Town of Holderness Celebrating 250 Years!

Mattatuck Drum Band

In celebrating the 250^th anniversary of its founding, nearby Holderness is looking back to its European roots and to those who were here long before the white settlers decided to call this Lakes Region outpost their home.  The celebration will begin this weekend, with lots of activities taking place all over the area!

The festivities kick off on Friday, August 5^th with a free concert at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, where Steve Schuch will perform “Songs and Tales of the Earth” in the beautiful Kirkwood Gardens from 1 – 2pm.  The Holderness Historical Society at Curry Place will also be open from 1 – 6pm, followed by a Street Dance at 7:00 at the Little Church Theater. Come dance the night away with Postage Due on the shores of Squam Lake!  Food options will be available at the dance starting at 6pm.

On Saturday, August 6^th from 9am – 6pm, Curry Place will be bustling with Abenaki artist demonstrations and sales, including Barry Higgins of White Crow Flutes, Bill and Sherry Gould from Western Abenaki Baskets, Darryl Peasley with beaded top hats and leather pouches, and Debbie Dostie of Silver Wolf Creations, as well as many other crafters and food vendors.  There will be a variety of parades to choose from, such as the 9:30am Mattatuck Fife and Drum Band parade by boat from Cotton Cove to Squam Boat Livery, the 10:00am Grand Street Parade on Route 3 from Shepard Hill Rd to the Squam Lake Science Center, and the 10:45am Vintage Boat Flotilla from Cotton Cove to Perkins Cabins on Little Squam.  The Science Center, Library, and Historical Society will also be holding special demonstrations and lectures throughout the day on the history of the area before the European settlers arrived.  The day will be capped off by another dance—a Barn Dance at 7:30pm in the Fisher Family Activity Barn!

The Sunday celebrations will start at 7:30am with a Pancake Breakfast at the Holderness Fire Station, while Abenaki artist demonstrations continue at Curry Place beginning at 9am, where visitors can also enjoy a Native American flute performance by White Crow at 11am.  John Brooks, a Huron descendant, will conduct a trail walk for “Feast at Your Feet” and “The Thee Sister Survival Vegetables” starting at the Historical Society at 2pm, and at 3:30 there will be a reading of the Town Charter at Livermore Common Holderness School.  The evening will finish with a 4pm Vespers service at Trinity Cemetery Chapel, followed by a reading of King George’s charter creating New Holderness and a tour of the Cemetery pointing out prominent Holderness families of the past.

There are so many other activities happening this weekend and throughout the next week that we can’t list them all here.  You’ve got to see for yourself, and what a beautiful weekend it is to visit this lakeside community and take a trip back in time!  Come celebrate the Semiquincentennial of Holderness!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team