October Coming! Get ready to Perform!

Taking a Page from Welsh traditions, The Gathering is arranging for a series of talent competitions this October. Although talent competitions are fairly universal, they are also strangely Welsh in feel. Following the Eisteddfod model we will be organizing (or organising for you British isle types) three competitions during the October Haunted Happenings season.

1. Salem Children's Day Talent Show - Saturday, Oct. 10th 2pm to 5pm on the Salem Common. This coincides with the Salem Halloween Children's Day. Typically 2-3,000 people are in attendance. Registration fee is $5, but sponsorships are available for those who can not afford the registration fee. Children up to age 12 are eligible for this competition.

2. Beat Down Salem! Salem Beat Box Championship - Thanks to Brian Serfes for his inspiration and work in pulling this great show together. Saturday, October 17th from 1pm to 5pm. This is an all age competition for the Salem Beat Box Champ. Free Registration.

3. Ysbrydnos: 2009 Salem Bardic Competition - calling all poets, storytellers, musicians, and any combination thereof. This is the event to win the bardic staff and the title 2009 Bard of Salem. Special consideration is given to creativity, originality, and a certain spiritual je ne sais quoi. Registration is $10. The event will take place over October 30th, and 31st with the winning of the Bardic Staff taking place on the Fountain Stage at the Museum Place Mall on Essex Street on Halloween evening.

For more information on any of these competitions call The Gathering at 978-744-8444, or e-mail pastorphil at salemgathering.com. You could be the next Bard.

Ysbrydnos 2009 - an Eisteddfod coming this October!

We will be looking for musicians, poets, and storytellers for the October Spirit Night 2009 bardic Competition. Ysbrydnos (euhs-bruhd-nos) is one of the Welsh words for Halloween Night. It means Spirit-Night, and this October the the Fountain Stage sponsored by The Gathering will be hosting an Eisteddfod (a Bardic Competition). There will be a Children's Competition in a couple age groups, and an adult competition. The winning adult will be crowned the Bard of Salem for the year. More information to come later. For now, keep your calendar clear enough to compete!


Today Jeff Menasco and I created the logo for the event. Well, actually, I simply came up with the idea of the first letter as a harp, and sketched it out, then took it to Jeff, and he banged out this cool logo in a little over an hour of work with me looking over his shoulder, and giving my two cents here and there. I am pretty darn happy with it.