First ‘BigTown BigTent’ Festival Was a Successful Venture

The very first year of Anni Mackay’s “BigTown BigTent” performing arts festival, which ran July 31-Aug. 10 in the small natural amphitheater behind her gallery on Main Street in Rochester, was such a success that she says, “Tons of people have asked me to do it again next year.”

Produced under a big tent, “It was a new concept, different than anything else I had done before,” Mackay said. “The only other time I brought in the tent was two years ago when we did ‘Sight Unseen’ in partnership with the White River Valley Players, which was directed by Jeannie Rogow.

“I always wanted to do a series like this, but I needed to find a way to make it cost effective, and that’s what led me to choose the format we had, with 11 consecutive days, nine performances and two days off. We were very lucky, since there were no actual rainouts of performances!”

The festival averaged attendance of 50-120 each evening, and attracted people to the village, benefiting other businesses as well. Mackay arranged to have box dinners delivered from Seasoned Books & Bakery, just up the street, and the Huntington House did special dinner deals for show patrons, as did the Village Porch, across the street, which also set up a bar in the gallery.

The Rochester Chamber Music Society sponsored two events, Piano Stories and the evening of spirituals with Francois Clemmons; and several businesses in town contributed money to the advertising budget to help with publicity.

Mackay did all the organizational work, booking the acts, etc. assisted by her husband, Doon Hinderyckx, and two local young women, Casey Massimino and Jeanelle Achee.

“The epiphany I had about this event was that it is fun and actually essential to integrate the visual and the performing arts,” Mackay commented. “It works well and it's another way of interacting with artists that gives me a great deal of enjoyment. I think it’s a great fit for me and I really like doing it.”

This is Mackay’s fifth season owning the gallery, which was originally a residence, and was renovated with design work by local architect Robert Melik Finkle.

Although the festival is over, there are more events planned at the gallery in the coming months. Mackay also plans a New Year’s celebration and other events throughout the winter, as well as her annual holiday show.

This Sunday, Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m., there will be an evening of readings by Joan Hutton Landis of Granville, Pittsfield architect and poet Robert Carl Williams, and author Tom Powers.

On Sunday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m., Bread & Puppet Theater will present “The Dirt Cheap Money Circus,” Bread & Puppet’s take on the 2009 economic situation, with a live band and giant puppets, stilt and dragon dances, and more in the gallery’s outdoor amphitheater. For ticket information, call 767-9670.