It’s that time of year again…festival season.

This past weekend, I participated in the 42nd annual Sorghum Festival in my hometown of West Liberty, Kentucky. This was an emotional & celebratory festival for us & we definitely felt the love from many of you who came to support our small town. This was a different festival for us. Where folks once darted in and out of open shops along Main Street, stood 7 ft tall security fences to prevent festival attenders from injuring themselves or falling into the space where brick & mortar storefronts once occupied. I admit there were tears & many emotional moments as I told & retold my version of the events of March 2nd. But there was happiness too. Students painted murals to decorate the security fencing. Their murals told a story of rebuilding, of piecing the town back together, of giving thanks & remaining hopeful. This festival also saw the addition of a Community Art Tent & many of our local artists were represented. Well-known artists from surrounding areas allowed us to display & sell their coveted works. Many of us were thankful to be able to buy folk art directly from the artists, watch them demonstrate their craft & fellowship under the community art tent. There were poetry readings & demonstrations, live music to entertain the crowd, a book signing and sweet, sweet sorghum, delicious & sticky & in abundance.

Photos from the Community Art Tent:

Papier Mache Sculpture by Bonita Skaggs-Parsons which she generously donated to the newly formed West Liberty Area Arts Council (of which I am a member).

Tim Lewis, carving under our tent.

Morgan County Middle School student painting of the West Liberty Methodist Church.

Folk Art & Fellowship: Work by Dolly & Guy Skaggs, Tim Lewis, Martin Cox & Sandra Gunder

Prints of an original painting by Jenny Bell.

Photograph by HB Elam

Mask by Jack Hill

Metal Sculpture by Debby Perry

Photographs by Ann Olson

Minnie Adkins’ roosters & carved creatures.

Sculpture by Ron Gevedon

Johnny Cash by Bonita Skaggs-Parsons

Carved & Painted Owl by Tim Lewis

Art by Jenny Bell & Chris Ferguson. Totem poles by Kim Gladden.

Paintings by Marita Cain (left) & large painting by Catherine Wells (right)