Celebrate Holyoke Announces 2019 Festival, Seeks Vendors and Volunteers

HOLYOKE — The Celebrate Holyoke planning committee announced the 2019 dates for the annual community event. Celebrate Holyoke will take place Friday through Sunday, Aug. 23-25, at Heritage State Park in downtown Holyoke.

Celebrate Holyoke is a three-day festival drawing an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people downtown over the course of the weekend each year. This year’s festival will include live musical performances, food and beverages from local restaurants, and goods from local artists and makers.

“I am thrilled to see Celebrate Holyoke return to Downtown Holyoke this year,” said Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse. “With three days of music, food, and entertainment, we have an opportunity to connect with one another as a community and celebrate all those things that make Holyoke exceptional.”

The event’s new fiscal sponsor is Holyoke Community Media Inc., a nonprofit that seeks to promote all voices in the community through media, the mayor added. “They share our governmental proceedings and all public-school activities. In addition, the center serves as a place for civic engagement. We are excited about our new partnership with Holyoke Media. A big thanks to the organizers of this event for working hard and going that extra mile to produce a quality event that brings thousands to our downtown area and making Celebrate Holyoke a Holyoke tradition. You make our city proud.”

This year, Arlo Guthrie returns to Holyoke on Aug. 24. Known to generations as a prolific songwriter, social commentator, master storyteller, actor, and activist, Guthrie’s career soared with his debut of “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” at the Newport Folk Festival in 1967. Later that year, he was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Folk Performance category. Since then, he has traveled and performed solo, with family and/or friends.

The Celebrate Holyoke planning committee welcomes alcohol distributors, food trucks, restaurateurs, artisans, nonprofits, and community organizations to apply to be a part of Celebrate Holyoke at celebrateholyokemass.com/vendors.

Although planning for Celebrate Holyoke has been underway for the last few months, the committee has opened up applications for volunteers during the three-day event. Volunteers are greatly needed for shifts throughout the weekend of the event.