“Incredible,” is how Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell described The Gettysburg Festival’s Opening Gala, and the accolades continue to pour in, following the dynamic debut of the 10-day Gettysburg Festival, June 2008.

The inaugural “Gettysburg Festival ~ Celebrating America” offered 115 individual events spanning 11 days from June 19 to June 29. Total Festival attendance is estimated at 16,000. More than 850 performers, artists, musicians and production staff came to Gettysburg as a result of The Gettysburg Festival. The town of Gettysburg is often referred to as being located at the crossroads of American history, but the historic town was poised at a cultural crossroads this past June as well.

The Festival’s 2008 events and performances encompassed all the arts and included a Broadway-style musical revue, a sculpture walk, performances by The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, jazz concerts including The Brubeck Brothers Quartet, children’s theater performances including “Disney’s High School Musical,” exclusive receptions with about a dozen artists exhibiting their work, a choral concert conducted by the world-renown Joseph Flummerfelt, and brass concerts featuring more than 20 brass bands including the Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York. The Festival Finale “Songfest” included the 65-member Gettysburg Festival Orchestra, six singers who have performed in opera houses world-wide, narration by Jamie Bernstein, and a piano performance by the critically-acclaimed Leon Bates.

“It was a pleasure to be a part of the Gettysburg Festival this inaugural year,” explains Bates. “The orchestra played admirably. It was an absolute delight to perform ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ with Charles Prince, a conductor with all the skills. His sensitive control of dynamics and tempo changes made this an extremely comfortable ‘Rhapsody.’ At the same time it had all of the requisite fire and emotionalism that is a part of this work. I am grateful for the chance to appear at the Gettysburg Festival and its focus on American music.”

Key partnerships to The Gettysburg Festival’s success include those with The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Gettysburg College, The Majestic Theater, media partner WITF, The Adams County Arts Council, The Pub & Restaurant, The United Way of Adams County and The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College.

“Gettysburg College was delighted to partner with the Gettysburg Festival in providing a variety of indoor and outdoor venues for the arts. These events attracted wonderful audiences from within and outside of the local community, and we look forward to a continuing collaboration,” states Interim Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs.

In addition to Festival staff, the 2008 Festival was powered by the energy, time and talents of about 100 volunteers who served as ushers or greeters, helped to staff the festival office, and manned festival information booths/exhibits.

As part of the Festival’s Gala Opening Dinner, Governor Rendell presented the first Governor’s Award for the Culinary Arts to Chef Andrew Little of Hanover’s Sheppard Mansion. The award will become an established, annual Festival event.

In addition to The Gettysburg Festival’s many events, Gettysburg’s flourishing arts community held about 25 events throughout town as part of the accompanying Gettysburg Fringe Festival. As Executive Director of the Adams County Arts Council Christina Glatfelter explains, “The Fringe Festival decorated the town during these ten magical days in June and celebrated all the joy and wonder the arts bring to our lives. We are starting small but dreaming big in hopes of growing the Fringe Festival over the coming years.”

^ Top of Page