Trimble County Apple Festival
16th
annual event draws a crowd
for music, food, crafts
By
Konnie McCollum
Contributing Writer
(September 2006) – The Trimble County Apple
Festival has become the premiere fall event for the county, and thousands
attend this annual festival. This year, the 16th annual festival will
be held Sept. 9-10. The two-day event showcases crafts and exhibits
along the tree-lined courthouse square in downtown Bedford, Ky.
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Photo
by Don Ward The
Trimble County Courthouse will be |
Leslie Cutshaw, president of the festival, said she is
excited about the variety of entertainment and events that will occur
at the festival. “From the talent show to the quilt display to
the tractor show, we have something for everyone to enjoy.”
A stage behind the courthouse will feature a variety of music and entertainment
all weekend long, including the Louisville Dulcimer Society. The group
will open the festival’s entertainment at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning
and is a longtime participant in the festival.
The society was formed in 1978 by a group of dulcimer students who were
having so much fun they didn’t want to part company. The original,
lively spirit of that group back then is still a part of the group today.
There are over 150 families that have joined the group. Those families
pay a membership fee of $15 and the entire family becomes a member.
There are members across the country, and there have even been members
from Europe.
While the hand dulcimer and the lap dulcimer are greatly represented
in the organization, other acoustic musicians are welcomed and encouraged
to join. Janey Robertson, a member of the organization and the group’s
newsletter editor, said a variety of acoustic musicians make up the
group. She said there are members who play the bass, the wash-tub bass,
mandolins, banjos, folk harps, fiddles, acoustic guitars and several
other types of instruments.
“If it doesn’t plug in, it is welcome,” she said.
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Entertainment
Schedule
Saturday,
Sept. 9 Sunday,
Sept. 10 |
The group gets together to jam at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday
at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 4400 Lowe Rd., in Louisville. There
are a variety of ongoing events at those practice sessions. There is
a room for beginners to get help, and there is a room for the various
groups to practice for any scheduled performances. Then there is the
big room where everybody else just plays their music. Robertson said,
“We just get together and have a lot of fun.”
Most of the time, the group plays songs in the American Traditional
Music genre. Robertson said, “We play about anything that can be
played in three or four chords.” That music list includes old-time
music, some Stephen Foster selections, old-time fiddle tunes and older
folk tunes.
The society stays busy performing throughout the fall and into the Christmas
season. “For some reason, when people think of autumn and festivals,
they think of us,” Robertson said.
When the group does get booked for an event, a leader will be chosen
and then musicians will either sign up or be asked to perform. The group
then puts together a list of what it is going to play and practice together
to make sure things go smooth.
At the Trimble County Apple Festival, a group of not more than 12 musicians
will be playing on the stage. Robertson said that this year they tried
to pick songs with apples themes to go along with the festival’s
them.
After the 30-minute performance onstage, the group will get together
behind the courthouse with other members that aren’t not performing
and “just jam.” Robertson said any person with an acoustic
instrument and an interest can join in.
In addition to the entertainment, there will be many more events at
the festival. Among the featured events are the quits made by the Trimble
Thimbles quilting club and the antique tractor show by the Trimble County
Klunkers.
The Trimble Thimbles will have a quilt display featuring some of the
finest hand stitched quilts in the region. There will be an “Apple
Festival Quilt” that will be raffled during the festival weekend.
This is also the first time that the quilters will be selling their
wares.
Those who have a talent for baking will want to enter the apple pie
contest. The first place prize is $100. Second place will receive $50,
and third will get $25.
The local talent show, which will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Saturday and will be a fun event to watch. The show is already full.
Vendors will have a variety of folk art, antiques, candles, stained
glass and much more. The festival provides a children’s craft area
for children to enjoy an array of crafts and games. The festival is
a rain or shine event.
• For more information about the festival, visit: www.trimblecounty.com/applefest.htm.