Questions?

Questions about conference details, sightseeing info, lodging, etc. Email: moc.liamg@snoitseuqfnocofn

Schedule Highlights

Because of our focus on dance musicians this year, we’ve lined up local dance groups to organize all our evening events – with live music! – at the Scout House instead of their usual locations all over the Boston area.

See full details on the Schedule (PDF)

Wednesday March 29

• Afternoon Registration, Welcome Reception.
• Welcome dance party, 8 – 10:30 pm, with the Framingham Folk Dancers hosting, with Live Music by Zdravets.

Thursday March 30

• Morning: General Membership Meeting and Elections
• Afternoon: Easy folk craft, followed by Tony Parkes leading us in some Squares and Contras he thinks are particularly appropriate for international dancers. Following that will be a brief “Taste of Pourparler”.
• Evening: Traditionally Contra night at the Scout House. The NEFFA series will host a special 5th Thursday night dance featuring George Marshall calling and Eloise & Co. playing.

Thursday night contra dance at the Concord Scout House. Jaige Trudel, Adam Broome and Matthew Olwell (Maivish) playing, Susan Kevra calling. Photo by Doug Plummer.

Friday March 31

• Some cooking and costumes (in separate rooms!)
• Keynote presentation with José Mateo
• Presentations with musicians Tom Pixton, and Jacqueline Schwab
• Afternoon: presentations
• Evening: Dance party hosted by Marcie Van Cleave and the Folk Arts Center and feature live music with the Pixton Poirier Trio and Guests.

Saturday April 1

• Dance workshop with Michael Ginsburg
• Presentations from more musicians
• In person workshop on Zoom Hybrid Events (part 2)
• Evening Awards Banquet – Preserving our Heritage Awards, followed by a Balkan Dance party with live music from the All Girl Band, Balkan Fields, Balkan Brass with Michael Ginsburg and Belle Birchfield, special guests, and the premiere of Boston’s very own Kukeri.

Sunday April 2

• Morning: Breakfast planning session for 2024 Conference

Why Concord?

Founded in 1635, Concord is steeped in American History. One of the first skirmishes of the Revolutionary War happened in the area in 1775. In the 1800’s Concord was home to
Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson and their homes are now museums. It has a lively main street, with good restaurants and interesting shops. The Concord Museum, Walden Pond State Reservation and Minuteman National Park are nearby. Just don’t confuse Concord, Massachusetts with Concord, New Hampshire!

Concord Scout House

Getting to Concord Massachusett

Save money by forgoing the car rental and use mass transit to get to the Conference. Our meeting venues have limited parking as noted above. Fill out the registration form with your arrival information and we will try to help you out.

Travel there

We still suggest getting refundable reservations if you can. The closest airport is Logan International in Boston (BOS)  It is on the Atlantic coast in downtown Boston, so traffic getting in and out can be nasty. We suggest catching one of the cheap Logan Express buses from the airport to Framingham or Woburn – we can help you figure out which. They run almost every half hour. We will work on picking you up (or you could share a car service) from there.

Concord is on the Fitchburg commuter rail, too, so that’s another, but less efficient, option.

Parking – there is parking behind the Colonial Inn available to guests. If you must drive to Conference events a half mile from there, the nearest parking is behind the Post Office at 34 Walden St. Street meters have a 2 hour maximum.

Meals

Please note that this year we will be including breakfast and lunch as well as the Awards Banquet, in the overall registration fee. At recent in-person conferences, attendees have appreciated the convenience of having food available at our meeting venue. It saves time and costs less, too! Start your day with breakfast at the church and mingle with other attendees you haven’t seen in a year or longer. Then continue whatever great discussion you are having over lunch. We will be collecting dietary restriction data in our registration form and will make sure we have options for everyone.

Most evening meals will be on your own and we are developing a list of walkable restaurants.

Consider inviting family and friends in the area to our Awards Banquet Saturday evening. See the part-time registration form.

COVID-19

The NFO Covid Committee has developed a Covid policy (PDF) to cover the daytime NFO activities. The evening event hosts each have their own covid policies but they are essentially the same.

You will need to provide proof of vaccination and one booster, and wear a mask during the indoor events. See the policy (PDF) for full details. You can request an exemption (PDF) If you have a medical condition which contraindicates the COVID-19 vaccine.

You will also need to sign an agreement (PDF) to be sure you understand the policy. This will be distributed by the Registrar after you have registered. Full time registration includes all evening events. If we have time, we will share the fact that you have provided proof with our evening hosts – but not your actual document. Registration, full time and part time,  is still open for the Conference (meal planning deadline is March 22). We will offer a full refund (less $10) if you need to cancel for any reason.