A Welcome Message from the Chair of the 2025 Pembroke Arts Festival

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On behalf of myself and our Co-Chair, Christine Sullivan, I am delighted to welcome you to the Pembroke Arts Festival 2025!

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We are thrilled to celebrate the 58th edition of this cherished annual event, now back in full swing at our new community center and town green. This year marks an exciting milestone for our community, and I am honored to be a part of the PAF ‘25 committee.

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Our Community Center is now open in full swing, and the Pembroke Arts Festival is returning to its roots, offering both a fantastic location and a vibrant level of community involvement. This event continues to grow each year, with new activities and an expanding role in bringing together residents and visitors from Pembroke and the greater South Shore.

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The Pembroke Arts Festival is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to explore and celebrate the work of many talented artists, while also enjoying all that our town center has to offer.

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The centerpiece of our weekend is the Juried Art and Photography Show, which showcases fine art in all its forms. One of the highlights each year is the "Artist in Action" series, where you can witness featured artisans creating new works in real-time.

Our  “Children’s Art Section,” continues to grow. This display provides an opportunity for young, local artists to showcase their work, and includes awards in various children’s categories, reinforcing our commitment to nurturing the next generation of creativity.

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Additionally, we have incorporated “Crafters” into the festival, introducing another group of artisans and vibrant form of artistic expression to share with our community.

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Entertainment is yet another key feature of the festival! Our Main Stage will be alive with performances from dancers, bands, and a variety of family-friendly entertainers throughout the weekend.

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For the children, we offer age-appropriate activities such as face painting, children’s crafts and activities, ensuring there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

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We are also proud of our community partnerships. Last year, we partnered with the new Pembroke Farmers Market, and we’re excited to continue these collaborations this year, partnering with Pembroke Community Services to present “Pembroke Community Day,” which will feature various local service departments, including Recreation, Senior Services, Veterans, Police, Fire, the Boys & Girls Club, and more.

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Each year, the Pembroke Arts Festival awards two scholarships: one for fine arts and one for performing arts. The scholarship for Fine Arts was established by the Arts Festival Committee early on as part of the festival awards, and continues to be in place to assist our next generation of artists in their pursuit of furthering their Fine Art education. As the festival grew, and added many areas of performing arts to the festivities, and the performing arts scholarship was originally established and sponsored in full by  the Pembroke School of Performing Arts in the early 1990’s. This has paved the way to now be funded in full as part of Pembroke Arts Festival holistic scholarship program. Thanks to many generous donors, we’re able to continue offering these scholarships to our residents annually.

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None of this would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, community support, and the expertise of many individuals who help make this event a success year after year.

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If you’re an artist of any age, I encourage you to enter your artwork, and if you’d like to be involved in this wonderful community event, feel free to reach out to me or any member of our dedicated committee.

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I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Christine Sullivan for continuing her role as Co-Chair this year. She has served the Pembroke Arts Festival and our community exceptionally well over the past eight years as Chairperson and more.

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Our festival is made possible by a passionate team of volunteers, including both youth and adults, who contribute their time and talents. While some entertainers are compensated, many generously donate their services year after year.

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If you’re interested in sponsoring a prize, event component, or making a donation, we would greatly appreciate your support. We rely on your contributions to keep this event thriving, year after year.

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Above all, I encourage you to enjoy this community event, spend time with family and friends, and take part in the many activities and entertainment we have lined up for you. This festival is for you – our neighbors and our community.

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Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at PAF ’25 and Pembroke Community Day!

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Sincerely,
Michael F. Kelble
Chair, Pembroke Arts Festival 2025

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