The Appalachian Angle

The 14th annual Appalachian Festival kicked off this past Thursday night, Sept. 19th. The festival takes over FSU’s upper quad for a fun-filled weekend towards the beginning of each fall semester. Performers, creators, and educators come together during this three-day event to foster a terrific sense of community within the Frostburg area and celebrate Appalachian culture. It focuses on the unique and wonderful aspects of Appalachian music, dance, history, and centers around a different theme making up its foundation every year. This year, the theme was “Just Transitions: Climate, Economy, and Culture.”

Bluegrass music filled the town on Thursday night while educational presentations on Friday touched on a few projects and issues that local community members and students alike might have found to be of particular interest.

The first presentation featured Tyler Cannon, a Community Organizer for the Mountain Watershed Association. Cannon spoke about plastic production in the Appalachian region that would be driven by international investment and emphasized what this potential plan might mean for our region. He also encouraged students to speak to him about an organization called “Break Free from Plastics” which teams up with universities across the United States to completely eliminate the use of plastic. Institutions such as this are very much up and coming, as the negative impacts of single-use plastic become more and more obvious all around the world, encouraging individuals and companies alike to adopt a more eco-friendly alternative. Other speakers include Jacob Hannah, Coalfield Development’s conservation coordinator, Clory Jackson and Caroline Hann spoke on the history and impact of Brownsville, and Brent McKee, a historian with a focus on the Green New Deal. Kim Alexander, Doug Hendren, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, and Rob Smith, all singer-songwriters, concluded Friday night with songs exploring Earth’s changing climate.

Don Flemons hosted a concert at the Palace Theatre on Main Street on Saturday, Sept. 21st. Climate change in Appalachia was addressed, and the topic of saving the honey bees stole the stage. Brenna Bohn, a senior health science major, said “I am always so happy to ring in the autumn season with such a culturally rich experience. It makes me proud to be local to the Appalachian region and never fails to impress.” Bohn herself used to be a beekeeper at her Mount Savage home and appreciated being able to learn more about her own backyard but in a new and fun environment.

Saturday was also filled with daytime music from various local bands and musicians, different exploration tents, storytelling at the Chapel, folkways tents, festival foods, local artisans and crafters, and activities for children.

Events like the Appalachian Festival convey the heart of this region in the best way. The festival director is Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas of the Sociology Department and she thanked a number of sponsors for making the story of Appalachia come to life yet again through another successful festival.