The following was submitted to the Gloucester Daily Times and The Cape Ann Beacon:
Rockport’s annual Motif No.1 Day Festival & 5K on May 17th was a blast, as hundreds of runners participating in the 5K started off under cloudy skies in cool conditions before the sun broke out late morning. After the race, the festivities began, and Rockport residents and visitors enjoyed a celebration across the arts, with activities ranging from Rockport Music’s Instrument Petting Zoo” to aerial dance performed by the Fight or Flight Theater Company
Motif No.1 Day featured incredible live music throughout downtown, poetry readings, activities for kids (sidewalk chalk art, a scavenger hunt, book-making, working with clay) and The Red Shed Film Festival, with delicious grilled food from Wally’s Blackburn Bistro and soda from Rockport’s own Twin Lights. Festival-goers dined outside in Harvey Park, with the Motif itself as a backdrop just across the water, before heading into the tent to screen short films submitted by local filmmakers.
Rockport Festivals, the organization of volunteers behind the Motif No.1 Day Festival, would like to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals who volunteered their time as well as businesses and community groups who made the festival possible. Thank you to Erin Canniff and Phil Whitley, teachers at Rockport Elementary School, who organized an incredible 5K and Fun Run and raised funds for Rockport Public Schools wellness programs.
Brothers’ Brew Coffee Shop, Granite Savings Bank and Rockport Music sponsored a roster of special performances at the festival. The Rockport Art Association hosted the poetry reading “Words Before Dinner” and Bean & Leaf Cafe sponsored the Scavenger Hunt. A big thanks to Granite Vision Film Productions and The Film Detective for co-producing the film festival, with Kylie Alexander on graphics.
A special thanks to the hardworking business owners who contributed to general festival programming: La Provence, Lula’s Pantry, Cleaves Insurance, Pleasant Street Inn, The Inn on Cove Hill, The Tuck Inn B&B, The Seafarer Inn, Bearskin Neck Leathers, Michele Herlihy of Boatgate Studios, House of Glass, Bullseye Books, James Russell Metalsmiths, John Tarr Store, The Paper Mermaid, The Pewter Shop. We are grateful to graphic designer Darren Mason for his incredible design work for the festival. Finally, we want to thank artist Lawrence Martin-Bittman, this year’s featured artist on the 2014 commemorative poster. He is represented by fellow artists Stefan Mierz and Kathleen Miller, owners of the Art Nook on Bearskin Neck and we hope that festival-goers carry on the Motif No.1 Day spirit and head to the Art Nook to see Mr. Bittman’s vibrant work in person.
It has been gratifying and exciting to see what the community of Rockport (whether as visitors or residents) can create by coming together to celebrate Rockport’s Motif No.1, and we’re already looking forward to next year (as soon as we take a little break that is…).
Sincerely,
Sarah Kelly
On behalf of Rockport Festivals: Tim & Jen Keough, Mary Zivcovic, Heather Atwood, Sandra Farrell, Eric Wilson, Ross Brackett, Geof & Celene Lyon, Stephanie Woolf, Darren Mason, Christine Bobek, Erin Canniff
