NAZARETH, Pa. — The Martin on Main festival, which brings live music, food and fun to downtown to promote awareness of the iconic instrument maker, will return to historic Nazareth for its 16th anniversary.
It will bring two stages of live music, food trucks, beer and wine, artisan and craft vendors and an extended Farmers Market.
And two lucky patrons will go home with new instruments of their very own, according to a news release.
- The Martin on Main festival is returning to historic Nazareth at noon on July 29
- There is a raffle giveaway to win more than $3,000 in guitars
- There will be food truck vendors and other local businesses
The event will start at noon July 29 around downtown's Nazareth Circle and South Main Street to Belvidere Street. Main Street will be closed to vehicles and open to foot traffic.
"We're happy that Martin on Main will be back again," said Jason Ahner, archives museum and brand partnerships manager for Martin Guitars.
"It's the local community coming together."Jason Ahner, archives museum and brand partnerships manager for Martin Guitars
"It's just an opportunity not [only] for the community of Nazareth, but surrounding areas to celebrate music and Martin Guitars. It's the local community coming together."
Two performance stages
The event will have two performance stages.
The Main Stage will feature Martin Guitar Forum artists in the Chamber Bandshell at 18 S. Main Street, giving seven performances from noon-6 p.m. They will be:
12-1 p.m. — Tony Phillips, John Hall & Friends, Danny Kerr and Margaret Prunty
1-2 p.m. — Brian Murphy, Scooter Ferguson, Fred Kagan
2-3 p.m. — Tom Remely and The Valley Collective, Tim Propersi, Phil and Sue Probst
3-4 p.m. — Craig Mayhan, Danielle Marrone - Redbird, Marc Pessar
4-5 p.m. — Spoon Phillips, Beka Jones
5-6 p.m. — Raven & Red (Brittany Jones & Mitchell Lane), Celtic Spirit with Jack Rickenbach
Finale: All Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum Members
A South Main Street stage sponsored by Nazareth Center for the Arts, at Belvidere Street will have seven more acts during that time. They will be:
Noon — Friends (Chris, Tom and Tom)
1 p.m. — Dina Hall Trio
2 p.m. — Seth Witcher
3 p.m. — Billy Bauer and Chris Lorenzetti Duo
4 p.m. — The Beautiful Distortion
5 p.m. — Chasing Daylight
6 p.m. — Battle of the Bands Finalist: “LUNA”
While enjoying the music, festival attendees can set up chairs and picnic blankets. Those over age 21 can buy adult beverages from Birthright Brewing, Five Maidens Cidery, Clever Girl Winery and The Spirit Express Mobile Bar.
“Community-centered initiatives like this make where we live, work, and play thrive. We can’t wait to see everyone and let them experience what Nazareth is all about.”Kate Hartney, coordinator for the Affiliated Chambers of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber.
Food truck vendors will include Naz-O-Nut, Mon & Mel’s Sweet Scoops, Husky Jawn Corn Roasting, Cosmic Kettle Corn, Greek Street, Red Robin, Pyro Gyro and Big Poppa’s Backyard BBQ.
There also will be 20 local craft vendors and artisans.
To accommodate the festival, the Nazareth Farmers' Market will extend its hours and shift locations to the adjacent block of S. Main Street.
"Giving residents and tourists alike the opportunity to shop small and shop local keeps our community vibrant, our businesses strong, and provides our local artists a platform to perform," said Kate Hartney, coordinator for the Affiliated Chambers of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber.
“Community-centered initiatives like this make where we live, work, and play thrive. We can’t wait to see everyone and let them experience what Nazareth is all about.”
Guitars to be raffled off
Martins Guitar will have tents with instruments available to play, as well as to buy.
The first raffle prize is a SC-13E acoustic-electric guitar, valued at almost $1,600. The second is a SC-13E Special acoustic guitar, which has a spruce gloss top and ziricote fine veneer gloss finish on the back and sides.
The design also has an aperture rosette inlay with an ebony head plate, fingerboard and bridge. That guitar is valued at almost $1,900.
The price of a raffle ticket is $20 per ticket or $30 for two tickets. Each ticket gets you a chance to win each of the two Martin Guitars, valued at more than $3,000 together.
The event will be held rain or shine. Find out more information can be found at www.lehighvalleychamber.org/martinonmain.html. Admission to the festival is free.