European Clown Extraordinaire Hacki Ginda Returning For Moisture Festival 2011

"If there was an international clowning competition, Hacki Ginda would take the cake. Or more likely, a pie in the face. Renowned for opening the Berlin venue Chameleon Variete', Ginda has become hugely successful entertaining crowds all around Europe, landing him the prestigious Golden Nose Award at Spain's clown festival." Seattle Weekly

Hacki Ginda, one of the early inspirational forces behind the creation of the Moisture Festival, will return in 2011. We just received word from the immigration folks that his visa has been approved. It seems Hacki invited Moisture Festival producer Ron W Bailey and his wife aerial phenom Cathy Sutherland to Berlin many years ago to perform in his night club the Chameleon. The cabaret and variete' scene in Berlin made such an impression on Ron and Cathy that they both dreamed of having a variete' festival right here in Seattle. The dream took wings with the first Moisture Festival in 2004.

One of Hacki's eclectic endeavors as of late has been with animations like the one you see above entitle The creation of a clown. Yes, it's Hacki in animated form up to his usual high-jinks. Hacki has become a favorite of Moisture Festival and North American fans over the years and he now likes to call Seattle and the Moisture Festival an official home away from home.

Willkommen zurück, um die Feuchtigkeit Festival unsere lustigen inspirierende Freund!

Promoting The Moisture Festival: The Early Years

Taking it to the streets was a method festival organizers and performers used to promote the Moisture Festival in 2007. We now take you back to days of yesteryear a rainy Saturday in Seattle, the Hale's double decker bus ride to Ballard, Fremont and Capitol Hill's Broadway. Video includes Ron Bailey, Hacki Ginda, Michael Cliffton, Moeppi Ginda, Sandy Palmer-Neale, Megan Riggs, Raebekah Ginda, Godfrey, Chantall, Robin Worley, Ted Lockery and many other beloved early days festival regulars. It seems like only yesterday.

Moisture Festival Volunteers Make The Magic Happen

The Annual Moisture Festival volunteer meeting took place at Hale's Palladium Saturday February 19th. Nearly 100 enthusiastic moistcateers turned up. To the producers of the festival the volunteer meeting always represents the reality that the festival is just around the corner. This year's festival begins March 17th and runs through April 10th.

Many of the volunteers who came to Palladium on Saturday morning are returning veterans of past festivals who are hooked on the magic and fun they've had volunteering, and are returning for another year's fix. Many are new to the festival and want to get involved after hearing about the festival's unique ability of presenting some of the world's best comedy variete'and burlesque shows to sold out Northwest audiences.

If you'd like to volunteer for the Moisture Festival you can do so by going to the Moisture Festival website and signing up. There's still time to get involved, and we have all sorts of things we can put you to work doing. Don't worry, will make it as fun and painless as possible. We need drivers, performer housing, food babes and dudes, box office, merchandise, door babes and dudes, and people with theatrical and other technical skills. Sometimes we need someone to pound nails or clean up.

Okay what are you waiting for?

One thing for sure is that the producers, staff and organizers realize after all these years that our volunteers are the real stars of the Moisture Festival.

Valentine Party Brings Out Lovers Of The Moisture Festival

On Sunday The Moisture Festival held a Valentine Party fund-raiser and Hale's Palladium, and more than 200 Moisture Festival lovers showed up. We took the liberty of interviewing some of the attendees and we ask them about how they felt about the Moisture Festival. Not surprisingly they could hardly contain themselves. The evening's entertainment includes Advice for lovers from the ghost of Mae West (played perfectly by Caela Bailey), Dr. Calamari and Acrophelia, Pinky D'Ambrosia (of Circus Contraption), The Canote Brothers. The evening ended with a rousing Square Dance called by Charmaine Lavens.

Moisture Festival Merchandise Sale 20% Off Hoodies and Sweatshirts

Use Coupon code HUGS at checkout for 20% off the large variety of sweatshirts and hoodies designs through February 13th. Check it out at the Moisture Festival Online Store!

Junior  Hoodie

Women's Raglan Hoodie

Zip Hoodie Red Lettering

Women's Zip Hoodie

Moisture Festival Top Hat Sweatshirt

Rules: Save 20% off all hoodies and sweatshirts from CafePress, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Excludes CafePress Groups and bulk orders. Coupon code HUGS must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on February 11, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on February 13, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. (PST). All orders must be from the CafePress Marketplace. Offer valid online only, cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions.

Jump in the Pool!

Hey Flickr users,
We see all those flashes going off every year around the theater and we just know that you have captured some fantastic Moisture Festival memories. What are your favorites? Which of your photos and videos do you think best shows off the spirit of the Moisture Festival? Share them in the new Moisture Festival Flickr Pool. We can't wait to see your view of this circus.

Volunteer for the Moisture Festival!

It would be impossible to present an event like the Moisture Festival without the enormous army of volunteers who donate their time, energy, and love to create the festival, see that shows run smoothly, and ensure that the audience keeps coming back for more.

If you are interested in being a part of the festival, join us on Saturday February 19th to hear about the 2011 festival, learn about this year's volunteer positions, and meet the festival organizers. After the meeting, mingle with new and old volunteers and enjoy drinks and pizza.

The meeting will be held in Hale's Palladium, Saturday Febraury 19th at noon. THe Palladium entrance is on the back side of Hale's Brewery at 4301 Leary Way NW. Look for the big Moisture Festival sign.



It's hard work, as you can see!
Bring your calendars so you can fill out information cards with your ideal position, venue, date and show preferences. The 2011 festival will run from March 17 through April 10.

If you cannot attend the meeting, fear not! We would still love to have you aboard. After the 19th, we will send a meeting recap with an online volunteer form for you to complete. If you did not receive this invitation directly from the festival, please sign up on our volunteer email list (info below)


We have a lot of fun together each and every night of the festival. Be a part of the amazing family that makes this unique event happen!


For more information, questions, and to get on the volunteer mailing list please email: volunteers@moisturefestival.org.