The seventh annual Appalachian Festival occurred simultaneously
with the Frostburg State Bicentennial celebration. This was the perfect formula
for proud locals, vendors, students and visitors to gather in celebration. On
that windy September day, groups of all ages showed up to partake in the multitude
of events. The wind was blowing but the air was full of warmth.
The upper quad of Frostburg State University
transformed beautifully into the perfect setting for the Appalachian Festival.
White tents echoed the features of a blank canvas waiting to be painted with rich
history and culture. I arrived at the Appalachian Festival just in time to
catch the closing set of Ken and Brad Kolodner. The small intimate crowd leaned
in and listened to the harmonic melody of the claw hammer banjo played by the father-son duo. The tone for this fall festival was set.
The rhythmic sound pouring out from the
tent hosting the Bear Hill Blue Grass, engaged the crowd and kept them bouncing. The theme of the Appalachian Festival was the people and stories of their personal lives. Everyone was willing to share uncanny yet intimate details of their lives and their
passion. The people added the personal touch.
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| Don Heishman |
A swarm of bees caught my eye, a man approached
me with a valid question. “Does it look like chaos in there? That’s because
they are all women” followed by an infectious laugh. It was Mr. Don Heishman,
the bee man as I jovially referred to him. A clear glass showcase was the only
thing that separated us from over a thousand bees. Mr. Heishman was proudly
displaying his Heishman HoneyB Hut.
Robert and Patricia Hezar of Hagerstown owned the tent full of shiny silver
ornaments, jewelry, key chains, miniatures, rings and egg holders. I immediately
approached Patricia with questions, she referred me to Robert. They have been in
business for just about eight years. “I used to work for a manufacturing company
and when they went out of business, I bought everything” said Robert. When asked
about the manufacturing process he responded “Everything is computerized so that
means it is food safe. The molds, fasting and polish finish is done by hand”. When I thanked him for his time and
complimented him on his craft, he laughed, looked over at Patricia and said “she’s
really the boss.”
The Capering Kids Goat Club station was a popular attraction among all ages. This program is a part of the Allegany County 4-H program. Led by Carol Manger, who left me speechless with her uncanny admission “Personally I have eighty goats but thirty in the program.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon
trailing the other crafts tables, exchanging polite smiles and nods and
indulging in the festive sweets. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Appalachian
Festival. I look forward to attending in the future.
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