmopolitan in its spirit and its inspiration, passionate, versatile, and full-blooded.” This cross-cultural musical blend is undeniably French Canadian, and it reflects influences from a diverse spectrum of musical traditions and cultures. It expends the soul and spirit of folk music in new and exciting directions. The audience is sure to catch the infectious energy, as Matapat’s members journey into the soul of French Canadian, using folk music as a base for innovation, fun and fusion. Upbeat rhythms and infectious melodies join together to deliver a cutting-edge multicultural experience where high octane jigs and reels ignite clapping, toe-tapping, and step dancing. A $10 donation is suggested for the evening “Matapat” concert in the amphitheater. Other Festival of Wood musical events are free and include: •The River Gap Recorders Consort (Saturday 12-1 p.m. ): This music, generated by the only instrument that is completely made out of wood, literally spans the ages from medieval and Renaissance to modern and contemporary. •Bill Frye, strolling guitar player (Saturday, 2-4 p.m.): You’ll want to sing along with this strolling troubadour as her performs some favorite wood-related tunes, such as “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” and “Norwegian Wood.” •Native American flutist Little Bear (Sunday, 3-4 p.m.): Kids and adults alike will feel more connected to the Earth after listening to Little Bear and his flute. •The Lost Ramblers (Sunday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.): These guys really do ramble around with their banjos, guitars and fiddles. Bring your own for a bit of one-on-one from 11-12, or listen to them pluck and pick the afternoon away. More weekend activities include: •Mansion Open House: Visitors can see and learn about the first and second floors of Grey Towers, ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot, founder and first chief of the US Forest Service and two-term Governor of Pennsylvania ($4 fee; under 12 free). •Wood games & activities for children: building bluebird boxes, sponsored by Gifford Pinchot Audubon Society; Forestry Trail hike; reading tree rings; Lincoln logs; creature crafts; tree “cookies” and more. •Educational exhibits and demonstrations: wood in building; wood and tree ID; American Chestnut Foundation and more. • Handmade wood crafts, sales, demonstrations: beautiful and unique wood crafts, including furniture, mirrors, home décor, wood-turned bowls and more, sponsored by the Pocono Arts Council. •Refreshments, provided by Milford Fire Dept.& Pike County Area Agency on Aging, for a nominal fee. •Stilt walkers: wood nymphs walking tall, really tall, on their wooden stilts. •Special appearance: Forest Service icons Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl. •Films and videos: An assortment of films that explore various aspects of forestry and our use of wood. •Exhibit: Gifford Pinchot was a great outdoorsman and had numerous “toys” to play with! See this historic exhibit illustrating “Wood in Recreation.” •Demonstrations: See for yourself how we get “From Logs to Lumber” with this portable sawmill demonstration. Also, watch as antique wooden spinning wheels turn wool into fine thread. •Conservation & the Arts Workshops: “See the Forest Through the Trees:” Learn landscape painting and conservation field journaling techniques and hone your observation skills. The festival hours are Saturday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. , 5:30 p.m. Matapat concert and Sunday, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information call 570-296-9630, e-mail greytowers@fs.fed.us or visit the Web site at www.fs.fed.us/gt.