Bringing the History of the Marlboro Ale Online

We are Susan Creighton and Pat MacPherson, working together as the small business Narratus, and we are excited to be collaborating with the Marlboro Morris Ale Organizing Committee to create an archival collection of the Marlboro Morris “Ale” – a folk dance event that will see its 50th anniversary in 2025.

In the mid-1970’s, at the heart of the US folk revival, this Vermont-based event began as a gathering of Morris dancers, and has taken place every year since then (including two virtual gatherings during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic). This historically significant gathering of Morris teams was the first of its kind in the US, and gave birth to many other similar events across the country. Over the years, it has evolved into a close-knit, intergenerational community of those who love folk music and dance music. The archival collection will preserve the stories, images, and mementos that tell the story of this long-held, much-loved event from its inception to the 50th anniversary, and beyond.

We received generous funding from the Country Dance and Song Society and the Country Dance Society--Boston Centre to launch this project, but with that funding coming to a close, we are now turning to the community for financial support to complete the collection, and make it accessible–in full–online.

Our goal is to raise $2,500 for the final phase of the project: to create a fully searchable online site through which the public can view and interact with all the parts of this archival collection

We are reaching out for financial support from the whole community of Morris dancers, musicians, and fans whose lives have been enriched and enlivened by the joyful experience of the Marlboro Morris Ale. Whether you are a dancer, musician, or ardent fan, please join in with a generous donation in support of the development of, and online access to, the Marlboro Morris Ale Archival Collection. Your donations will bring that amazing collection to life and make it publicly available!