2008 News Release

39th Annual Appalachian Festival
Features Down Home Fun
At Coney Island May 9-10-11

CINCINNATI, OH -- Combine today’s hottest bluegrass act with the nation’s largest outdoor Mother’s Day shopping experience...mix in some down-home cookin’... add an authentically recreated mountain village...and what do you have? The 39th annual Appalachian Festival, one of the area’s favorite springtime events.

The Appalachian Festival runs May 9-10-11 at historic Coney Island.

During the spring festival, Coney Island is transformed into a mountain-life village celebrating the area’s rich Appalachian heritage. It has been estimated that more than 300,000 people in this area claim Appalachian roots.

The Appalachian Festival began 38 years ago in the basement of Cincinnati's Music Hall as a quaint crafts' exhibition developed by the Cincinnati Junior League. Since its humble beginnings, the Appalachian Festival has grown into one of the springtime’s most popular events.

Three full days of old timey music, handmade crafts, storytelling, food and fun to make the festival a special family occasion. Proceeds from the three-day festival go toward grants to area organizations and individual artists involved in promoting Appalachian culture.

Theme for the 39th Appalachian Festival is “Wood—Reclaiming Our Roots.” The Festival presents an educational and cultural multi-media salute to the important heritage wood (the number one renewable natural resource) and forests have played – and still do today -- in the lives of the Appalachian region. In addition, so popular last year, and back bigger and better than ever this year, is a coal mining exhibit featuring tools and implements of the mining trade, an award-winning photography and multi-media exhibit curated by Cincinnatian Shanon Rice, plus a simulated coal mine entrance that adventurous visitors may crawl through to see what it is like to go to work every day by entering an opening only 32” high. Both natural resource exhibits feature award-winning photography, artwork, video documentaries and guest speakers from the Appalachian forestry and coal mining industries. Foresters and coal miners will be on hand to answer questions and share their knowledge with Festival visitors.

Both the wood and coal natural resource exhibits will be moved this year to the greater spaces of Moonlite Gardens.

CHERRYHOLMES’ FIRST APPEARANCE AT FESTIVAL

One of Bluegrass music’s hottest groups – Cherryholmes – is making its first-ever appearance at the Appalachian Festival. Until April, 1999, the dynamic family band did not exist, and half of its youthful members hadn't even picked up an instrument. In five short years, this high-energy Nashville-based band was named 2005 IBMA's Entertainers of the Year. The group embodies the American Bluegrass dream.

All six band members pull their creative ideas to form their own new brand of bluegrass music. Every member takes a turn singing lead and showcasing their abilities. Their live shows include twin fiddles, Irish step dancing, classic country yodeling, and old-time claw hammer in addition to their dynamic bluegrass.

They have continued to receive many industry nominations and awards, including a Grammy nomination in 2006 for their first commercial release Cherryholmes. Their second release on HYPERLINK "http://www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com/"Skaggs Family Records -- Cherryholmes II -- was released in June 2007 and opened up at #1 on the BillBoard Charts. Cherryholmes have also become regular performers on the historic Grand Ole Opry. Cherryholmes performs Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Other talented artists on tap for festival visitors include Laura Boosinger & Josh Goforth; Ann & Phil Case; The Glenn Ritchie Band;
Wayne Henderson & Jim Lloyd with Herb Keys; Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz with Debbi Kauffmann; Wild Carrot & The Roots Band; Rabbit Hash String Band; Calamity Rain; Warren & Judy Waldron; Comet Bluegrass Allstars; Ma Crow; David Brose; Kentucky Sassafras; The Corndrinkers; OK Ramblers; Dan Gellert; Bear Foot, and Cincinnati’s own Katie Laur.

(For entertainer biographies, photos and performance times see Media Center at HYPERLINK "http://www.appalachianfestival.org" www.appalachianfestival.org).

The unique sound of dulcimers is provided by the Hills of Kentucky Dulcimers, Campbell Ridge Dulcimers and the Cincinnati Dulcimer Society.

FUN LIAR’S BENCH ADDED TO STORYTELLING

Special stages for dance and storytelling are also at the Appalachian Festival. A variety of energetic dancing -- including square dancing, clogging and step-dancing -- will be all weekend long. Dancers include the Crossroads Dance Team with Russ & Barb Childers, Spirit of America Cloggers, Harkie’s Hoedowners, Hoosier Hoedowner Cloggers, Five Points Cloggers, Sugar Foot Cloggers and the Nuttin’ But Fun Cloggers.

Storytelling, such a valued part of the Appalachian experience -- storytellers carried tales from village to village -- is also prevalent at the Festival. The very best yarn-spinners and cultural presenters around are featured at this year’s Festival, including, Jack’s Mama, Martha McLeod, Omope Carter Daboiku, Sandy Messerly, Steven Hollen, Paul Ingram, Grandma Buzz, Rick Carson, and Mitch Barrett.

For the first time ever, the Appalachian Festival will feature a fun Liar’s Bench, where storytellers gather to tell “tall ones” in the old mountain tradition. And there’s even an old-time traveling medicine show roaming the Festival grounds.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP FOR MOM

It’s one of the world’s finest outdoor Mother’s Day shopping experiences – more than 100 crafters from 12 states feature the finest in mountain handicrafts. Nineteen of the crafters are making their first-ever appearance at the Appalachian Festival.

Crafters will display their goods, such as hand-made quilts and clothing, furniture, pottery, metal sculptures, dried flower arrangements, hand-crafted jewelry, children's toys, leather goods, stained glass, musical instruments, baskets, handmade dolls and more. A talented collection of fiber arts specialists in weaving, drop spinning, braiding and loom work will also be on hand making and selling their masterpieces.

In addition, 14 artisans who are traditional arts demonstrators will be creating on-site unique items from a bygone mountain era, showing the public the lost arts of spinning, weaving, making baskets, turning bowls, carving chairs, caning chairs and more.

PIONEER VILLAGE RECALLS THE PAST

Always one of the most popular attractions at the Festival, the large “Living History” village features 150 period re-enactors who demonstrate mountain life in the 1800s through dress, living quarters and activities. The Living History Village includes 40 overnight pioneer camps (from the Campbell County Heritage Association) and many demonstrators of old-time skills. Blacksmiths, soap-makers, spinners, weavers and many other demonstrators are spread throughout the area.

NEW this year is a heavy emphasis on educational fun with hands-on demonstrations that kids can participate in, including making cornmeal, grass matting, using a gristmill, ice cream and butter making, and inkle looming. Pioneer reenactors will also be baking with a dutch oven, making apple butter, flintnapping and lots more. As always, children can participate in historic games (sack races, tug-of-wars, and finding a needle in a haystack), watch ‘hawk throwing, and learn Indian dances. There are also pony rides for kids and a petting zoo.

Native American dance is always a highlight of the Living History area, and this year’s dancers-- host Native American Drum and guest White Oak Drum -- uphold and promote the spiritual, cultural and traditional values of the Native American heritage through drumming, dancing and storytelling.

LIP-SMACKIN’ MOUNTAIN FOOD

A veritable feast of down-home delights is featured in this year's expanded festival menu, including sweet potato fries, fried green tomatoes, homemade cakes, muffins and pies, Burgoo, Blue Ridge Bangers, fried chicken with beans & cornbread, pulled pork BBQ, jambalaya, country ham sandwiches, homemade fudge, kettle korn, funnel cakes, biscuits & gravy, and so much more.

The 39th annual Appalachian Festival is presented by The Appalachian Community Development Association to help raise awareness of Appalachian culture, important in this region. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund The Appalachian Festival with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Festival hours are:
Friday, May 9: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday, May 11 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

General admission is $8, senior citizens (55+) $4, children 4-11 $2, children under 3 FREE. Parking is $5. Special discount admission coupons (buy one adult admission, get half-off a second admission) are available at Kroger stores. For the first time ever, tickets can be purchased in advance on the Appalachian Festival Website HYPERLINK "http://www.appalachianfestival.org" www.appalachianfestival.org. A special $20 three-day pass is available (on-line only) for the first time.

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