MartinFest 2008

All Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum members in good standing and their families and guests, and all Martin Guitar Company employees, families, and guests, are cordially invited to attend the Seventh Annual informal Get-Together for us lovers of Martin Guitars! The setting will be both indoors and outdoors, definitely informal, and most of all there will be the opportunity to meet new friends, greet old ones, enjoy each other's company, and play the guitars which we have grown to love!

When: Saturday, August 2, Sunday, August 3 and Monday, August 4, 2008, from approximately 10:00 am to dusk each day. But, events will continue after dusk as well.

What: Jamming, Martins on Main Street, a tour of the Factory, some special clinics, and lots of fun!

Here are the up-to-date details. Be sure to watch this page for periodic updates.

Monday morning: C.F. Martin & Co. - Private tour, goodies, time with Chris Martin!

1. Friday, August 1: This is the day of the annual Martin Owners Club event. For those who are members, a full day over at Martin is planned. See Martin's Web Site (Member Area) for details.

For the rest of our group, it's a free day, and we will have the use of the Cheers Lounge in the Bethlehem Comfort Inn. Cheers and the conference room next to it (the "Morgan Room") are reserved for us for the entire weekend. This usually kicks off in the afternoon. There will also be the traditional informal wine sampling party earlier that day at the hotel. It's also rumored that some single malt and other unusual beverages may make an appearance as well. You are also welcome to go to the Park and use either Pavilion unless they've been reserved by a private group. The UMGF has not reserved either Pavilion other than as noted below.

There is NO SMOKING at any time in the Cheers Lounge, Morgan Room, or anywhere inside the Comfort Inn except for certain designated private smoking bedrooms. Please honor this at all times, even if you happen to be alone in one of the rooms for a short time. Smoking is OK outside.

2. Saturday, August 2: This year, we will be trying something entirely new on Saturday. Rather than gathering at the Pavilion in the Boro Park for a day of open mikes and jams, we will be the prime feature of an event entitled "Martins on Main Street."

As we all know, this is the 175th anniversary of C.F. Martin & Co. In commemoration of this, the UMGF, C.F. Martin & Co., the Nazareth City Council, the Nazareth Chamber of Commerce, and the Nazareth Downtown Association have put together a program which will be total fun. Here are some of the details:

a. We will move the venue on Saturday from the Boro Park to the Circle on Main Street. I'm sure we've all driven around it many times.

b. Main Street will be closed for a block or so in every direction. Martin banners will be flying!

c. They will provide two tents for us in the Circle, one 20X40 and the other 20X10. These will be smaller than the Pavilion, but there are plenty of shade trees near the tents to sit under. There will also be an Admin tent. We will rent chairs and 10 tables, and there are 20 tables which can be signed out at the Moravian church right behind us, or they may be set up in advance depending upon sufficient volunteers. Chairs will be limited, so those of you who are driving to MartinFest are encouraged to bring folding chairs for your use.

d. There will be vendors all around the Circle and up and down the streets, with displays, food, wine, art, etc.

e. The Moravian Church on the Circle will provide a room for guitar storage. We will have the key and be in charge of that, and the list of volunteer Guitar Guards will be posted on the door of the room, in the Admin tent, and on the Forum. You will need to sign your guitars in and out and be given a tag. Please try to have all guitars out of the church by 6:15. Strays and leftovers will be taken back to the Comfort Inn.

f. There will be an Open Mike all day, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm, completely under our control. It will be in the circle under some shade trees, and a stage will be provided. We have also arranged for a sound system. We have a list of volunteers for the Open Mike and will publish it on the UMGF shortly. Our featured guest performance at about 2:45 during the Open Mike will be noted Martin Clinician Richard Starkey, ably accompanied by Jon and Seth Garon. And we have just been informed that nationally acclaimed flatpicker Clay Hess will also join in the guest performance! This should be a real treat for all! Your friendly Moderators, Don Hurley, Mark Stalwick and Ed Madonio, will be your emcees for this Open Mike session as well as all Open Mikes at the Park.

g. The plan is also for most of us to roam around and have little jams on the streets, the corners, in front of shops, etc. There will be small stages set up in various spots. Everyone is encouraged to set up informal mini-groups and play for the public in the blocked off streets. Anything goes - Beatles, CSN, Eagles, Grateful Dead - the more the better!

h. Port-A-Johns have been arranged for.

i. Martin will broadcast this info to all 3,500 MOC members indicating that they are welcome to stay overnight and join us on Saturday (as indicated,the MOC event is on Friday). They are expecting about 1,000, and a good number of them might actually do that.

j. The township will advertise "Martins on Main Street" far and wide, on TV, radio, the press, etc. The goal is to get as many tourists as possible into town to listen to us and visit local merchants.

k. Parking will be at the Boro Park, and two 36-seat school busses have been arranged to take us back and forth to and from the short distance to the Circle. They will run at 15-minute intervals from about 11:00 to 12:30 and 4:30 to 6:15, and at 30-minute intervals in between. Given this logistical scenario, it's probably best to limit what you bring on Saturday to just one or two guitars, folding chairs if you have them, and other personal stuff such as a small cooler.

This will be a landmark for the UMGF and strengthens our relationship with Martin and the Township. If successful, it will take place every year.

As indicated, we'll be at the Large Pavilion. The Large Pavilion is located past the concession stand on your left as you enter the Park. It's at the end of the parking lot on the left. We have the entire pavilion. You can park in any open space in the lot - there is no fee.

Setup will be around 10:00 am after breakfast, and anyone wishing to help will be most welcome. Following this, there will be a Sunday Morning Worship Jam at about 10:30 or 11:00. During this service, we will be remembering those members of the UMGF who have gone home, including a visit to the Memorial Tree area.

Then the Nazareth World Series III will take place at the ballfield at about 12:00 noon, with the revitalized and rejuvenated UMGF Aging Toners up against the CFM&Co DreadNaughts. There will be a coroner on duty.

After that, there will be time for jamming and friendship. We will also start the Open Mike shortly after the ball game, again emcee'd by Don Hurley, Mark Stalwick and Ed Madonio.

A word about the Open Mikes at the Park -- No one has to participate in this activity, either as a performer, member of the audience, or worker bee. Also, you do not have to drop whatever you are doing and listen in silence! We do ask, however, that out of courtesy and consideration for those involved in the Open Mike, you move your jam or conversation to the other end of the Pavilion or elsewhere in the Park so that it does not interfere with the proceedings. If the Log Cabin is not being used, the porch there is a good spot for jams as well.

At approximately 3:00, we will have our first Breakout Session. This will be led by Martin Clinician Richard Starkey and will run until about 3:45, or perhaps a little longer.

Then at 4:00 or so, we will have the Open Mike again, tentatively followed by a group photo at the back of the Large Pavilion. Then dinner and Cheers.

4. Monday, August 6: We will start our day with a private tour of the Martin Guitar Factory starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 10:50 a.m. We will break into groups of up to 15 and be given our private tour in 10 minute intervals in order to space out the groups. Martin will again use its new sound system for the tours involving headsets. Please be sure to return your headset after your tour!

I will have tour signup sheets available at Cheers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, and all day Saturday at the Circle and Sunday at the Park. These will be delivered to Martin first thing Monday morning. This will be on a first come first served basis for those who met the deadline of July 19, and I will have that cutoff list in the signup package. At about noon on Sunday, registration for the tour will open up for everyone. If you are a latecomer, you can also sign up in the 1833 shop on Monday morning if there is space available. As of right now, I am anticipating that everyone will be able to get on a tour, but it may have to be one of the early ones.

Martin will provide a private room for us to store our guitars while we are on the tour. You will be asked to check your guitar at the front desk and take a tag, and it will be returned to you when you leave.

After the tour, we will be Chris's guests for lunch, which will be from 10:30 to 1:30. This will again occur in the large tent that will be set up on the North Parking Lot on Beil Avenue. We are looking for volunteers for an Open Mike during lunch, and we are thus soliciting performers in a thread on the UMGF. New performers Guitar Guard volunteers, and setup/takedown volunteers will get first preference.

Chris will then speak to the assembled group during lunch at 12:00, also in the tent.. His talk will be approximately 45 minutes, including time for questions.

Hopefully, there will be another photo opportunity after Chris's talk, but this is not definite.

Chris will be able to sign guitars again this year in the upper lobby. This will be from 1:00 to 1:45. The limit is one guitar per person, and please have your strings loosened before you get to Chris or you will be asked to step aside while you take care of that. Only Martin instruments are eligible for Chris's signature.

Also, as was the case last year, Chris would like all attendees to have the opportunity to take advantage of the Museum, the new prototypes in the lobby, and the Picking Parlor at your leisure.

Members who have preordered the LX175 will be able to pick them up in the 1833 Shop. Those who have not preordered but would like one will be able to place an order for future delivery.

** The newly released July NAMM models will be on display in the main lobby. They are available for us to play, using care of course.

** There will also be a display of Custom and one-off guitars, gain for us to play. These will be in a tent along Sycamore Street to the south of the main entrance to the factory.

** There will be two pearl inlay demonstrations given by Tracy Cox. These will be from 9:00 to 9:45 and again from 11:00 to 11:45 at a location to be determined.

** And as yet another unique feature for this year's factory visit, Martin has arranged for a representative of the U.S. Postal Service to be present from about 8am to noon for the purpose of hand-canceling any first class postage with a special cancellation stamp in celebration of Martin's 175th anniversary. We are invited to bring any first class stamped envelope on that morning and have the special hand cancellation applied to it by the USPS rep. You do not have to mail the envelope! It's intended to be yours to keep as a commemorative.

Martin will have its quarterly employee meeting in the tent at about 2:00. This is for Martin employees only, so we need to be out of there before then. Please do not succumb to curiosity (it will be hard for me!) to hang out at the back of the tent and see what goes on at these things. We need to respect Martin's privacy at this meeting, and I know that we all will.

Instead, we will have an afternoon of sociality and music at the Large Pavilion, again private and just for us. Once Martin's quarterly employee meeting is over, they will be invited to join us. As you walk through the factory and have your lunch, please encourage those you see to come! Many employees also now drop by on Saturday and/or Sunday. Please be sure to seek them out and thank them for coming!

The Open Mike will commence at about 1:00. Then at about 3:00 we will have our second breakout - a clinic on Vintage Martin Guitars led by Dave Musselwhite and Bob Hamilton. Following this, we'll have our last Open Mike session and then again head for dinner and Cheers.

2. The Schoeneck Moravian Church parking lot down the street (access is on the main road from Nazareth).

Videotaping -- Videotaping is permitted (except on the tour), but videotapes may only be used for rebroadcast on the UMGF for our private membership to enjoy. Public posting of videotapes, such as on YouTube, etc., is prohibited unless you have the consent of all parties in the videotape. There are also issues such as covers, etc., and so it really is best if it's just kept local. We have no way of enforcing this, but we ask you to comply.

Buy and Sell -- There will be a designated area on Sunday and Monday at the Park to buy or sell guitars, other musical related gear, CD's and other UMGF related paraphernalia such as T-Shirts. This is limited to private sales ONLY except for CD's, where all artists who are members of the UMGF or are our guests are invited to offer CD's for sale. There will be no Buy and Sell on Saturday.

There is no entry fee at Nazareth Park, and there are restrooms, a concession stand, and other facilities available. We will not be providing any food or beverage, so please bring your own or use the concession stand. I have not been told that alcoholic beverages are prohibited, but if you bring beer or wine PLEASE be circumspect and responsible.

Most importantly, there is NO talent needed or required (other than a good sense of direction to Nazareth). We will have an open mike for those who wish to participate, but all three afternoons are really intended just for getting together, enjoying each other's company, perhaps sharing tips and tricks, and just plain old having fun!

You will be responsible for keeping watch over your own instruments and other possessions and for loss of or damage to the same. The parking lot at Martin & Co. is not secure (and also could get hot); however, as indicated above we have arranged for a room at Martin where we can store our instruments. Nazareth Park is a public facility, so even though we have private areas, there could be many other persons passing through. The Circle on Saturday will be even less secure, since the general public is invited to attend, so please keep a careful eye on your gear, other folks' gear, and also the chairs and tables, since we will have to pay for any that disappear.

Food and Beverage -- Since there is a concession stand at the Park, everyone is encouraged to bring his or her own other provisions or use the concession stand. The concession stand is 25 to 30 yards from either facility that we are using. It is not open if it rains, but there is a pizzeria (Mijavo's) right up the road near Martin and other places available.

Pool -- The pool at Nazareth Borough Park is open to all. The fee on Saturday and Sunday is $4.75 for minors (under 18) and $5.25 for adults. On Monday it is $4.25 for minors and $4.75 for adults.

Rain. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Saturday, and rain or storms can spring up anytime in the summer in Nazareth. It it's a light rain, the tents at the Circle and the Large Pavilion at the Park will be enough. If it's a storm, do NOT stay in the tents in the Circle since they can blow down. Go into the Moravian church for shelter, or if you're in town signing or shopping, into the nearest open merchant. For those in the Circle, please pick up any extra gear you see lying on the tables etc. and bring it into the church with you. We can sort it out later.

Heat. It's going to be hot all three days, although not as hot as originally forecast. Bring plenty of water, and there's a water fountain in the Circle near the cannon. Keep an eye on each other and yourselves for signs of heat exhaustion, such as heavy sweating, paleness, nausea, and even fainting. Normally the person merely needs to sit in a cool place for an hour or so, but in the case of fainting 911 should probably be called.

From the East: Find your way to Interstate 78 in New Jersey. Follow I-78 into Pennsylvania (do NOT get off onto Route 22, Phillipsburg). About 6 miles into PA, take PA 33 North. Continue until you see Route 248 and a sign for Nazareth. Get off at this exit and bear right at the bottom of the ramp. Go a few miles, past the huge concrete plant on your right, and turn right at the light by the Nazareth Diner. Go through the town of Nazareth and past Nazareth Park on your left (yes, that is the park that we will be using). You will then see the Schoeneck Moravian Church on your right, quickly followed by Mivajo's Restaurant/Pizzeria. Turn right immediately onto Beil Avenue, and you will see C.F. Martin & Co. on your right at the next intersection. The visitor's parking lot is on your right, but it will almost certainly be full, and so we have made other parking arrangements for Monday, as set forth below.

From the West: Find I-78 East and get off onto Route 33, then follow the above directions.

From the South: Take the PA Turnpike Extension up to I-78 East, then follow the above.

Please note that these are all directions to Martin & Co. As indicated above, Nazareth Borough Park is on the way to the factory (except if you're coming from the north), on the left very shortly after you get out of the business section of town.

Lodging -- There are many places to stay in the Nazareth/Bethlehem area. The Bethlehem Comfort Inn, 3191 Highfield Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18020, 610-865-6300, 800-732-2500, is where most folks are staying. We have a group number, #3708 (NOT UMGF or Martin Guitar, etc.), but all rooms under that number are currently sold out. But it pays to keep checking for cancellations! The rate for the group is $89.00 for a single or a double.

Hotels/Motels (all in or near Bethlehem. most with in-house restaurants and lounges):

Four Points Sheraton, right next to LVI. A first class hotel, with an indoor pool, nice lounge and good restaurant.

Hampton Inn, Easton/Nazareth. Low rates, indoor pool, closer to CFM & Co. than the Comfort by a couple of minutes. No lounge or restaurant, but Continental breakfast. 610-250-6500

The Martin Guitar Design Seminar, jointly sponsored by Martin and Northampton Community College, will be going on in nearby Bethlehem from the 4th through the 8th of August. This is a great opportunity to extend your stay, learn a lot about guitar design, and keep having fun!

Winery tour - Slate Quarry Winery offers tours and wine tasting. The winery is located just outside of Nazareth.

Crayola Crayons - For the kids (including us grownup kids), the Crayola Factory offers tours every day of the week in nearby Easton, PA.

There are also walking tours of historic Nazareth and many other activities available.

Registration -- Registration ended on Saturday, July 19, 2008 for a guaranteed tour and lunch on Monday. The list of registrants is available HERE. But, as indicated above, if you missed the deadline, the tour signup sheets will be open to all as of noon on Sunday, and at this point I think everyone can be squeezed onto a tour. There will be plenty of other things to do anyway even if it doesn't work out. The final registration date is July 30, 2008 for those who plan to come to the Park on any or all days, and that's today, so the list is now closed.

Registration Fee -- As always, the Registration Fee will be completely voluntary, and I will have a Contributions Jar in Cheers and at the Park on Sunday and Monday. I'm not sure yet whether to bring the jar to the Circle on Saturday. We have incurred extra expenses this year, and as a result the following contribution rates based on the number of persons in your party are suggested - but please keep in mind that they are suggested only, and there is no obligation whatsoever to make any contribution.

Number of Persons	Suggested Contribution for 1 Day	Suggested Contribution for 2 or 3 Days
1	$8.00	$15.00
2	$15.00	$25.00
3	$20.00	$30.00

For purposes of the above, "person" means the UMGF member, his or her spouse, fiancée or significant other, children 14 or over, and guests. Children under 14 are free as always. If there are more than three persons in your party, please consider an additional contribution.

If you are making a contribution for something else, such as name tags, Buy & Sell voluntary fee, etc.., please do not put it in the Contributions jar. I'd like to keep these separate, and I will have a different container for this kind of donation.

Photos -- Here are some pictures of the Log Cabin, the Large Pavilion, the old Martin Factory, and the old Martin Residence, now used by the Nazareth Chamber of Commerce. There are some nice Martin guitars in there!