August 9 brought the eighteenth annual Fly-Fishing Festival to the museum grounds. Visitors enjoyed a growing community of vendors, including a few first-timers. As always, the festival featured artisans, angling professionals, and nonprofits for a day of learning and entertainment.
This years’ fly tiers were Kelly Bedford, Scott Biron, George Butts, Mark Dysinger, AMFF Trustee Allen Rupp, and Mike Stewart. In what has become a highly anticipated festival tradition, Scott Biron and AMFF Curator Jim Schottenham led a joint demonstration on streamer tying for the crowd that was live streamed for angling fans at large. At the end of the demonstration, Biron was presented with the AMFF Volunteer of the Year Award.
Inside the museum we were delighted to host two former MLB players—Hall of Famer Jim Kaat and AMFF Trustee Jim Beattie—for a discussion of their shared love of fly fishing, how they got into the sport, and the parallels between baseball and fly fishing. Author and rod maker Hoagy B. Carmichael was also on hand to present our newest exhibit of Garrison rods.
As always, special appreciation goes to our sponsors and raffle donors: Bajio, Alan Bourgault, the Crooked Ram, Express Copy, Mulligans, Nature’s Closet, NH Fly Tyer, Northshire Bookstore, Northshire Networks, Orvis, rk Miles, Rockwall Property Maintenance, Smuggler’s Notch Distillery, Starbucks, Wagatha’s, and the Works Bakery. Additional thanks to Shannon Roy for the gift of her music and to our delicious food and beverage vendors: Cut the Pie, Mount Holly Brewing, and Sexy Llama. And special thanks to Trustee Jamie Woods for spearheading the Manchester dinner event the night before, where fly-fishing enthusiasts and museum supporters gathered for barbecue, beer, and banter.
Thank you to those who supported the event and made this year’s festival a success. The weather was beautiful, and the museum grounds were full. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.
Early visitors under the main tent. Photo by Rick Griffith.
