Good Music, Good Food, Good Times.

The Appalachian Festival was a weekend of good music, good food, and good times.  The different booths and tents made the whole festival one for the books. I have never gone to the festival until this year. I must say it was great!

When I first got to the festival I noticed an older gentleman named Don Heishman standing next to a frame of some sort. When I got a little closer it was then that I realized the frame was full of bees! When speaking with Don, he explained to me a little bit more about what the bees were actually doing. Don said, “ The bees are making honey. They are doing this to gear up for the winter time to keep themselves warm.” After he explained what exactly the bees were doing he proceeded to talk about them and their different types of habits. Don has been working with bees for nine summers now.  “I enjoy working with them because most people think it’s a scary job. I have only been stung a few times but after a few minutes the pain goes away,” said Don.  He has a real passion for these bees and was so excited to come to the festival just to share his love for them. 

After I was done speaking with Don Heishman, I noticed that Dr. Greg Latta, a Professor at Frostburg State, was speaking on a microphone.  Naturally, I walked over to the stage area and listened for a few minutes.  After Dr. Latta was done speaking I caught up with him real fast to ask him a few questions.  Dr. Latta told me that he had performed in the morning and was now MCing the show. “ I played hammerdosen re banjo and guitar,” said Dr. Latta. I then asked if he or another artist wrote the songs he had performed.  Dr. Latta responded by saying, “A couple of them were, otherwise it was traditional music. It’s was a mixture of traditional, some that I’ve written some that the contemporary people have written.” It was very impressive to me that he not only performed in the morning, but that he was also being the MC for the event. “This is kind of a reunion for me because I know all the groups, they’re all friends of mine and I have played with each one of them.” Dr. Latta was very pleased to be at the festival and was the one who really encouraged all of his students to attend as well.  Dr. Latta informed me that there was great music that was “Folk” traditional; there was also great food as well. 

Once I was done speaking with Dr. Latta, I took his advice and went over to a stand nearby and picked up some Sassafras Root Beer. It was a glass of the most delicious Root Beer I have ever tasted.  All in all the Appalachian Festival was definitely a weekend full of good music, good food, and good times.