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Photo courtesy of Giorgio Barlaam, Barber par-excellence from Guttenberg, NJ;
Barber of the Fritz Reuter Altenheim Continuous Care Retirement Home of North
Bergen, New Jersey; and Charter Member of the German-American World Historical
Society, Inc., North Bergen, New Jersey. The Banner Design was created by the
daughter of Giorgio Barlaam.
Kutztown Folk Festival
The past is always present at what is considered by many to be America's premier
folklife festival, the Kutztown Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Festival. And so it was when
the German-American World Historical Society, Inc. chartered a bus from the Bayshore
Bus Company, Bayonne, and 46 passenger enjoyed the ride through rolling hills and
farmland in Southeastern Pennsylvania, to attend the festival, as part of there year-long
cultural and educational program to show the members and non-member passengers the
beauty and accomplishment of German-Americans in the land of Amerikaner.
For the past 60 years, the Kutztown festival has celebrated everything that's
Pennsylvania Dutch, and this year's festival surpasses all other years to continue a
tradition that originated in 1950.
A family-friendly showcase of food, crafts and living history, the festival also offered
one-of-a-kind quilts and fine arts that appeal to serious collectors.
The festival is just a short trip by bus from New York City, North Bergen NJ,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and other parts of the Northeastern United States. However,
its reputation has made it a destination for families and fans of folk art and crafts from
the world over.
This year's Festival was designated as one of the top 100 events in the country by the
American Bus Association gathered together 200 of America's finest traditional
craftsmen from June 27th thru July 5th, 2009.
Demonstrations ran the gamut from farming and gardening to churches and weddings.
Other exhibits focused on Pennsylvania-Dutch dialect and folklore, spinning and
weaving, country cooks, blacksmiths, furniture, candles, and more.
The Quilt Barn displayed 1,400 locally handmade quilts and wall hangings on display and
for sale during the entire festival. In addition to quilting demonstrations, quilt lovers
were expected to come from around the world to attend the auction of 24 prize-winning
quilts, which were held the second Saturday of the Festival.
The Festival is also known for its great food, much of it prepared in the Pennsylvania
Dutch fashion; and the German-American World passengers were treated to a family
syle sitdown luncheon in the Zion Church pavilion, which was happily enjoyed by all, and
which included potpie and shoo-fly pie-along with country chicken dinners, strawberry
shortcake, funnel cakes, apple streudel and ice cream.
On the way home the German-American World passengers praised the trip promoter,
Johannes Rammund De Balliel-Lawrora, Executive Secretary and Executive Director,
for having organized an interesting and wonderfully bus excursion.
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