Craft Show To Support Musical Endeavors

For many years, the New Holland Community Memorial Park has been the site of multiple weekly outdoor concerts made possible by the New Holland Summer Arts Program (NHSAP). For the summer of 2025, NHSAP has once again lined up nearly 20 events with musical groups ranging from rock'n'roll to Celtic music to cover bands and bluegrass music. Eight new acts will be featured at the venue, located in the 400 block of Jackson Street in New Holland. As in the past, all concerts will begin at 7 p.m. with the exception of the Mitch and the MoodSwings show on Saturday, Aug. 16, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. 

As is NHSAP tradition, the summer concert series will kick off with a patriotic concert on Thursday, July 3. The 2025 concert, followed by a fireworks display, will feature the West Chester Band. The rain date for the concert and fireworks will be Sunday, July 6. The Fiddlers Picnic, which will be held on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1, will conclude the series. This year, the picnic will open with Summit Hill Bluegrass at 10 a.m., followed by open stage time. The country, gospel, and bluegrass sounds of Remington Ryde will be heard in the park from 4 to 6 p.m.

To keep the music playing, NHSAP holds an annual craft show in the park on the fourth Saturday of June. This year's show will be held on Saturday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizer Sue Noll expects to have more than 80 vendors display at the event. "Last year, we had 104 (vendors at the show)," stated Noll. Among this year's vendors will be those selling plants, handcrafted soaps, kitchen towels, candles, hand-painted stones, notebooks, and fabric-wrapped bowls. Other crafters will include those who make bracelets, glass accessories, wreaths, wooden signs, ceramics, paintings, and crocheted items. 

Food items for purchase at the craft show will be provided by Mocha Motion Coffee, W Donuts, Spud Muffin, and Lickity Split.

For 2025, concerts will be held weekly on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Among the many acts that will be featured will be Flamin' Dick and the Hot Rods, Amber Rae & The Swinging Foxes, Elvis impersonator Jeff Krick, the Nomads, Fire in the Glen, Six-String Soldiers, and Nick Ferraro & The All Stars. 

Food at the concerts will be provided by a number of food trucks. "We will have a variety," said Noll, who noted that a food truck and an ice cream truck offering items for purchase will be at each show. As in the past, the New Holland Lions Club food trailer will be at the Fiddlers Picnic.

More information and a full schedule of events may be found at https://newhollandsummerarts.com. Each event will also be posted on the NHSAP Facebook page, which may be found by searching for "New Holland Summer Arts Association." 

NHSAP welcomes volunteers and donations. Readers who have questions may email newhollandsummerartsassoc@gmail.com or call 717-355-9795.