DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Tess Catalano posters and flyers, 1975-1994 | 1979-08-23 The 4th Michigan Womyn's Music Festival""

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Tess Catalano posters and flyers, 1975-1994

1979-08-23 The 4th Michigan Womyn's Music Festival"" - Back

GENERAL INFORMATION
This is an outdoor music festival on 200 acres of partially wooded country land. This land is expansive and has hiking paths and a shallow creek which runs through the back 30 acres. The area is surrounded by small farm and country communities. The nearest town is seven miles from the festival site and we advise that you stock up with what you need before you get there.

The festival will commence with workshops Thursday, August 23rd at noon. Concerts will begin Thursday evening with the last set ending around 10:00 on Sunday night. There will be performances on two different stages this year: one stage will feature three performances each evening, beginning around 7:30, after dinner. In addition, on Friday and Saturday afternoons there will be two scheduled concerts at 2:00 & 3:00 p.m. on a daytime stage. This stage will also serve as an open-mic stage & interested womyn can sign up each morning to schedule herself into that days program.

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
When the first Michigan festival was organized 4 years ago our vision of what it would be was in some ways an open question— a hazy dream still rough around the edges. It was the womyn who came to each successive festival who etched in the details of that dream, defined it, and gave it a form. Our original idea was, quite simply, a weekend of music, music that is seldom available for our ears and hearts to enjoy. We have kept our focus on music, feeling it to be an indispensable bridge across our isolation and alienation, with its incomparable capacity to inspire, educate, comfort, and strengthen solidarity in the face of oppression.

We have seen the festival grow and change to reflect the direction of womyn collectively. And with each festival we have come to recognize and respect, increasingly, how womynspace is the crucial element to maintaining expansive momentum, and the thing that makes this event so special.

The festival is “a gathering of mothers & daughters.” Participating in a setting of womyn together exclusively as a reality has been our teacher; the experience has shown us things we never imagined— how a womyn-only environment can create a kind of breathing room, can lift inhibitions and open up each womon to explore, to question, to dare to take on new challenges. This was the hidden impact that we didn’t anticipate when we started out to organize our little local festival; it has been the overwhelming joy which has since unfolded. The reality speaks for itself as we struggle within ourselves and with each other against the liberal notion that separation is always inherently “bad.” We can now recognize that there is nothing healthier than an individual choosing for herself times to be in solitude, with a lover, with family, with friends, with a diverse group, or with a specific group composed solely of others of her own sex, race, age, culture, class— or any aspect of herself and needs its own time of nurturance.

It is with a respect for this process that we make a commitment to making the festival as accessible as possible to all womyn, and only womyn, of all ages. And it is with a sensitivity to the particular needs of mothers with sons that we organize childcare for all youngones — so that these womyn too can have a time of womynspace.

REFLECTIONS
This year was a very difficult one for us in deciding whether or not to produce another festival. We are tired and it has been an enormous undertaking for very few womyn over the last four years. Out of the doubt came a lot of realizations about what

[end of article]

GOOD EATS
In keeping with our identities as fruits and nuts, we will again attempt the impossible task of feeding thousands of hungry mamas. With the help of our cooking coordinators, we will provide two vegetarian meals per day for all womyn in attendance. Fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, breads, peanut butter, tahini, etc. will be available for the morning meal and afternoon snacks. In the evening the food gang will be serving up open-fire cooked soups, chilis, baked potatoes, corn, and miscellaneous cooked vegies along with a variety of salads, fresh fruits, and breads. Remember, if you like to eat dairy products (like butter) with these things, bring your own supply, along with your plate, cup, bowl and utensils.

We saw the food department improve greatly last year over past years, particularly in the quality and heartiness of the food prepared— and this year we want to zero in on how to better serve everyone with greater efficiency & comfort. While it’s true that lots of good times have been had on the food lines, we hope to organize better serving techniques that will make the evening meal experience more palitable.

Because this area services the entire festival community, it will demand the most community involvement— so keep in mind that nearly one fourth of the womyn attending may be required to work the shifts in Food.

HEALTHCARE
The festival healthcare facility is designed to deal with most immediate health needs by employing a number of different medical and natural healing techniques. There will be round-the-clock emergency care and a good & varied assortment of medicinal herbs along with basic medical supplies. Two womyn will be there to coordinate both the medical and natural healing aspects of the tent, but we need and encourage participation from womyn involved in all fields of healthcare, and ask that you contact WWTMC prior to the festival if you would like to offer your healing skills & energies. In the past we have seen a great deal of skill sharing and expansion of this facility by the womyn who have staffed the tent, and we hope that this trend continues to flourish.

The healthcare tent will also be staffed by 24-hour emotional healthcare workers and we are asking that womyn who feel that they can be helpful in this area also contact WWTMC in advance.

We will be organizing a daily alcohol support group and request assistance from interested womyn in this area as well.

Note: Limiting your intake of sweets & meat 2 weeks prior to the festival will lessen susceptibility to insect bites. Also, if you are on medication, be sure to bring an adequate supply.

CHILDCARE
There will be childcare facilities operating all four days of the festival, both on and off the festival grounds, staffed by festival participants and organized by a collective worker. We will provide various supplies including games, bats & balls, arts & crafts materials, and books. We view the care of young ones attending the festival as an on-going community responsibility and not something reserved only for the mothers and personal friends of the children. We would appreciate hearing from any womon who would like to offer special activities such as nature walks, puppet making, or singalongs, so that we may schedule & list it in the festival program, and hope that any womon choosing to work and Childcare brings lots of creative energy and forethought into her participation.

To respond to the needs of mothers traveling with sons, we are organizing a campground near the festival site for male children

[end of article]

HELP WANTED
Before and after the festival there will be lots of hard work and good times to be had for any womon who wants to come early or stay late— so please feel free to come and help us build up or break down.

Please contact the collective if you are fluent in interpreting in sign and would be available to sign concerts &/or workshops for the hearing impaired. Also: we are once again on the lookout for CB radios and would appreciate hearing from any womon who could make one available during the festival.

WHATCH GET & WHATCHA NEED
Vegetarian Meals	Water Container
Camping Space	Place Setting
Parking Space		Beverages & Optional Food
Coldwater Showers	Trash Bags
Drinking Water	Toilet Paper
Healthcare		Tent & Sleeping Bag
Childcare Facilities	Tampons or Sponges
Portable Toilets	Biodegradable Soap
Large Sleep Tents	Skin Lotion
Security		Flashlight
Concerts		Towel & Washcloth
Clothing for Various Temps

TO REGISTER
This year we came to the brilliant realization that it would save us a lot of time and crazies to have each womon fill out her own registration card— so we are enclosing one in each brochure & mailing. In addition to the usual “Name, Address, & Number of Tickets Desired” we ask that you specify which ticket price you are paying, and also, which area you will be working in at the festival. We hope that pre-registering for a work shift will give each womon more time to focus on what it is she would like to do to help the festival function, before she is dazed by the sight of 4,000 spaced-out spinsters— and that it will let us schedule work shifts further in advance and to anticipate shortages in specific areas.

Please fill out registration cards individually (if you don’t have a card for every womon in your household, write on a separate piece of paper), either by typing or printing as neatly as possible. And remember, sloppy handwriters will be analyzed by a full-time staff of graphologists (handwriting shrinks) for all kinds of neuroses.

TICKET DONATIONS
Since the first festival in 1976, we had charged a basic rate of $5/day to attend the festival and participate in concerts, workshops, and all that the event has to offer, including meals. We have maintained our commitment to keeping the price as low as possible while covering the cost of the festival. With the inflation blowout that has occurred in the past twelve months, it was necessary to increase our minimum prices slightly, for the first time. Even so, it is still possible to attend the festival for four days at slightly more than $6/day. This is only made possible because of the sliding scale concept.

We were pleased with the results of last year’s sliding scale price chart idea— most womyn took this choice seriously and our advance ticket orders fanned across the price spread fairly evenly. We want to congratulate the festival community on the integrity shown around this issue last year, and are optimistic that even more womyn will take responsibility in this way this year (particularly around At-the-Gate sales, where it has been less successful) as consciousness around money issues expands and develops. It is truly heartening to see womyn take an active part in turning the tide of how this economic system is set up. Even if we have little effect on the overall money/power structure, changing how we approach our work by dealing fairly with each other in the womyn’s community is a major step toward meaningful [illegible].

Saving...

GENERAL INFORMATION This is an outdoor music festival on 200 acres of partially wooded country land. This land is expansive and has hiking paths and a shallow creek which runs through the back 30 acres. The area is surrounded by small farm and country communities. The nearest town is seven miles from the festival site and we advise that you stock up with what you need before you get there. The festival will commence with workshops Thursday, August 23rd at noon. Concerts will begin Thursday evening with the last set ending around 10:00 on Sunday night. There will be performances on two different stages this year: one stage will feature three performances each evening, beginning around 7:30, after dinner. In addition, on Friday and Saturday afternoons there will be two scheduled concerts at 2:00 & 3:00 p.m. on a daytime stage. This stage will also serve as an open-mic stage & interested womyn can sign up each morning to schedule herself into that days program. WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT When the first Michigan festival was organized 4 years ago our vision of what it would be was in some ways an open question— a hazy dream still rough around the edges. It was the womyn who came to each successive festival who etched in the details of that dream, defined it, and gave it a form. Our original idea was, quite simply, a weekend of music, music that is seldom available for our ears and hearts to enjoy. We have kept our focus on music, feeling it to be an indispensable bridge across our isolation and alienation, with its incomparable capacity to inspire, educate, comfort, and strengthen solidarity in the face of oppression. We have seen the festival grow and change to reflect the direction of womyn collectively. And with each festival we have come to recognize and respect, increasingly, how womynspace is the crucial element to maintaining expansive momentum, and the thing that makes this event so special. The festival is “a gathering of mothers & daughters.” Participating in a setting of womyn together exclusively as a reality has been our teacher; the experience has shown us things we never imagined— how a womyn-only environment can create a kind of breathing room, can lift inhibitions and open up each womon to explore, to question, to dare to take on new challenges. This was the hidden impact that we didn’t anticipate when we started out to organize our little local festival; it has been the overwhelming joy which has since unfolded. The reality speaks for itself as we struggle within ourselves and with each other against the liberal notion that separation is always inherently “bad.” We can now recognize that there is nothing healthier than an individual choosing for herself times to be in solitude, with a lover, with family, with friends, with a diverse group, or with a specific group composed solely of others of her own sex, race, age, culture, class— or any aspect of herself and needs its own time of nurturance. It is with a respect for this process that we make a commitment to making the festival as accessible as possible to all womyn, and only womyn, of all ages. And it is with a sensitivity to the particular needs of mothers with sons that we organize childcare for all youngones — so that these womyn too can have a time of womynspace. REFLECTIONS This year was a very difficult one for us in deciding whether or not to produce another festival. We are tired and it has been an enormous undertaking for very few womyn over the last four years. Out of the doubt came a lot of realizations about what [end of article] GOOD EATS In keeping with our identities as fruits and nuts, we will again attempt the impossible task of feeding thousands of hungry mamas. With the help of our cooking coordinators, we will provide two vegetarian meals per day for all womyn in attendance. Fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, breads, peanut butter, tahini, etc. will be available for the morning meal and afternoon snacks. In the evening the food gang will be serving up open-fire cooked soups, chilis, baked potatoes, corn, and miscellaneous cooked vegies along with a variety of salads, fresh fruits, and breads. Remember, if you like to eat dairy products (like butter) with these things, bring your own supply, along with your plate, cup, bowl and utensils. We saw the food department improve greatly last year over past years, particularly in the quality and heartiness of the food prepared— and this year we want to zero in on how to better serve everyone with greater efficiency & comfort. While it’s true that lots of good times have been had on the food lines, we hope to organize better serving techniques that will make the evening meal experience more palitable. Because this area services the entire festival community, it will demand the most community involvement— so keep in mind that nearly one fourth of the womyn attending may be required to work the shifts in Food. HEALTHCARE The festival healthcare facility is designed to deal with most immediate health needs by employing a number of different medical and natural healing techniques. There will be round-the-clock emergency care and a good & varied assortment of medicinal herbs along with basic medical supplies. Two womyn will be there to coordinate both the medical and natural healing aspects of the tent, but we need and encourage participation from womyn involved in all fields of healthcare, and ask that you contact WWTMC prior to the festival if you would like to offer your healing skills & energies. In the past we have seen a great deal of skill sharing and expansion of this facility by the womyn who have staffed the tent, and we hope that this trend continues to flourish. The healthcare tent will also be staffed by 24-hour emotional healthcare workers and we are asking that womyn who feel that they can be helpful in this area also contact WWTMC in advance. We will be organizing a daily alcohol support group and request assistance from interested womyn in this area as well. Note: Limiting your intake of sweets & meat 2 weeks prior to the festival will lessen susceptibility to insect bites. Also, if you are on medication, be sure to bring an adequate supply. CHILDCARE There will be childcare facilities operating all four days of the festival, both on and off the festival grounds, staffed by festival participants and organized by a collective worker. We will provide various supplies including games, bats & balls, arts & crafts materials, and books. We view the care of young ones attending the festival as an on-going community responsibility and not something reserved only for the mothers and personal friends of the children. We would appreciate hearing from any womon who would like to offer special activities such as nature walks, puppet making, or singalongs, so that we may schedule & list it in the festival program, and hope that any womon choosing to work and Childcare brings lots of creative energy and forethought into her participation. To respond to the needs of mothers traveling with sons, we are organizing a campground near the festival site for male children [end of article] HELP WANTED Before and after the festival there will be lots of hard work and good times to be had for any womon who wants to come early or stay late— so please feel free to come and help us build up or break down. Please contact the collective if you are fluent in interpreting in sign and would be available to sign concerts &/or workshops for the hearing impaired. Also: we are once again on the lookout for CB radios and would appreciate hearing from any womon who could make one available during the festival. WHATCH GET & WHATCHA NEED Vegetarian Meals Water Container Camping Space Place Setting Parking Space Beverages & Optional Food Coldwater Showers Trash Bags Drinking Water Toilet Paper Healthcare Tent & Sleeping Bag Childcare Facilities Tampons or Sponges Portable Toilets Biodegradable Soap Large Sleep Tents Skin Lotion Security Flashlight Concerts Towel & Washcloth Clothing for Various Temps TO REGISTER This year we came to the brilliant realization that it would save us a lot of time and crazies to have each womon fill out her own registration card— so we are enclosing one in each brochure & mailing. In addition to the usual “Name, Address, & Number of Tickets Desired” we ask that you specify which ticket price you are paying, and also, which area you will be working in at the festival. We hope that pre-registering for a work shift will give each womon more time to focus on what it is she would like to do to help the festival function, before she is dazed by the sight of 4,000 spaced-out spinsters— and that it will let us schedule work shifts further in advance and to anticipate shortages in specific areas. Please fill out registration cards individually (if you don’t have a card for every womon in your household, write on a separate piece of paper), either by typing or printing as neatly as possible. And remember, sloppy handwriters will be analyzed by a full-time staff of graphologists (handwriting shrinks) for all kinds of neuroses. TICKET DONATIONS Since the first festival in 1976, we had charged a basic rate of $5/day to attend the festival and participate in concerts, workshops, and all that the event has to offer, including meals. We have maintained our commitment to keeping the price as low as possible while covering the cost of the festival. With the inflation blowout that has occurred in the past twelve months, it was necessary to increase our minimum prices slightly, for the first time. Even so, it is still possible to attend the festival for four days at slightly more than $6/day. This is only made possible because of the sliding scale concept. We were pleased with the results of last year’s sliding scale price chart idea— most womyn took this choice seriously and our advance ticket orders fanned across the price spread fairly evenly. We want to congratulate the festival community on the integrity shown around this issue last year, and are optimistic that even more womyn will take responsibility in this way this year (particularly around At-the-Gate sales, where it has been less successful) as consciousness around money issues expands and develops. It is truly heartening to see womyn take an active part in turning the tide of how this economic system is set up. Even if we have little effect on the overall money/power structure, changing how we approach our work by dealing fairly with each other in the womyn’s community is a major step toward meaningful [illegible].