By Mike Templeton
As always, May brings us Mother’s Day and the Annual Appalachian Festival, sponsored by our friends at the Appalachian Community Development Association. This will mark the 54th year of the festival which only gets better with each passing year. The Urban Appalachian Community Coalition will be in attendance, of course. The Appalachian Festival is one of the largest and most notable events in the year that is geared toward all things Appalachia. The festival will include all that you have come to expect, music, crafts and artisans, and food ranging from snacks like roasted nuts to a full spread of biscuits and gravy. Please be aware that the festival is in a new location this year as the beautiful river town of New Richmond has stepped up host. The 54th Annual Appalachian Festival will be held on May 10th and 11th on Front Street in the business district in the Village of New Richmond. The event is rain or shine, so come prepared.
Perhaps upper most on people’s minds is the new location. With the loss of Old Coney, the Appalachian Festival is moving up the road to the town of New Richmond, itself something of an Appalachian enclave right on the edge of the city limits. Core member Maureen Sullivan points out that the new location is “on the southern tip of the closest Appalachian County, which is Clermont County.” Maureen will be volunteering at the UACC booth, as she has done for many years. Core member Nancy Laird will also be at the UACC booth as she has faithfully though the years. Nancy said she and Maureen took drive up to the new location, and she reports that “we were pleased. We went last week after the flood, and everything was great. We will get a better sense of what kinds of things we can do once we see how it all flows.” But, Nancy said, New Richmond is “a beautiful little town. It is right on the river with lots of amazing scenery.” The ACDA describes the new location as a “Forever Home,” since the arrangements with New Richmond seem to provide a space that is about as permanent as one can expect. The festival will still be familiar as we gather near the riverfront, and the sights and sounds of the water and the surrounding woods will feel comfortable for anyone who has built a life-long attachment to the Appalachian Festival.
There has been so much going on with our own the Kith and Kin which includes the Story Gathering Project and the Perceptions of Home Exhibit. Core member Maureen Sullivan explained that, with the new location, “Our Perceptions of Home display will be set up only a block away from the river.” This seems symbolic as the Ohio River was historically the northern boundary over which thousands of Appalachians crossed to begin their adventure becoming urban Appalachians and carving out a new life. The UACC booth will provide information on everything we do. Nancy Laird said we are located in the Education section, which should be easy to locate on the Appalachian Festival website provided below.
All the things we have come to expect will be on hand to make the weekend one of the best ever. Of particular interest for many people are the artisans and crafts workers. For people who have family ties to Appalachia and for folks who are just fascinated by these kinds of skills, the Appalachian crafts and artisans are absolutely astounding. From wood carving, to spinning pottery, to caning chairs, the Appalachian Festival offers attractions for just about any interest. This year will feature spinning demonstrations and chair caning, among other things. The point is that there are skilled artisans keeping these Appalachian skills alive. And you will be able to purchase things from the vendors on hand who will offer all kinds of traditional Appalachian items, many of which come with a distinctly modern spin (henna, tie-dye, and some fudge from Chocolate Moonshine may not be in the official history, but they certainly sound intriguing, don’t they?).
There are people who look forward to the Appalachian Festival primarily for the music. The ACDA seems to find a way to continually outdo themselves year after year on this front. There is always a thrilling mix of the familiar and the new for the schedule of performers. The Tillers return, of course, since they are local favorite. They will be rounding out Saturday night with two sets at 7:00 and 8:00. The festival also features what is now called the Katie Laur Memorial Stage, in honor of the late Katie Laur who was a champion of blue grass and old time music in greater Cincinnati for decades. Katie entertained and inspired us all, and inspired quite a few young women to pick up the guitar and take their place in a historically male-dominated musical genre. This stage is booked up through the weekend. You’ll get at least two opportunities to see local favorites the Farmer and the Crow. If the Appalachian Festival is like previous years, you will be just as likely to see and hear music in the parking lots as folks break out guitars, banjos, and fiddles for impromptu jams. If you happen to have something with you, you will undoubtedly find someone to join. Finally, we need to give a shout out for Core member Sherry Cook Stanforth who will be performing with her group Tangled Roots on Sunday evening.
Maureen Sullivan said that “the change in location may take some getting used to, but on the whole, I think it will be a revitalizing change. The music is always good, the craftspeople are friendly as well as skilled, and then there’s the bonus of seeing so many old friends.” Nancy Laird echoed this sentiment by telling me she hopes to “see lots of old friends and even make new.” Both Nancy and Maureen will be representing the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition. Drop by and say hello, learn about all the things we do, and get some information on the Story Gathering Project and find out how you can get involved. Most importantly, enjoy a beautiful Mother’s Day on the river taking in all things Appalachia. The 54th Annual Appalachian Festival will be held on May 10th and 11th on Front Street in the business district in the Village of New Richmond. It is sponsored by Appalachian Community Development Association. For details, the festival website is below.
Complete information about the 54th Annual Appalachian Festival at this link: appalachianfestival.org.
Michael Templeton is a writer, and independent scholar. He is the author of The Chief of Birds: A Memoir published with Erratum Press and Impossible to Believe, published by Iff Books. He is also the author of Collected Apoems, forthcoming from LJMcD Communications and the awaiting of awaiting: a novella, with Nut Hole Publishing. Check out his profile in UACC’s Cultural Directory. He has published numerous articles and essays on contemporary culture and works of creative non-fiction as well as experimental works and poetry. He lives in West Milton, Ohio with his wife who is an artist.