Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration

LIAC 2010 Competition Results - click here

April 28, 2010  LIAC Update

Hello to the accordion community…

Our website is 90% up to date. There will always be more information to post but you basically have the whole picture. I only wish we were at this point a month earlier!

Now, the main thing we need is YOU! This festival is created by accordion players for accordion players, accordion fans, the curious, AND people who just happen to be in the vicinity.

There are lots of opportunities for accordionists to participate in this event and perform for the public. That is what is unique about the Leavenworth setting.

We have the outdoor gazebo right in the middle of town and we have a sign-up sheet for players to sign-up to perform. We have the Grange where we also have a setting for performances. Music for the Thursday dance is provided entirely by NWAS players. Also, we have restaurants where spontaneous jam sessions go on late into the night.

We are fortunate to have this event in the Northwest. The setting couldn’t be more inviting. LIAC is rich in activities. Our concerts and workshops are tops. We have a competition which has been very well-planned. We have performing opportunities, accordion vendors, accordion repair, and more.

The park with the gazebo also has an arts/crafts festival next door and this year, there will be fun activities for the kids on the lawn.

Think of it….here we are at the gazebo surrounded by tourists, art lovers, young people and we are playing our accordion music! We are out there for people to see and hear so you will definitely want to be a part of it. At the same time, there is plenty of opportunity to elevate your own playing which is what we accordionists all strive to do.

We are sending out a “packet” but it has fewer pages. This reduces the cost and also saves on paper. You are encouraged to get information from the website and print out what you need.

Support LIAC by ordering your tickets early and take advantage of savings.

Thank you for your support,
Bonnie Birch
Chairman LIAC

April 11, 2010 LIAC update

Hello to the accordion community…

Hard work has continued since the last update in January. We have worked on securing the facilities, evaluating sound system requirements, scheduling concerts, workshops, gazebo performances, raising money, and publicizing the event. We have also worked on the competition involving judging forms and awards. We will have souvenirs for sale including the LIAC Pin and T-shirts.

Some changes to make note of:

We will do the EVALUATION category in the Grange. This provides a more relaxed environment and allows more time for the competition in the Festhalle.

The awards ceremony and awards concert will be in the Festhalle. All competitors will have to bring their accordions since they will not know ahead of time who the winners are. We will announce which categories will be in the awards concert at a later time.

We have a new page entitled “Workshops”. The information will be coming soon

Please contact us with comments, questions, wanting to donate/volunteer, great ideas, fund raising, etc.

Thank you for your support,
Bonnie Birch
Chairman LIAC

January 16, 2010  LIAC Update

Hello to the accordion community…

Three months of hard work has been going on behind the scenes to see if the Northwest Accordion Society (NWAS) can take over the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration (LIAC) from the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber made a good case for having to cancel the festival but the accordion community expressed such a strong desire to keep the festival that NWAS is making every effort to have a festival in 2010.

We have basically mapped out the entire festival and associated costs. We estimate a cost of $22,000. With fundraising efforts so far, we have over $9,000! The Leavenworth Chamber has just approved $5,000 from their reserve funds to help LIAC this year. We would like to raise $3,000 from the accordion community to support the competition (awards and judging). A contribution of $10 or more would REALLY help and it is for a good cause. Remember, we are keeping the accordion alive and making it a respected instrument in our society.

The website www.nwasnews.com is the place to go to see what is happening. We are frantically working to provide you with as much information as possible so you know how the festival is shaping up.

Please check out the pages on Schedule of Events, Competition, Tickets, Sponsors, and the LIAC Committee. The page Latest Updates and Announcements will be updated to tell you what has changed and any new developments.

Please contact us with comments, questions, wanting to donate/volunteer, great ideas, fund raising, etc.

Thank you for your support,
Bonnie Birch
Chairman LIAC

Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration
Sponsored by the Northwest Accordion Society!

June 17 - 20, 2010
Leavenworth, Washington

The Northwest Accordion Society is now responsible for the planning and support for the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration. This is OUR festival for the Northwest and our responsibility to make it successful.

Start thinking seriously, starting now, about participating in the festival by:

* Competing
* Playing at the Gazebo
* Attending Jam sessions
* Volunteering
* Donating some money to help cover expenses
* ATTENDING!

Contributions are needed: To honor and to recognize any person donating $10 or more to support the Northwest accordion Society's efforts to continue LIAC, each name will be printed in the next issue of the Northwest Accordion News.

Contributions may be sent to: (Make checks payable to Northwest Accordion Sociaty) NWAS/LIAC, 5102 NE 121st Ave., Unit 12, Vancouver WA 98682 (You may also include your membership renewal). We can make this festival even better than ever - with your participation, we can do it!