Signup to be an apprentice June 1st through June 30th

All children meeting the following apprentice program criteria must be registered through the Goschenhoppen Apprentice Program, including children of adult volunteers and/or who have participated in prior years:

• Children entering 6th (or higher) grade AND 11 years old or older
• Children entering 12th (or lower) grade AND 18 years old or younger (note: students 19 years old and up should enter thru the adult volunteer program.)

This helps to manage demonstration sizes and ensure apprentices are placed where needed. Children of festival volunteers will get preference to work at their parent’s demonstration, if desired and gender appropriate, i.e., apprentice aged boys cannot be in home skills. 

For more information about the program, email goschenhoppenapprentice@gmail.com.

We encourage adult volunteer to bring their own children with the understanding that all children meeting apprentice program criteria will be registered with the Goschenhoppen Apprentice Program and those who do not will be under their direct supervision. Children younger than 11 years old can register with their parents.

We are excited to offer online registration for returning volunteers! 

Volunteers with an email address on file will receive an email in March with directions to register online for the 2023 Festival. Replying to the online form serves as your "Green Card" response. Please complete the online registration by APRIL 15.

A reply is needed for each volunteer, including children. If registering more than one person, use the link to "Submit another response" after clicking the Submit button. Children of adult volunteers who register online will still need to complete the Apprentice Signup form in June. 

Volunteers who do not complete this online form by April 15th will receive the informational letter and "Green Card" by USPS mail towards the end of April. This advanced registration helps our planning of equipment and personnel. 

No one will be admitted to the Folk Festival without having registered in advance. 

Again, online registration is for returning volunteers only. New volunteers interested to find out how to help or for more information should contact redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org with the subject: New GHFF Volunteer, Attention Jenny Shearer / Al Gouldey.

Please direct any questions about this online registration process to redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org with the subject: Online Registration, Attention Jenny Shearer.

Thank you for your interest in our Festival and your willingness to volunteer your time and talents to help keep the Pennsylvania German culture alive. We are looking forward to another great Folk Festival.

We appreciate all of you who provide your own reproduction clothing. However, if you need to borrow a costume, we will provide one for you free of charge. Selection and sizes are limited. First come, first served! Please come in person for a fitting at Red Men’s Hall on any of the following dates:

• Friday June 16: 6:30 – 9pm
• Saturday June 17: 9am – 12pm
• Wednesday June 21: 6:30 – 9pm
• Tuesday June 27: 6:30 – 9pm
• Wednesday July 5: 6:30 – 9 pm
• Friday July 7: 6:30 – 9pm
• Saturday July 8: 9am – 12pm
• LAST CHANCE: Tuesday July 11: 6:30 – 9pm
  

Red Men’s Hall is located at 116 Gravel Pike, Green Lane, PA 18054 and the phone number there is 215-234-8953.

If you are unable to attend any of the above sessions, provide the information below (not sizes!) to redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org with the subject: Costuming, Attention Susan Cook before July 1st. A costume will be chosen for you and placed in the dressing area of the barn on the morning of Festival.

• Your name, phone number, and what demonstration you will be involved in
• Women & girls: chest, waist, waist to ankle bone, and nape of neck to ankle bone measurements
• Men & boys: chest, waist, waist to knee, and inseam measurements

Festival costuming needs to be completed by July 11th as the apprentice costuming will follow and the costuming selection will be depleted. If you are an adult volunteer attending costuming, you may still fulfill the costuming needs of your children in the apprentice program. Festival participants who are not properly costumed will not be able to participate in Festival demonstrations. 

If you are interested in making your own costume or want a costume made for you, please email redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org with the subject: Costuming, Attention Susan Cook for patterns and instructions or timing and cost.

Want to volunteer but don’t want to dress up? Help is needed in the kitchen, peeling peaches, and at the main gate.  Email redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org for more info or to sign up!

Ordering Food and Paper Supplies 

All demonstration leaders needing to order food supplies and paper goods should contact the Festival Purchasing Agent/Food Concessions committee.  They will work with you to get both the quality and quantity of supplies needed. All orders must be placed by June 14th. If you wish to bring and donate your own supplies, kindly make sure they are not also ordered.

Remember that the primary purpose of these supplies is to support the demonstration and provide samples, not servings. Supplies ordered are to be allocated for the duration of the festival. We do not restock demonstration supplies on Friday to support Saturday’s festival.

For all other supply needs, contact your Festival Committee Chairperson.

Selling at the Folk Festival 

Sale items must be relevant to your craft and time-period as well as something you could produce at the Festival if requested to do so. All for sale items must be pre-approved by your Committee Chairperson prior to the Festival and be listed on your online registration/green reply card. We ask for a 10% commission on gross sales, and our treasurer needs this information in advance. Please pay this commission before leaving the grounds Saturday after 6pm at the Festival Finance Office at the rear of the kitchen building.

Photo / Video Disclaimer

In this age of digital and social media, there are many people taking photographs and videos at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival. We have no control over these photographers and videographers. As such, your participation in the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival constitutes your agreement to hold harmless and release and forever discharge Goschenhoppen Historians of responsibility and accountability related to photographs and videos taken at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival.

Additionally, some photographers and videographers authorize the Goschenhoppen Historians permission to use photographs and video taken at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival. As such, we must emphasize, your participation at the Goschenhoppen Historians Folk Festival constitutes:

• A granting of permission for the Goschenhoppen Historians Inc. to use your likeness in a photograph or video taken at the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival in any and all of its publications, including but not limited to all Goschenhoppen Historians’ printed and digital publications, for publicity, promotional, documentary, and educational purposes. 
• Acknowledgement that you will receive no financial compensation for the use of a photograph or video with your likeness. 
• Irrevocable authorization for the Goschenhoppen Historians to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute a photograph or video with your likeness for purposes of publicizing Goschenhoppen Historians’ programs or for any other lawful purpose. 
• A waiving of any right to inspect or approve the finished product, including written or electronic copy, wherein your likeness appears. 
• A waiving of any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of the photograph or video.
• Acknowledgement that you hold harmless and release and forever discharge Goschenhoppen Historians from all claims, demands, and causes of action which you or any other persons acting on your behalf have or may have by reason of this authorization.

Festival Theme 

Darre un Eimache – Drying & Preserving. This year’s theme highlights drying and preserving within the Goschenhoppen region during 18th and 19th centuries. Drying and preserving were necessary activities to ensure food stores were available year-round when fresh meats and produce were not an option. This included food staples such as dried and preserved fruits, smoked meats, pickled vegetables like chow-chow, and dried corn ground into corn meal or reconstituted and fried or used in fritters. In trades, animal hides would be tanned and used by the harness maker. In farming, dried ear corn was used for animal feed. In pastimes, dried corn husks braided into mats or used in corn husk dolls for children. 

Demonstrators should interact with visitors, discussing how drying and preserving intersects with their demonstration. Remember that visitors are likely unfamiliar with the lifestyle portrayed in your demonstration.

Coming Up

Registered volunteers will receive a July email/USPS mailing which includes:

• Arrival, admittance, and meal ticket details
• Costuming policies
• Expectations of Folk Festival volunteers
• Locations of supplies and equipment
• Guidelines for demonstration sales