- Who’s Playing: Tom plays with Anne Lederman & Ian Bell
- Date: Saturday, August 10th 2013
- Time: 2:00pm
- Venue: Port Dover Marine Museum
- City: Port Dover , Ontario
- Address: 44 Harbour St.
- Venue phone: 519 583 2660
- Country: Canada
- Admission: Free
- Age restrictions: All Ages
- Notes: Ian Bell is the curator of this delightful museum and he is constantly re-inventing this place to make history come alive. 2:00 Mary Humphreys and Anahata. (Englist folk duo) 3:15 Muddy York (traditional music of early Ontario, but always updated to sound interesting.) 7:00 Evening Concert and dance. Frank Francalanza will be the caller. Tom has worked with him before and he is excellent in explaining the dances and choosing what is appropriate but interesting and fun. Here is how Ian describes the day: BARCLAYS BALL – August 10 at Port Dover Harbour Museum Music and Dance Event Commemorates a Fateful Summer Party of 1813 This may not have been the party that your mother warned you about in high school – but if we can believe local legends, things might have turned out better if everyone had just stayed home. In August of 1813 a war was raging on Lake Erie, and a British naval squadron had the Americans bottled up in Erie harbour. Throughout July Commander Barclay had maintained his blockade and kept the American fleet off the waters of the lake – until he got invited to a party. Years afterwards, Amelia Ryerse remembered it this way: “There was a pretty widow of an officer of some rank in Amherstburg, who was very anxious to go to Toronto. Captain Barclay offered her a passage in his ship and brought her to Ryerse and then escorted her to Dr. Rolph’s, where he and some of his officers remained to dinner the following day.” By the time Barclay got back to Erie, the Americans were out of the harbour and a chain of events was set in motion that ended with the loss of the British fleet and the burning of Dover. Some party! BARCLAY’S BALL will be a day of music and dance presented at the Port Dover Harbour Museum and featuring an array of extraordinary musicians from Ontario and Great Britain. Mary Humphreys & Anahata – This duo are established on the British folk scene as enthusiastic and entertaining performers of traditional material. With skilled musicianship and a huge variety of instruments they have unearthed and brought back to vivid life some rare gems of English song and dance music. Mary sings traditional songs, mostly in English (as well as a few in her native Welsh) and plays banjo and concertina. Anahata accompanies with melodeons, concertina and cello, and they play instrumental arrangements, mostly of English traditional music. Muddy York – For over 30 years the Ontario folk group Muddy York has performed the songs and traditional dance music of early Canada. Their lively acoustic sound is defined by fiddles, button accordion, keyboards, guitar, bass and more. Muddy York has performed at festivals, concerts and dances right across Canada – from Newfoundland to The Northwest Territories. They also appeared for two weeks at Expo 86 in Vancouver and in 2005 represented Canada at the Viljandi Folk Festival in Estonia. Concert and Dance – On the afternoon of August 10, both groups will be featured in free one-hour concerts at the Museum. In the evening at 7:00 PM they will join forces for a “sing around” concert that will end with an old-time country dance led by dance caller Frank Francalanza. Frank is a great teacher, so no experience is necessary if you want to learn a few of these centuries old dance moves. The “Lion on the Lake” giant puppets will also be on hand to add to the festivities. Audience members are encouraged to come in period costumes – pioneers, pirates, soldiers, sailors and milkmaids will all be more than welcome. All events are free of charge. For further information www.portdovermuseum.ca or call curator, Ian Bell at (519) 583-2660
