SWAMPSCOTT — The Historical Commission is seeking event proposals and sponsors for a planned Summer History Festival to take place next year.
The event, tentatively scheduled for June 25 and 26, 2022, will celebrate Swampscott’s 170th anniversary and will overlap with and expand the programming of the annual HarborFest.
Commission member Ryan Judkins said he hopes to be able to include historically relevant waterfront activities and competitions as well as programming on the Town Hall green.
“Swampscott used to have dory races,” he said as an example of an event he’d like to see. “I actually don’t know if we have enough dories in town, but we’d like to have some historical activities.”
Other potential features of the festival could include demonstrations of historical crafts like blacksmithing, children’s activities and storytelling, vendor fairs, an outdoor movie night, walking history tours, musical and cultural performances, a beer garden, a scavenger hunt and historical talks.
“We want something for everyone,” Judkins said. “I want to engage as many people as possible and as many groups.”
The commission is looking for local organizations interested in organizing or sponsoring an event during the festival. Organizing an event would involve making all the arrangements, while sponsorship would involve covering part or all of the costs of the event, with credit given in program materials. Both organizers and sponsors will have the opportunity to set up a vendor booth free of charge.
Events that engage the community from a multicultural or diverse perspective are particularly welcome.
The commission is not looking for individual volunteers at this time, but will be doing so closer to the event itself.
For more information about taking part in the event, contact Judkins at (517) 214-0430 or [email protected].
