Bicentennial Birthday Bizarre

By: Ashley Jackson, 336.002


According to the schedule of Bicentennial events, the Bicentennial Birthday Barbeque occurred Sunday, September 16th lasting from 12:30 till 6pm. This celebratory event in honor of Frostburg's 200th Birthday was held in the City Square Parking Lot at 10 W Mechanic St in Frostburg. Not knowing what to expect walking up after tediously looking for parking near the area, this event was a great example of the traditional folk, art oriented nature of Frostburg.

To set the scene, it was a warm day, unlike the humid weather earlier in the week or the usual Frostburg freeze. The sky was cloudy but bright enough to wear sunglasses out of the house. Looking around the parking lot will reveal a sea of Tye-dye, records, vendor tents, and creative home-made crafts. The smell of barbeque fresh off the grill lingers in the air as an estimated 50 people walked around and engaged in small talk. The music blasted from speakers under one of the tents to match the atmosphere of the celebration. The music choice for the event represented the the small-town area nicely as Bob Dylan records, folk, and bluegrass from local musicians resonated.

The crowd, including the vendors, represented an eclectic mix or all ages and races. Families, teens, students, and older couples dressed in "expressive" clothing with a large variety of tattoos, piercings, dreadlocks, and colorfully died hair. This was a beautiful occurrence to see so many different types of people crowded in one place happily making purchases, eating food, enjoying music, and conversing together in unison. To many, this atmosphere is what speaks to them about Frostburg.

 FSU students and local residents were sitting under vendor tents galore making small talk to customers about their creative influences and processes. One particular vendor caught my eye early on. Shanti Hicks, a local midwife and craft vendor, experienced that her job made her feel crafty one day. She used the anatomical experience of being a midwife to creative decorative knit pillows of the "unusual" nature.

The pillows she sells are accurately depicted, knit vaginas. "Look inside!" Shanti noted while shoving her fingers inside a pillow's front, "I even sewed in the cervix, that's where it stops." She went on to explain that she decided to do crafts one day and could knit so she knitted crafts in her spare time of something she was already "familiar with".  It was enjoyable to see Shanti's bubbly personality light up even more as she spoke of her creative hobby; something she clearly enjoys as well.

A passerby and sophomore at Frostburg State University, Conor Burns noticed the display and intriguingly approached, laughing, "Vagina pillows for the dog, or the dog in everyone. These are amazing!"

Shanti Hicks did not just stop when it came to making one body part. She continued her collection with knit individual breasts. Upon my noticing these, she exclaimed, "Don't be shy. Grab one. They're about as life-like as I could make 'em." In addition, she also makes breast hats equipped with a life-like nipple with knit.

All her "decorations" are racially diverse coming in shades of browns and pinks with pubic hair options as well; for every woman's skin and hair texture imaginable. In keeping with accuracy, the breasts have nipples and surrounding areolas to match.

All-in-all, this was an enjoyable Sunday afternoon celebrating Frostburg's 200th Birthday with a diverse, friendly mix of united people having a good time looking at some vagina pillows.