Prescott Park Arts Festival History
32 Years in the Making (continued)

On April 13, 1983 the Prescott Park Arts Festival Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit in the state of New Hampshire. This corporation was put together by Will Berliner, owner of Macro Polo, Julie M. Fast, the Board's first president, Frank Moulton of the NH Art Association, Eileen Foley, the Mayor of Portsmouth and Attorney John R. Maher, later a Trustee of the Trust Funds and judge. It was at this point that the festival started its first moves towards financial independence. A journey that would take more than 15 years.

The financial struggle for the now independent festival reached a crisis after the summer of 1984 when Lil' Abner was presented as the main stage production. The cash flow was negative and it looked unlikely that there would be a festival in the summer of 1985. Determined to pick up the festival by its boot straps Jameson French, Anita Freedman, David Choate, Mary Carey Foley and Eileen Foley borrowed $10,000 to keep the festival going. The loan was organized by Tom Manero at Indian Head Bank.

"We all signed for a personal loan," said Eileen Foley, who also admitted she had never told her husband about the loan. "We went to the bank and the only way they would give us the money to get it started was if we all co-signed the paper, and we all did. We really put our necks out, but we felt it was needed. We thought if we could just get it started that it would prove itself. I'll never forget that first night because we were all so excited when we started to hear the people applauding."

To make the festival work, board members and volunteers gave up much of their personal time, as well as donations of money and expertise, to ensure the its success.

"We were down there every single night because we had to prove that it could work," explained Foley as she recounts her memory. "We heated the rolls and steamed the hot dogs every night. The first couple of years were very tough going. After everyone left we would walk around and pick up all the trash on the ground so we wouldn't have to pay someone else to do it. We did a lot of improvising because we had to and we tried everything."

The first few years were hard on all those involved; though no one complained. All of the festival's supporters knew that if they persevered, the hard work would pay off. Many involved were dedicating all of their free time and energy to the project. It was a startling blow when Julie Fast, the board's first president and a book store owner on State Street, died of breast cancer. For many, Julie's dedication to the idea of the festival was enough reason to re-dedicate themselves to the project.

Those early years also served to solidify friendships that have lasted to this day. Many spent their daytime hours practicing their profession only to skip dinner to go and work down at the park.

"The camaraderie amongst the Board members at that time was truly unbelievable," said David Choate, board member from 1984-88 and former board president. "Every Board member pitched in to do an equal share of nights during the summer - whether it was working the concession stand, collecting donations at the gates, working the crowd or whatever else needed to be done."

More...