Celebrating Heritage
Annual festival highlights what’s the best of Kentucky

Kentucky’s heritage is rich with tradition from bluegrass music to burgoo with many craftspeople still practicing the traditional arts and trades that the first settlers brought with them to the Commonwealth.

A more recent tradition was started several years ago to celebrate that rich heritage -- the annual Kentucky Folklife Festival, which is marking its third year this September.

The three-day event, which encompasses the weekend of Sept. 16-18, continues to grow in size and scope with each year. It is intended to be a celebration of all that’s best about Kentucky’s past, present and future and a showcase of life in the Bluegrass State with music, food, craft and trade demonstrations as well as games and storytelling.

"The Folklife Festival is important because it brings Kentucky’s diverse ethnic, occupational, regional, family and religious folk groups together at one place to share the art and culture that is a part of their everyday life," said Bob Gates, director of the Folklife Festival. "Coming together they strengthen not only their own ties to their traditions, but also teach us how our own traditions can define our heritage and prepare us for a more tolerant and inclusive future."

The festival will allow visitors to enjoy the sounds of Kentucky day and night on two music stages highlighting 16 traditional musical styles such as bluegrass, blues, country and gospel. Traditional favorites such as Jean Ritchie and Homer Ledford return to the festival along with a special evening to highlight the music of Muhlenburg County. Don Everly of the Everly Brothers will be one of the featured performers.

In addition, the Jewish Community Center in Louisville will bring volunteers to demonstrate the traditional foods, music, stories, songs and dances of the Jewish community.

There will also be a performance of blues and jazz music representing the urban culture of Louisville and concerts given by the Louisville River City Drum Corps and Northern Kentucky Gospelway Bluegrass Singers.

There will be plenty to see as well, with stone masons, quilters, boat builders, basket makers, river boat pilots, mussel-brailers, weavers, wood carvers, blacksmiths and other craftspeople demonstrating their special talents. Also, visitors can watch Saddlebred horses perform in their own show ring. In all, about 50 craftspeople will demonstrate their work during the festival.

Watching all that work might stir up an appetite, but no need to worry. Throughout the festival, hungry folks can enjoy traditional Kentucky fare prepared on site with menus including Western Kentucky barbecue and burgoo as well as chicken and fish dinners.

Kentucky’s youngest folk won’t be left out of the action, with games, songs and stories going on all three days in the Family Activity Tent.

Festival activities include playing "rolley hole" in an old-fashioned marble yard, exploring the urban traditions of Greater Louisville, a walking "tour" of Eastern Kentucky’s Highway 23 (the Country Music Highway) and more.

You will also be able to take home more than special memories if you buy some of the handmade crafts, books and music recordings on display in the festival shop. You might even get the chance to buy something you saw made right at the festival.

The festival is held in historic downtown Frankfort, extending from the lawn of the Old State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark, to the scenic Kentucky River and including the Capitol Plaza and the new Kentucky History Center.

The festival is offered by the Kentucky Folklife Program of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council. The Kentucky Folklife Program documents, preserves and promotes the living cultural traditions found in the Commonwealth.

Deanna Mascle is a staff writer for The Lane Report.

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