Appalachian Festival Brings Food, Music and Fun to FSU

On Saturday, September 20, the annual Appalachian Festival was held on the upper quad of the FSU campus. It was a beautiful Saturday for an all-day outdoor event. With live music and entertainment paired with traditional Appalachian food and drinks as well as a large variety of handmade crafts, all from local artisans and businesses, festival-goers ate their fill of concessions and walked it all off by shopping and exploring one of the many tents filled with vendors, eyeing all of the interesting jewelry, bags and home remedy items. Some stopped to learn a few things at the information tables and others even got involved in one of the wildlife conservation organizations in the Frostburg/Cumberland area.

There was something for everyone; all ages were welcome to participate, and for the kids there was an art area where they could make paper plate crafts. The music provided a happy medium for everyone; it consisted of mostly bluegrass, the traditional music of the region. Fiddlers stunned everyone with their talent, a woman played the bagpipe and a choir group sang Acapella. To most students strolling through the festival, the instruments and music styles were foreign. It was an excellent cultural learning experience.

Food galore! The people running the little concession stands set up sporadically all over the quad made some of the best hot dogs and burgers the FSU campus has ever had. Everywhere, someone was carrying a delicious-looking dessert food in a little plastic container. On the outermost area of the second tent facing the Compton center were four tables squared up together, forming a huge spread of cakes, dessert rolls, cookies, fudge and other goodies. There were pumpkin rolls and peanut butter fudge, gooey German chocolate cakes and huge coffee cakes that could feed fifteen people. And for the less ravenous, or for those not willing to share, there were smaller personal sized versions of all of the treats. It is safe to say that no one left the festival hungry!

​One of the cuter attractions was the Capering Kids 4-h Goat Club petting zoo. People came from all over the area to bring their goats to the festival for the contest that was being promoted. Children flocked to the makeshift fenced-in area in front of Guild to pet the adorable bleating animals. Who knows how the judges could pick a winner? All of the goats were too cute, and some even had funny personalities, like one who liked to walk over to people and dash away just as they reached out to pet him!

Out of all of the fun things to do, the main thing almost everyone partook in was finding a seat and relaxing to the lull of the local musicians and vocalists. One thing was certain: everyone who attended left with a better knowledge of this area’s history as well as a full belly and a cultural experience he or she will not soon forget! A pretty day, good food, nice homespun novelties and awesome music… What more could you ask for in a Saturday?