MartinFest 2014

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 Thirteenth 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: Friday, August 1, Saturday, August 2, and Sunday, August 3, from approximately 10:00 am to dusk each day. But, events will continue after dusk as well.

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

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

1. Thursday, August 31, 2014: This is not officially part of MartinFest. However, 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 starting earlier that day at the hotel. It's also rumored that some single malt and other unusual beverages may make an appearance as well.

Thursday is especially significant since it is our traditional time to meet old friends and greet new friends. But your welcome will continue throughout the weekend, and by the time you leave you will wonder why you never came before!

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.

1. Friday, August 1, 2014: 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.

This will be a day of jamming and open mikes. We currently have no clinics or special presentations planned, but stay tuned! We will have a sound system at the western end of the Large Pavilion.

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.

2. Saturday, August 2, 2014: This will be the Seventh Annual "Martin on Main" event. This continues to be a cooperative event between the UMGF, C.F. Martin & Co., the Nazareth City Council, and the Nazareth Chamber of Commerce.

a. The venue on Saturday will again be the Circle on Main Street.

b. Main Street will be closed for a block or so in every direction.

c. There will be vendors all around the Circle and up and down the streets, with displays, food, wine, art, etc. You are welcome to bring your own, of course. Please keep adult beverages to a low-key basis.

d. The Moravian Church on the Circle will again provide a room for guitar storage. We will have the key and be in charge of that. As has been the case each year, we will develop a list of volunteer Guitar Guards, which 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.

Please do not bring alcoholic beverages into the church, and please refrain from smoking as well.

e. 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 will solicit volunteers for the Open Mike and will publish it on the UMGF shortly. Guitar Guard volunteers and new performers will get first preference in that order. Your friendly Moderators, Doug Truxillo, Ed Madonio, Jim Monaghan and Jim Celica, will be your emcees for this Open Mike session as well as all Open Mikes at the Park. And our beloved Don Hurley too if he is able to make it.

f. We are pleased to announce that our featured guest performers for MartinFest 13, courtesy of Jon Garon, will be Cory, Jarrod and Tyler Walker. The Walker Brothers are making waves in the acoustic music world. With tight family harmonies, great story songs, sizzling musicianship and mesmerizing stage presence, they deliver the goods with bluegrass and Americana offerings. They will give us a concert in the mid-afternoon on Saturday at Martin on Main and possibly will also conduct a clinic on Sunday at the Park shortly after noon.

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. The Chamber of Commerce will advertise Martin on Main 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.

j. There is no designated parking area for this event. Parking should be available on the many side streets near the Circle. Please note that parking on Main Street in the Circle, and on West Center Street between the Circle and Green Street, is prohibited by the Nazareth Police Department except for UMGF staff having police permits to park.

This event continues to strengthen our relationships with Martin and the Township.

Following Martin on Main, we will return to the Comfy for friendship, jamming, and gourmet pizza courtesy of Jon and Sharon Garon.

Setup will again be at approximately 10:00 at the Large Pavilion. Following this, there will be a Sunday Morning Worship Jam at about 10:30. This will be followed by our annual visitation to the memorial trees just behind the Pavilion.

After that, there will be time for jamming and friendship. We will also start the Open Mike shortly afterwards, again emcee'd by Doug Truxillo, Ed Madonio, Jim Monaghan and Jim Celica.

We may have breakouts for special clinics and the like at other times. We will keep you posted on this site and on the UMGF.

At some point during the afternoon, we will tentatively have a group photo at the back of the Large Pavilion. Then dinner and Cheers.

Martin Factory Tours -- Martin will be open for business as usual on Friday and Monday. We will alert Martin that there may be a need for extra tour guides on standby on those days in case they are needed for our group. There will be no advance signup sheets or private tours, but if a UMGF group arrives together, you will most likely get a private (but standard) tour anyway.

The lobby, the 1833 Shop and the Museum will also be open on Friday and Monday.

Buy and Sell -- There will be a designated area on Friday and Sunday 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 and professional sales by UMGF members ONLY except for CD's, where all artists who are either members of the UMGF or are our guests are invited to offer CD's for sale. In the case of professional guitar sales, items must be limited to vintage/used guitars, new Customs made up especially for you, or handbuilt guitars that you have made. Otherwise, new Martin guitars may not be offered for sale pursuant to Martin Guitar Company policy. Other professional sales such as cases, strings, etc. may also participate. MartinFest is not a trade show, and professionals may not have signs, brochures etc. accompanying your items. A price and a contact point is all that is permitted for any seller. All persons are limited to 5 musical instruments or other items in Buy and Sell and are to use the designated tables in the Buy and Sell area and not set up their own private table. For purposes of this section, the term "professional" means authorized Martin dealers, authorized Martin warranty persons, other repair persons, independent luthiers and authorized dealers of other types of accessories and who have been an active member of the UMGF for not less than 6 months. There will be no Buy and Sell on Saturday.

Name Tags -- Name tags this year will be included in the suggested voluntary contribution rather than separately. Once you register using the Registration Page, name tags will be generated automatically. Name tags will be available at the Comfy on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and at the Administors' areas on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you did not register, no soup for you!

Open Mike Signup Sheets -- There will be signup sheets each day for the afternoon Open Mikes at the Park on Friday and Sunday. These can be found at the Admin area at the Pavilion. These will not be available in advance of each day. There are no signup sheets for the open mike on Saturday - a separate list will be solicited and then published.

There is no entry fee at Nazareth Park, and there are restrooms available. However, the concession stand will be closed.

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. 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 and other folks' gear as well.

Food and Beverage -- We will not be providing any food or beverage, and as indicated the concession stand will be closed, so please bring your own. We have tired to arrange for a food truck, but it will not be available this year as that service has stopped. I have not been told that alcoholic beverages are prohibited, but if you bring beer or wine PLEASE be circumspect and responsible. Also, there is a pizzeria (Mivajo's) right up the road near Martin (although it is often closed the first week in August) and other places available.

Rain. Rain or thunderstorms can spring up anytime in the summer in Nazareth. If 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 Circle. Go into the Moravian church for shelter, or if you're in town singing 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 normally hot all three days. 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, #1405679 (NOT UMGF or Martin Guitar, etc.). The rate for the group is $96.00 for a single or a double. If they indicate that all rooms under that number are currently sold out, keep checking! There are always cancellations.

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

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

Courtyard By Marriott, 2220 Emrick Boulevard, Bethlehem, PA 18020, 610-625-9500. This is a brand new hotel which is right off Route 33 near the Texas Roadhouse.

There is a new Sands Casino in Bethlehem with various activities and several restaurants.

Winery tour - Wynecrest Vineyards and 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 has now begun. The Registration Page is found here, thanks to the computer wizardry of Marian Chaprnka. This page will also be used to generate the Registration List and name tags, so please be sure to sign up!

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 Friday and Sunday. I'm not planning to bring the jar to the Circle on Saturday. Based on prior years' experience, a contribution of $10.00 per person per day is suggested - but please keep in mind that this is only a suggestion, and there is no obligation whatsoever to make any contribution. Name tags are included in the fee this year rather than being a separate donation.

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 you are making a contribution for something else such as Buy & Sell, voluntary or auction 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!