( These comments are from last year and I left them up temporarily to give some of the atmosphere of the Fest.)

May 1st, 2011

OK, here we are. It is Ukulele Festival Week! Do some last minute chores and push
others out of the way because this week is meant for ukulele. Time to network with your
uke friends, advance your skills, buy that new uke, see some great performers, stay up
too late at the jam—just what we all have been waiting for!

On the practical side, Fest ticket sales on the website will continue at reduced rates until
Wednesday evening at approximately 6PM. After that, the only tickets will be available
at the box office at The Ailey Citigroup Theater. The box office prices are as follows:

Full Festival Pass for 3 days of workshops, concerts, etc.: $195.
Full Day Pass (includes two workshops and concert: $75.
Segment Pass (see website for details): $50.

 There have been some last minute adjustments, which have already been announced but
bear repeating. Music Guy Mike and Mihana, who are both announced on our program,
cannot make it. On the performance side, we have moved Mihana’s good friend Deni
Bonet into her slot on Friday and we were fortunate to be able to get the J.Walter Hawkes
trio as an addition for Thursday night’s lineup.

Thursday is May 5, opening day and Cinco de Mayo. It will be an exciting day! After the
initial gathering, our first workshop period kicks off with 8 great choices. Whether you
are a beginner or an experienced player, there will be a good choice of an appropriate
workshop to help you focus on your ukulele goals. Following the workshop, we will
move outdoors to the vendors’ tent, where we will have an open mic setup and we will
have a Cinco de Mayo food and drink fiesta. Finger food, wraps, chips, guacamole, salsa,
beer, wine and other refreshments will be available for a donation. The entire donation
will go towards the Japanese Relief Fund. Next, the concert will present many great
performers strutting their latest tunes. If you have still not had enough, you can join us at
Red 58 (158 W 58th St) for the Midnight Jam, which will continue until…..Whatever time
you leave, remember that we open on Friday at Noon, back at Ailey Theater.

On Friday, we want to announce that in addition to the schedule you see posted on the
website, we will be adding a screening of Tony Coleman’s MIGHTY UKE. This will
be an afternoon event and will be available to all attendees. Tony also has some classic
footage of scenes that his research has uncovered, which he promises will delight you.
Two workshop periods, a full concert, Midnight Jam, and more.

On Saturday, we open with our vendor period, which will be like a mini-NAMM event
with exciting new products and great instruments on the market. Kala has a new solid-
body bass that is already on back order, but you will see it here. Kala, as our main
sponsor, is presenting a wide range of their line to our attendees again this year. We
have two workshop periods again on Saturday, which most attendees will want to take
advantage of and the afternoon will be capped by our traditional (but abbreviated) luau
with a whole pig, barbeque chicken, salad, refreshments, etc. (Once again we ask for
a donation for Japan.) Festivities continue with the evening concert headlined by our
Hawaiian visitor, Taimane, who is sure to dazzle all who hear her.

Please join us




April 28th, 2011

         I’m really sick of the British Royalty! Can’t they come up with their own idea for a
wedding? They had to copy our tent idea and on the same weekend too! Yesterday, we
went to Ailey to look at our wedding tent! This tent celebrates our ‘marriage’ to The
Ailey Citigroup Theater. Besides providing a dedicated vendor space for the Fest, it also
allows for an indoor/outdoor experience, which we expect will make the whole weekend
more enjoyable. You are all invited, but NO British Royalty!

We also had a sound check with Uncle Zac doing a solo, then Makalina solo followed by
a small band, including two ukes, Roger Greenawalt on bass and the percussionist, Roy Rhythm. There was unanimous agreement that the sound was fabulous, including the stage monitoring through Mayer wedges! We finessed everything in favor of our beloved ukulele and we are ready to go!

We spend a good deal of time yesterday outside in the tent trying to maximize the
number of tables and arranging a stage of ad hoc performances and also setting up a
‘food court’ I forgot to mention that Brooklyn Brewery has signed on as a new partner
of the NY Uke Fest, so they will be the only represented brew! Our apologies to Corona,
especially on Cinco de Mayo! There will be other refreshments too.

Not all our news is good. We are really disheartened by news about two of our Hawaiian
friends, who have had to cancel their plans to be with us. Music Guy Mike’s health
has taken a poor turn and he has consequently closed his business and restricted his
travel. We wish him the best and hope he can come to next year’s Fest and present his
workshop on the construction and collecting of ukuleles. He is a tremendous resource and
a storehouse of knowledge. I just heard last night from Mihana, that she cannot make the
trip either. She had an accident, while walking her dog and needs microscopic surgery on
her knee. Since her doctor won’t let her travel, she had to cancel an appearance this week
at the Merrie Monarch Festival and next week at the New York Uke Fest. So many of
us were looking forward to the warm, friendly and exciting Aloha that Mihana generates
wherever she goes. We are all thinking about you and will miss you.

Finally, I would suggest that you check the website daily at this point. This will remain
the best way to get the latest word about updates, schedule changes and all additional
information. We are exactly one week from opening day, so put your new strings on so
they are all stretched out by next week and we can have the best Uke Fest yet!
See you next week!

Ken Bari Murray