Music Festival History

by Susan Mumma

The humble beginnings of SSMF began as the brainchild of Susan Mumma. In 2001 It was proposed and agreed upon by the SAC board that she would direct a Folk Festival and that it would have the dual purpose of providing entertainment for the local community, and also act as an educational tool and networking vehicle for musicians from around the state and world, but it was not particularly intended as a tourist draw. It was a one day event and included mostly acts from Seldovia and Homer with one special contradance band from Anchorage. This festival was aimed at helping Seldovians develop their own musical skills and knowledge. The first event took place in August at Susan B. English School Commons. We sang, we danced. We had fun. It was a true community event in concept and was intended as that. Workshops in which musicians could share their knowledge with the community and each other were a primary focus. Song circles and jams were encouraged. After the first year, it took place in June on the Solstice, and perfomers arrived on the Tustemena instead of small boats like Mako.One of the most beneficial jams was the one on the Tustumena it allowed the various musicians coming to Seldovia to perform to get to know each other and develop bonds that led to impromptu groupings and more. It really increased the quality of the event.

The event was moved to Solstice Weekend and over the next year or two the concept of headliners developed as some connections had been made via Susan's involvement in the National Folk Alliance, Far-West Folk Alliance, and especially the Midnight Sun Songwiter's camp which had nationally known musicians as teachers and well-known Alaskan musicians as students. Susan attended various song-writing classes from Alaska to Hawaii making connections that eventually fruited into visits from special talent from many places and helped the Seldovia venue become known nationally. She attended many conferences about music and festival development. (At her own expense).

Eventually, she became a board member of the Far-West Folk Alliance. As treasurer and conference registrar she conducted the first two years of the Far-West conference registration via the Seldovia post office. Musicians became curious about our little town. We became a destination that many wanted to visit. It became a two evening event with afternoon workshops and pre-festival open mike. The ever-popular "Collaboration" was developed. The performer dinner was added, the Tidepool song circle, and the Linwood Meet and Greet. It began to develop a reputation "The Best little festival in Alaska"... Beautiful sounds in a beautiful place.

In 2012 the SAC disposed of the director position and became a festival committee. It retains the same name but is quite different from the first event. Plein Aire was added as a component of the festival and the busking around town in the afternoon. It has grown.