FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Laura Orleans, Director, 508-993-8894, info@workingwaterfrontfestival.org

2007 WORKING WATERFRONT FESTIVAL EXPLORES ROLES OF WOMEN IN REGION’S COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY

Festival to feature Linda Greenlaw and others

New Bedford, MA, September 10, 2007—The 2007 Working Waterfront Festival, slated for September 22nd and 23rd, will explore Women in the Commercial Fishing Industry.  Women are employed in all aspects of the fishing industry: from skippering vessels to manufacturing gear; from running settlement houses to processing fish; from advocating for the industry to working in fisheries science; from owning boats to running shoreside businesses.  The FREE festival has lined up a myriad of programs so attendees can explore experiences of women who work in the industry, as well as those connected through familial ties.
 
Commercial fisherwoman and bestselling author Linda Greenlaw will read from and sign her latest book, Slipknot on the Festival’s Main Stage.  She will also join fisherpoet/deckhand Moe Bowstern and other women for Women in the Wheelhouse, an industry panel discussion on the Festival’s Narrative Stage.  Other discussion topics include Speaking Out: Women as Industry Advocates and Mothers, Daughters, Wives.  The Johnson Girls, an all female chantey group from New York City, puts a new twist on the traditional maritime repertoire, while a Women’s Vocal Workshop will showcase female vocalists from Newfoundland, Portugal, Norway and Ireland. Women will demonstrate occupational skills including scallop bag stitching, inshore fishing and rigging.  The Splice Girls will compete for bragging rights in a splicing contest!  The Festival’s Dock-u-Mentaries Film Tent will screen A Fish Story, the story of two women, Angela Sanfilippo of Gloucester and Shareen Davis of Chatham, both of whom will be on hand to answer questions.
 
The Working Waterfront Festival is a project of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern MA, a non-profit organization.  The FREE festival, a family friendly, educational celebration of New England's commercial fishing industry, features live maritime and ethnic music, fishermen's contests, fresh seafood, vessel tours, author readings, cooking demonstrations, kid's activities and more.  It all takes place in New Bedford, MA, America's #1 fishing port, on the fourth full weekend of September.  Navigate to us at www.workingwaterfrontfestival.org.

# # #

Press Room

New Bedford 360 accepts Press Releases and Announcements from individuals, companies and organizations in the Greater New Bedford area.

You can submit your Press Release at no cost HERE.

Your Announcement or Press Release must be relevant to the Greater New Bedford community. We do not accept submissions from outside this area.

View all articles by Press Room