Cranberry Festival Celebrates Half A Century

The 50th anniversary of the Harwich Cranberry Arts and Music Festival was a big hit over the weekend, drawing a massive crowd. The festival’s first-ever drone show was also well received on Saturday night. 

 The annual CramJam Music Festival was a great hit. The focus on local musicians demonstrated the talent and creativity of the Cape community. Many Harwich musicians kept people in the tent rocking all weekend. Ending the show on Saturday, perennial performers Entrain, a Martha’s Vineyard band, drew an overflow of people to their feet.

 “Saturday was an awesome day from start to finish. The crowd was great, we had record-breaking numbers,” Fred Munday, president of the Harwich Cranberry Festival, said on Monday. “Ticket sales for the raffles were great and the vendors were very happy. So many vendors came up to me and said they had a great day. One vendor came to me and said this is the best day I’ve had in 35 years of selling.

 “It was a wonderful, wonderful day,” Munday said. “All and all, a lot of people had a great time.”

Munday said there were a lot of compliments about the drone show. He said when the American flag was cast upon the sky by the 200 drones, kids near him started singing “God Bless America” and chanting “USA.” 

On Sunday, Munday said, he was glad the inclement weather held off until early afternoon, but the damp weather impacted the crowd size and some vendors packed up a little early.

When asked if there will be a drone show next year, Munday said the 50th anniversary festival was a lot of work, but organizers will be meeting on Wednesday to begin planning for next year. A drone show has to be scheduled about 10 months in advance because they are in such demand, he added.