MARLBORO-Get ready for lively fiddles, energetic dancers, and lots of singing when the RiverJam Romp returns Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 13, at the campus at Marlboro Music on Potash Hill, the former home of Marlboro College.
This family-friendly event celebrates the music and dance traditions of southern Vermont, New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region, and the Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts.
Now in its fifth year, RiverJam Romp offers traditional dance, group singing, concerts, jam sessions, instrument workshops, locally sourced meals, and more.
The event was started in 2021 by a group of area musicians who wanted to showcase the wealth of music and dance happening in Brattleboro and the surrounding areas.
“As a musician, I was off playing with the Gaslight Tinkers in places like California and Texas,” said Peter Siegel of Brattleboro. “So many times the other musicians, who were hired to play the same events as me, were from Brattleboro. We had all these musicians from around here who are traveling around and playing traditional music, but nothing was happening locally that celebrated the traditional music scene in Brattleboro.”
Siegel, an educator and founding member of the Gaslight Tinkers, joined up with Amanda Witman, Louisa Engle, and Mary Lauren Fraser, all connected to the local traditional music scene, to launch the RiverJam Romp.
“It seemed like the obvious thing that nobody had thought of,” said Brattleboro-based song leader and multi-instrumentalist Witman about the event’s roots. “I wanted to be involved because I love the music. I play instruments and sing, and I think it’s a great way for people to connect in the community and to make a community stronger.”
For the local music community to thrive, “someone has to create and maintain opportunities for people of all skill levels to gather, share what they know, and enjoy music, dance, and other creative activities,” she said.
The first Romp came together quickly, thanks to strong community support. It was held at the Green Mountain Camp for Girls in West Dummerston, and while successful, the venue did not offer room for the event to grow.
Organizers heard that the Marlboro Music Festival had taken over the campus of the then-recently-closed Marlboro College and was exploring ways to use it under the name Potash Hill, and they knew it would be their dream space. Believing it was a long shot, they approached the new leadership with the idea of hosting the Romp there.
They were pleasantly surprised to find Potash Hill extremely receptive.
“They became a wonderful partner almost immediately, and very supportive of what we are trying to do,” Siegel said. “If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be growing the way we are growing.”
The campus, with its various buildings and great location, has proven to be the perfect site. The Romp organizers are also pleased to join the ranks of notable festivals like the Marlboro Music Festival and the Marlboro Morris Ale, which have been held at the campus for many years.
Workshops for everybody
The weekend kicks off Friday night with a family-friendly contra dance open to the public. Engle, who has years of experience fiddling and calling at dances, will lead the event.
On Saturday, a more traditional New England contra dance, also open to all, will be called by Liz Nelson, who regularly calls at the popular contra dances in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
The band for both dances is made up of staff members who will be teaching at the Romp.
Pre-registration is not necessary for the two contra dances, and both are by donation. They start at 7:30 each night and are open to dancers of all levels, including beginners.
Because the weekend’s events are emphasizing area talent, there will be a range of workshops led by highly accomplished local artists who are standouts in their fields. With so much local talent to choose from, the Romp rotates the staff each year.
“One thing that is unique about our weekend is that we are basically just calling on our local friends and asking them to do this,” Siegel said. “It just so happens that our local friends are people that are well known.”
For instance, you can join singing workshops with local music legends Stefan and Mary Alice Amidon, attend a beginner or intermediate ukulele session with Ben Carr, or learn to think like a bass player with Garrett Sawyer, also from the Gaslight Tinkers.
A workshop on fiddle harmony with Lissa Schneckenburger and Naomi Morse is also offered, and Marco Packard will lead a class on the penny whistle.
Witman and Siegel, who both teach at the Brattleboro Music Center (a big supporter of the Romp), will also lead workshops, along with a host of other teachers.
That’s just a small sample of what’s being offered.
“We have worked hard to make sure there are entry points at the workshops for people at all levels, whether you have never experienced dance or music before or you are playing at the professional level,” said Witman.
“It’s not a weekend where you are going to have strict classes to learn a particular instrument,” she added. “You may pick up something useful, but it’s really just about having a good time.”
The Romp offers plenty of other fun activities, including cider pressing, screen printing, and even juggling.
“We really encourage families to come,” Siegel said.
Alice Cumming will be on hand to provide a variety of activities to keep kids busy while their parents attend the workshops.
Based on feedback from previous Romp attendees, there will be more opportunities for jam sessions this year: ukulele jams, old-time jams, a sea-shanty singalong, slow jams, and jams held after the dances.
“We also reserve spots for open jam spaces, for people who just want to get together and play,” said Witman.
A package deal
People can come for the whole weekend and attend from Friday to Sunday. Meals are included.
Participants “can stay onsite at no extra charge as long as rooms are available,” said Witman. “It’s like a package deal, or people can buy a day pass and just come all day Saturday or Sunday.”
“In addition to the two drop-in opportunities with the dances, we have decided that this year anyone can come join us on Sunday after 1 p.m,” she said. “We will have six different workshops scheduled, everything from juggling to a singing workshop.”
The weekend wraps up with a staff concert Sunday afternoon, open to everyone.
“We really want people to come and enjoy,” Witman added.
Each year, more people are joining in. Attendance keeps growing, with guests coming from as far away as Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.
However, the festival organizers believe there is still more to do to increase awareness of the region’s vibrant music scene.
“We are trying to figure out ways to expand our notion of how we can get more people to show up from our local community, to come out and appreciate what they have here,” said Siegel.
“We feel the treasure of what we have, but sometimes it seems like people in Brattleboro don’t realize what our local culture is,” he added. “So to me, one of the primary goals is to get the local community to come out and see what is happening here.”
The RiverJam Romp will take place on the The Campus at Marlboro Music (formerly Potash Hill and Marlboro College) at 2582 South Rd. in Marlboro. For more information, including schedules, staff bios, and registration deadlines, visit theromp.org.
This Arts item by Sheryl Hunter was written for The Commons.