The Somersworth Festival Association (SFA), formerly known as The Somersworth International Children's Festival organization, was formed in 1981 by a group of concerned citizens and community leaders to help promote civic pride and to stimulate the involvement of city residents in the revitalization of Somersworth.
Winterfest Breakfast with Frosty & Funfest
Spring Craft Fair
Celebration Night!
33rd Annual Somersworth International Children's Festival
Summer Carnival
Kids Koncerts
Pumpkin Fest
Harvest Craft Fair
Holiday Craft Fair
The Somersworth Festival Association (SFA), formerly known as The Somersworth International Children's Festival organization ,was formed in 1981 by a group of concerned citizens (including US Senator Jeanne Shaheen 2009 - present) and community leaders to help promote civic pride and to stimulate the involvement of city residents in the revitalization of Somersworth. Since then, the SFA has evolved into a major cultural resource for the City of Somersworth and its school system. With the cooperation of the local community, the SFA sponsors many family oriented activities each year and funds several school related programs including a scholarship for Somersworth residents furthering their education. The organization's goal is to make Somersworth and the surrounding tri-city area a better place to live and work.
This corporation was established to foster civic pride in the community’s cultural and historic heritage, to promote community identity and stimulate involvement of residents in community activities through sponsorship and support of the arts, art related activities, and cultural diversity with special attention to the needs of young people. To this end, the activities of the corporation shall include raising funds and producing an annual festival and other artistic events in the City of Somersworth, providing financial support for arts programs in area schools with emphasis on the primary grades, granting scholarships to deserving students whose academic goals coincide with the interests of the corporation and acquiring and maintaining necessary facilities.
The Financial Statements listed below are available using Adobe Acrobat PDF file format.
2006-2007 Financial Statement - Form 990EZ
(Acrobat PDF/517kb)
2007-2008 Financial Statement - Form 990EZ
(Acrobat PDF/508kb)
2007-2008 Financial Statement - Form 990EZ Schedule A
(Acrobat PDF/650kb)
2008-2009 Financial Statement - Form 990EZ
(Acrobat PDF/498kb)
available for free from Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.
* PDF Difficulties Adobe has some known problems with accessing pdf files.
If you have difficulties, please check the Adobe's Knowledge Database for additional information.
We are always looking for volunteers!! If you have an interest in helping us either on Festival Day or at one of our events, please contact our Festival Office at 692.5869 or email us.
Our Festival could not be presented each year without the support of local businesses and residents. Our fundraisers also play a role, but without the support of our community, we could not do our event each year to the wonderful extent it is.
We do mass mailings to businesses and residents during the year, and we encourage your support. Any amount helps. All donations are tax deductible. If you wish to donate or become a sponsor and do not receive mailings, please contact either the Festival Office or any of our Executive Board.
- PresidentBrian Gauthier
- Vice PresidentPatty Roberge LeHoullier
- SecretaryCaroline Morgan
- TreasurerPhil Munck
- TrusteePaul Dubois
- TrusteeArnie Tarr
- SFA DirectorSue Gregoire
- Jim Butterfield
- Darryl Cauchon
- Lisa Flanagan
- Grace Fuller
- Dena Gagnon
- Lindsey Gagnon
- Denise Gauthier
- Linda Giampietro
- Richard Hamilton
- Anna Houde
- Kirsten Larsen
- Jeanne Lemelin
- Tim Lemelin
- Jason Morrison
- Joanne Pepin
- Marty Pepin
- Dick Perreault
- Martin Perreault
- David Roberge
- Patricia Soucy
- Brian Tapscott
- Heather Wass
Our events could not be presented each year without the generous support of our local businesses and municpalities. Thanks to these groups our Festival Association is a continued success. We'd like to extend a very special Thank You to all of our sponsors for their continued support!! Below is a list of our sponsors and links to their websites for more information on their services.
Vendor Applications are available for download below in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format.
Children's Festival Application
To view PDF files, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader which is
available for free from Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.
* PDF Difficulties Adobe has some known problems with accessing pdf files.
If you have difficulties, please check the Adobe's Knowledge Database
for additional information.
The Friday evening before the Somersworth International Children's Festival the festival organizers should be in bed early so they can wake up before sunrise to prepare for the following mornings festival, right? Wrong! Once again, the SFA board kicks off the festival with a bang. A pre-festival celebration will be held at the Festival Pavilion (located at one end of the Somersworth High School Football field). This ever popular event begins at 6:00 PM with live entertainment for both the young and the young at heart. The highlight of the evening comes just after sunset when the show is capped off with a spectacular fireworks display. Other activities throughout the evening will be available for the younger children along with a variety of tasty foods provided by local organizations and vendors.
At 9am on the 3rd Saturday in June, the morning of the festival that we've anxiously waited an entire year for, you will find that Main Street and the Noble Pines Park come alive with plenty of ethnic entertainment, tasty foods, and numerous children’s activities. There is a shuttle bus that you can ride to get you back and forth between the event sites or you can enjoy the short distance walk between the two locations. This is a rain or shine event, and while stage areas do have a seating area (informal: grass or folding chairs depending on the stage), most areas are not covered. Click here for the date for this year's Children's Festival and all of the other fun filled Somersworth Festival Association activities.
- Night Before Celebration
- Endless Weekend Entertainment
- World Cultures Area
- Noble Pines Park
- Early Childhood Area
- Expo Tent
- Countless Vendors
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
For family fun, come to the annual Kids’ Koncert series each Wednesday. For six weeks in the summer, you can view family-friendly entertainment and picnic on the lawn. Bring a meal or purchase a ‘meal deal’ from our take out area. Hot dogs, chips, soda, ice cream, popcorn and water are provided a reasonable price. Shows start at 6:00 PM and are approximately 1 hour in length. Click here for our performance schedule.
July 10, 2013 - To be determined.
July 17, 2013 - To be determined.
July 24, 2013 - To be determined.
July 31, 2013 - To be determined.
August 7, 2013 - To be determined.
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
Frosty the Snowman and his friends at the Somersworth Festival Association will really be cooking at the annual Breakfast with Frosty and Funfest. These events are held in conjunction with Somersworth’s annual Winterfest. It is held at the Somersworth High School Cafetorium from 9AM to 11AM, and the public is invited to breakfast featuring Frosty. Ala carte items will also be available for younger folks with smaller appetites. Children can interact with Frosty, color their placemats and enjoy special entertainment before heading over to play the games at Frosty’s Funfest. Frosty’s Funfest promises to be a whole lot of fun priced right for families. Activities include games like a coin toss, hockey, fishing pond, sponge toss and more! There is also face painting and grab bags. Children of all ages can try their luck at the many games to win great prizes.Click here for dates and times for this year's Breakfast With Frosty and Funfest!
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
We offer a carnival each year as yet another event to provide entertainment for our communities children. Generally, this is held on a Thursday to Sunday with special wristband days for discounted rides. Click here for dates and times for this year's carnival!
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
Three times a year, the SFA sponsors a craft fair at Somersworth High School. For a vendor application, please click here. The largest craft fairs in the area. Each features over 150 of the best crafters in New England. Park your car and shop in the High School where you will be able to shop from our talented crafters to your heart’s content. Delicious food will be served by Festival Association volunteers offering both breakfast and lunch at reasonable prices. Come and spend the day with us and do all of your Christmas shopping. Open 9AM to 3PM.Click here for dates and times for this year's craft fairs!
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
The SFA recently took over the sponsorship of the Pumpkin Festival, which was an event sponsored by the now defunct Main Street Program. It will be held the 2nd Saturday in October from 10AM to 4:30PM. It is a family orientated event designed to celebrate all things pumpkin. Come enjoy pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, pumpkin smashing, a pumpkin catapult, pumpkin bowling, hay rides, scarecrow making, pumpkin putt-putt golf, a family photo shoot, stage entertainment, pumpkin mask making, leaf etching and loads of pumpkin-themed games and lots more. Wristbands are required to participate in Pumpkin Fest activities. Wrist bands cost $12 per child, adults free only when assisting a child in activities but $12 is required when just the adult individual participates in activities. Wristbands can be purchased the morning of Pumpkin Fest at the Main Street Plaza entrance under the white info booth tent.Click here for dates and times for this year's Pumpkin Fest!
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
The Somersworth Festival Association constructed this Pavilion in order to accomodate the many events that are put on each year. This building
is located on one end of the Somersworth High School Football field and features a permanent forty foot wide raised outdoor stage. Not only is this
magnificent Pavilion stage used by the Festival Association but it is also utilized by other civic groups in the community as the location of a great
number of activities, concerts and events. The building, which also doubles as the central storage facility for the Association, was built by Festival
Association funds, grants, and a multitude of fund-raisers and then was finally constructed with the assistance of the Somersworth Vocational Center Building
Trades Program.
The Festival Pavilion can be found at:
11 Memorial Drive, Somersworth, NH 03878
For your convenience here are some 'Driving Directions' to this event.
Somersworth Festival Association Scholarship Application
The Somersworth Festival Association has established a scholarship for a Somersworth Resident pursuing a post secondary education. First consideration will be given to students pursuing an education in the fine or performing arts, although all students with a 2.7 or better grade point average are encouraged to apply.
Applicants should have provided school and/or community service and be recognized for their good citizenship. Applications must be accompanied by letters of recommendation from the areas of academics and/or arts which they intend to pursue and from the school’s administration. A student’s transcript of senior grades and an acceptance letter must accompany all applications.
The successful candidate will be chosen by the SFA Scholarship Committee. A payment of $500 will be provided after the first semester providing the student has completed a full-time curriculum of classes and has achieved at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA). If the student does not achieve the necessary GPA during the first semester, the scholarship will be deferred to the second semester. If after the first year, the student does not achieve a 2.5 GPA for either semester or if the student does not provide his/her grades to the committee, the scholarship will not be disbursed and will no longer be in effect for the student. Transcripts must be received before the end of January. It will be the student’s responsibility to provide the Festival Association with an official transcript of grades after the first or second semester. Total amount to be awarded may total $2000 at a rate of $500 per year.
Financial hardship cases may appeal the normal disbursement schedule. Such appeals will be reviewed by the full Somersworth Festival Association Board of Directors.
Scholarships are paid directly to the educational institution. If the student drops out during the semester the scholarship is paid, a full reimbursement must be made to the Somersworth Festival Association.
For more information please download and read the Scholarship Application provided within the below link. If you still have questions about the Scholarship after reading the complete Scholarship Application document please feel free to call the SFA office.
Somersworth Festival Association Scholarship Application
The Somersworth Festival Association sponsors the Artists in the Schools program whereby New England Artists are brought into local schools to instruct children in their craft. The resulting "masterpieces" are proudly displayed each year at the Somersworth International Children's Festival when applicable. Recent projects include drawing, painting, pottery, puppet making, blues music and book illustration and publishing. Please take a moment to visit the Hilltop School Residency Project for 2000 at Kim Wintje's website.
The SFA provides the supplies used in the production of products designed to develop the children's artistic skills. The festival organization funds the program and school faculty members administer the projects.
SOMERSWORTH FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION
Artists in Schools Program
|
School |
|
Artist/Project |
Award amount |
|
|
|
|
Dan Grady, master puppeteer |
$1,515.00 |
|
|
|
|
Marty Kelley, author |
$1,010.00 |
|
|
|
|
Lita Judge, author |
730.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total AIS awards |
$3,255.00 |
|
Arts and Crafts Support Program
|
School |
|
Project |
Award amount |
|
|
|
|
Art portfolio sketch pads, 3rd and 4th
grades |
$1,165.00 |
|
|
|
Felt art project |
$580.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total A & C awards |
$1,745.00 |
|
After
School Program
|
School |
|
Project |
Award amount |
|
|
None |
|
None |
$0.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total After School awards |
$0.00 |
|
Arts Scholarship Program
|
School |
|
Project |
Award amount |
|
|
Any secondary school with Somersworth students |
|
Scholarship for graduating senior pursuing a degree in the arts. |
* $2,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total Scholarship awards |
$2,000.00 |
|
* to be awarded in June, 2010
|
|
$7,000.00 |
Please note that we were able to fund only 63% of this year’s requests.
Hopefully, other alternative funding sources can be found in support of these worthwhile
projects.
Note to SFA Board members: The above information reflects decisions made at previous Board meetings and is a copy of what was provided to the School Board & City Council.
Scholarship will actually be paid out $500.00 per year and all other awards were paid during the
past month. Starting budget line was $7,000.00 total.
We pride ourselves on providing quality entertainment that is not only enjoyable for those viewing, but also stays true to our ethnic roots when offered on our World Cultures Stages. If you have any suggestions for future performers, you are in a group of performers, or you are an individual performer, we’d love to hear from you. Our Entertainment Chairperson is Patty Roberge LeHoullier, and she or any other member of the committee can be reached at sfaentertainment@gmail.com.
To contact us by mail:
Somersworth Festival Association
PO Box 255
Somersworth, NH 03878
E-Mail for General correspondence: sfachild@ttlc.net
E-Mail for Entertainment inquiries: sfaentertainment@gmail.com
Phone: 603.692.5869 | Fax: 603.692.4239
Festival Director: Sue Gregoire
