Councilman Mark Cuthbertson

The Town of Huntington's Annual Tulip Festival will take place this Sunday, May 1, 2016 from 11AM – 4PM in Heckscher Park in Huntington. 

The Tulip Festival, now in its sixteenth year is organized by the Town of Huntington, with Chief Festival Sponsorship support from Astoria Bank.  The free festival will have children’s activity booths and live performances on the Chapin Rainbow stage, presented courtesy of the Huntington Arts Council. 

12:00-12:45 - Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance:  “Jazzy Fairy Tales” with Louise Rogers – “Jazzy Fairy Tales” combines jazz music, storytelling and improvisational theater techniques to teach young children music, literature and social skills.  This interactive performance utilizes young children's natural ability to learn through “play.”  Swing, boogie and dance as the playfulness of jazz gives original versions of well-known fairy tales new life!  Chesky recording artist and music teacher Louise Rogers has a voice that has been described as “pure and incandescent, free of affectation or obvious influence.” (Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times).  A published author – Jazzy Fairy Tales Teacher's Manual, written with Susan Milligan (Alfred Publishing, 2011) with 2 more books slated for publication in 2015 – Louise is a leader in the field of jazz education.  Nat Hentoff has praised her work as "the most joyously encouraging way of expanding the audience for jazz".  Presented by the Huntington Arts Council. * Sponsored by Cablevision

1:00-1:45 - Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance:  “Casplash” – Caribbean splash band with Steelpanist Rudi Crichlow – “Casplash” – a/k/a “Caribbean Splash” – plays music made for dancing – from Calypso, Soca, and Reggae to Pop, Funk, R&B and more.  Casplash takes audience members on a fantastic musical escapade via the beautiful sounds of the steel pan, soulful singing and hot tropical rhythms.  The band leads audiences in familiar dances such as the Electric Slide, Hokey Pokey, Conga Line and Limbo; they also teach a traditional West Indian follow-the-leader style dance called Brown Girl in the Ring.  Casplash is founded and led by Steelpanist Rudy Crichlow, a man whose roots are in Trinidad and Tobago.  The band has performed at festivals, performing arts centers and special events throughout the New York Metro area and the United States.  Presented by the Huntington Arts Council.* Sponsored by Astoria Bank*

2:00-3:00 - Chapin Rainbow Stage Performance:“Songs & Puppetry” with Janice Buckner – Janice is one of the nation's top performing artists for children.  She tours nationally, appearing on over 150 stages each year receiving top ratings.  She has appeared on radio and television, as well as over 4000 schools and concert halls.  She entertains audiences of all ages with her voice, guitars, puppets and her knowledge of Sign Language for the Deaf.  She is noted for her voice, her creativity and the outstanding quality of her lyrics.  Her Learn Along Song Series includes eleven CDs & songbooks and her Creativity in the Classroom Work/Play Book with a 20-song CD is used by pre-K and elementary school teachers throughout the country.  Her Learn Along radio show aired out of Hofstra University for seventeen years and was heard around the world via the internet.  Presented by the Huntington Arts Council.* Sponsored by Huntington Honda

4:00 - Festival Closes (Museum exhibits on view until 5:00 p.m.) 

For more information regarding the Tulip Festival, please feel free to contact (631) 351-3099.

The Huntington Summer Arts Festival returns for its 50th Season beginning Thursday, June 25th. The series begins with the Huntington Men’s Choir on Thursday, June 25^th, followed by The Rad Trads on Friday June 26, the 50th Anniversary Huntington Summer Arts Festival Chapin Family Celebration on Saturday, June 27th and the Huntington Choral Society on Sunday, June 28^th.  Opening weekend performances begin at 8:30 pm at the Chapin Stage, Heckscher Park, Huntington Village. All concerts are FREE.

This year’s 40 night run offers entertainment ranging from traditional band and choral programs, to dance and Broadway theatricals, to world-renowned artists from around the globe.  For more information, go to the Huntington Arts Council website at http://www.huntingtonarts.org/

I interviewed local legend Bill Ayres of WhyHunger. For those who do not know Bill Ayres, he co-founded WhyHunger with the late singer, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and humanitarian, Harry Chapin.

WhyHunger is a global nonprofit organization co-founded in 1975 by the late singer-songwriter Harry Chapin and present Executive Director Bill Ayres. WhyHunger's programs are the Grassroots Action Network, National Hunger Clearinghouse, Global Movements, and Artists Against Hunger and Poverty.  According to the organization’s website, WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment.

The interview highlights the Town of Huntington’s upcoming Chapin Family Concert – being held at Heckscher Park on Saturday, June 27th at 8:30pm. The Chapin Family Concert is also in celebration of two big milestones: this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Huntington Art Council’s Summertime Concert Series and the 40th Anniversary of Why Hunger.

We invite everyone to come to the Chapin Rainbow Stage on June 27^th and please donate non-perishable food items and loose change that will aide in the fight against hunger. We hope to see you there!

To view the interview, go to http://ow.ly/OEBY2

All photographers are welcome to submit photos for the Annual Tulip Festival Photo Contest sponsored by the Town of Huntington and Astoria Bank.  For the 2014 Tulip Festival Photo Contest, first place and a $150 award check went to Steven Selles of Huntington for his photo, "Springtime at Heckscher." Second place and the $100 prize was awarded to Robert Guido of Huntington for "Reflections" and third place and the $50 prize was awarded to Jovanna Hopkins of Dix Hills for "Mia with Tulips." Two honorable mentions with a $25 prize were awarded to Ruth Semon Fahlbusch of Huntington for “Full Bloom” and to Ross McTyre of Commack for “Three Little Lilies.”

photo: Steven Selles -"Springtime at Heckscher"