Art,
crafts and music in Harmony

By SUE LATUSZEK

This year marks the 31st year for the Harmony Days celebration in Harrisville, bringing arts, crafts, music and munchies to the courthouse lawn located at the intersection of M-72 and US-23.

Harrisville Arts Council president Marlene Conklin said 500 vendors are lined up every year to peddle their craft items over the labor day weekend, which is Sept. 3-4 this year.

“We always have a waiting list,” Conklin said of the many vendors who travel far and wide for the event. Some people even show up hoping a space will become available.

The weekend is also the reunion of the Barber Shoppers and Sweet Adelines, a group of singing quartets and choruses. They perform Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Harrisville Harbor.

The Barber Shoppers and Sweet Adelines are international organizations, with groups all over the United States and even in such places as Japan and New Zealand. Claudia Presson, a Sweet Adeline from Greenbush, said the group originated about 60 years ago when the wives of some Barber Shoppers decided they wanted to sing too.

Groups come from all over the U.S. to sing during Harmony Days, most camping in the local campground.
“It’s almost impossible to get a campsite,” Presson said, adding one of her friends actually reserves a site in January or February and comes a week early for the event.

“It’s really wonderful. You walk through the park and can hear all these different quartets singing,” Presson said. She added one group that comes almost every year, called Power Play, are international champions and have performed on the Jane Pauley show.
Awards are even given out for those who traveled the farthest and the chorus with the most members present, Presson said.
In addition to the concert at the harbor, Presson said the groups perform Friday night in local establishments and Saturday at Maria Hall.

“They sing in the parade, they sing in the park, they sing all over,” she said.
Local singing talent also may be enjoyed with the quartets throughout the weekend on the hill within the arts and crafts fair grounds. Additionally, different nonprofit organizations offer food items on the grounds, Conklin said. A favorite is the strawberry shortcake booth manned by the Victim Advocates Service Unit with the Alcona Sheriff’s Department.

A free concert will also be held at the harbor Saturday at 6 p.m. Such artists as country singers and banjo players have been brought in for the event, Conklin said.

The annual parade takes place Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.