Celebrating Floyd’s Living Traditions
The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on 8/29/2004. Sunny skies prevailed for Saturday’s Second Annual Floyd Living Traditions Festival at the Floyd Center for the Arts.
The event welcomed a record-breaking turn-out of attendees to celebrate the traditional arts, crafts and music of Floyd County.
“Last year, we hoped for 400 attendees, and we had 1500. This year we were hoping for 1500 and this is bigger,” said FCA Board President Kerry Ackerson.
She noted that the Center added overflow parking in a hay field behind the Floyd Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership adjacent to the Art Center.
“It’s really grown and there is a lot more community involvement.” Ackerson added.
Judy MacPhail, a weaver who organized artist demonstrations, said, “Last year we had seven demonstrators. This year we had about thirteen or fourteen.”
She spoke from her tent where she and several other weavers drew a crowd of interested onlookers as they spun yarn on wheels and spindles.
Other Living Traditions demonstrations included woodworking, blacksmith forging, basketry, chair canning, soap making, quilting, chain saw carving, pottery wheel demonstrations and more.
As MacPhail spoke, an audience gathered to hear a performance by the Little River Missionary Baptist Church Choir. Some clapped along with the upbeat songs and others danced on the sidelines.
Student musicians from the Floyd Country Store’s Handmade Music School, an event partner, opened the festival, and other musicians played on two stages throughout the day.
Along with vending booths and food trucks, there were indoor and outdoor art exhibits and workshops to attend.
Activities were inviting for all ages and interests.
They included storytelling, flat foot and contra dancing, shape note singing, a scavenger hunt, making corn husk dolls and barn quilts.
– Colleen Redman