By Jessie Ragland, ENGL 336.001
On the morning of September 17, 2011, the Appalachian Festival could be heard across the campus of Frostburg State University. Brooke Speake, a member of the FSU marching band, said “I could hear the sound of bagpipes as we were practicing on the football field this morning. I didn’t even know how close that was”. That sound, of course, was the music of Garrett Highlands Pipes and Drums performing at ten o’clock on the Compton Stage. It was a call to all of Frostburg saying that the festivities had begun.
The sixth annual Appalachian Festival took place at Frostburg State in the upper quad and was a sight to see. Vendors lined up with kettle corn, hot dogs, fudge, cookies and more. Under the tents in the center of the festival you could find crafts ranging from potter, stained glass and decorative gourds to jewelry, knitting and braided rugs. All of the crafts at the festival were handmade and showed the true beauty and talent of the local artists.
There were a few interesting spots that would catch any wanderers eye. The first area was a section marked off for the Capering Kids 4-H Goat Club. Any child would want to stop and go play and feed a herd of goats. The goats were very friendly with everyone and some of them even went on walks around the festival with members of the club. Another area that always catches my eye is the Heishman HoneyB Hut. Operated by Don and Angie Heishman, this shop had plenty offer for purchase. They sold items such as flavored honey sticks, honey lip balm, beeswax and homemade soap. Lucy Ragland, a senior at FSU, especially liked the honey sticks. “Everything is naturally made and I’m a huge fan of honey so to have the different flavors to choose from is awesome.”
Students from Frostburg State University were also there as volunteers. You could find Alpha Phi Omega under one of the tents working with children. They were busy having fun with crafts and making dolls out of natural items. Children were smiling as the members showed them how to make the dolls and decorate them with clothing and faces. Justin Ternant, a member of Alpha Phi Omega, was happy to be helping with his brothers and sisters. “I really enjoyed volunteering today. It’s a lot of fun working with kids.”
Overall, the experience of the sixth annual Appalachian Festival was amazing. The weather had the perfect fall feeling, and the people of Frostburg seemed to enjoy themselves. When I asked Sara Daskal, an Allegany local, about her overall experience she said she was very pleased. “I come here for the music, the animals, the Frisbee, and the fun.” The Appalachian Festival did not fail to give an overall great presentation for the weekend.
If you would like to learn more about the vendors, musicians, artists and more, you can visit the website at Frostburg State University to find out more.
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