Music Fest 2020
Nat Colten and Jeri Katherine Howell share a song in celebration of and gratitude for Kentucky Heartwood. "During a normal July summer, we would be gathering in Millville to share music and raise funds for the organization. Instead, we share a virtual song and encourage you to donate (or become a member!) online by clicking here!" -Nat & Jeri
Friends,
Fifteen years ago Kentucky Heartwood started the Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival to celebrate our beautiful forests and the bold frontline work our organization does to protect them. We also needed to raise money -- small activist groups like ours that regularly challenge the federal government rarely have access to funds that more conventional non profits enjoy. And so began an event that has offered up the best of what we have. We've enjoyed good food and homegrown produce, great music from Kentucky musicians, original plays created and produced by kids, the cool water of Glenns Creek, inspiring speakers, and workshops about everything from herbal medicine to using solar cookers.
Over time the music festival has become a community tradition more than an event put on by Kentucky Heartwood. One of my particular joys in organizing the festival has been to watch my children grow up with it. My daughter Natalie was a year old when we held the first festival. Two and a half years later I had to find a quiet place to nurse my 6 month old Sophie in the midst of running the event. I've seen the wild fun that they've had playing in the creek, jumping in the bouncy house, and running in the grass and through the gym with its giant fan. Like so many other kids, they moved from exploring the cardboard play house and watching the musicians under the tree to actually making music themselves and participating in the kids' competition. They held the banner and led the kids' parade waving their leaves and holding their animal posters high. They performed in the kids' play. Last year Natalie and her high school friends ran the obstacle course for kids.
Throughout the years, I've seen lots of kids grow up with the festival. I delight in using the event to provide opportunities for kids (and others!) to learn, challenge themselves, take risks, and bask in the glow of a loving community. Take Maya Burke, for example. As a freshman in high school, Maya was too shy to get up on stage and compete despite her musical talent. By the time she was eighteen she was on stage all day as emcee of the whole event!
We will have to wait until next year to celebrate the 15th edition of the Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival. COVID-19 has fundamentally changed our world, and this message is sent with the hope that everyone is healthy and finding their balance amidst the tumult. My hope for society is that we emerge from this pandemic with a new respect for each other and the natural world.
For 28 years Kentucky Heartwood's work to protect intact forests has been a force in Kentucky. Our mission is a solution to climate instability and problems (like pandemics) triggered by the collapse of natural systems. We can't celebrate with you in person this year, but we need your help to continue our essential work. Please consider donating to Kentucky Heartwood this month to support our ongoing work toward the bright future within our reach.
For the forests,
Chris Schimmoeller, Kentucky Heartwood Council member
PS If you haven't seen it yet, please click on this link to watch a short video by Sellus Wilder about Kentucky Heartwood.
And, be sure to check out this brand new exclusive release by Frankfort's own Nato, called "Mitch Please". Thanks to Nate Orshan for sharing this special recording with us!
The 15th Edition of the
KENTUCKY HEARTWOOD
MUSIC FESTIVAL
is scheduled for
Saturday, July 31, 2021
3:00 to 10:00 pm
Rain or Shine
Thanks to everyone for a great 2019 festival!
Congratulations to the winners of the music competitions!
8-12 years olds
1st Phoebe White
2nd Sophie Dufour
3rd Margaret Wilkerson
13-18 year olds
1st Charity Gilbert
2nd Katrin Wilson
3rd Emily Reed
Congratulations to the winners of the music competitions!
8-12 years olds
1st Phoebe White
2nd Sophie Dufour
3rd Margaret Wilkerson
13-18 year olds
1st Charity Gilbert
2nd Katrin Wilson
3rd Emily Reed
Congratulations to 14 years of winners!
Ages 8 – 12 Ages 13 – 18
2006 Alyssa Meece Tyler Stahl & Blake Sugarman 2007 Samantha Cunningham Michael Cruise 2008 Samantha Cunningham Morgan Darby 2009 Jacob Broyles Damon Pulliam 2010 Austin Moore Bethany Breakall 2011 Ella Lemley-Frye Damon Pulliam 2012 Andrew Breakall Bethany Breakall 2013 Ella Lemley-Frye Samantha Cunningham 2014 Jonathan Corum Jordan Semones 2015 Jackson Williams-Hale Alexandra Hagan 2016 Ezra Corum Kellar Casciola 2017 Saisei Kameyama Zoe Parker 2018 Sophie Dufour Marie Bandeman 2019 Phoebe White Charity Gilbert 
|
The Historic Millville Community CenterThe Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival is located in western Woodford County on the banks of Glenn’s Creek in the scenic community of Millville.
The site of the festival is the Millville Community Center, which includes portions of the restored historic Millville Elementary School. The facility is well known for its horseshoe tournaments. Also available are basketball courts, picnic tables, and an outdoor pavilion. 
The Music Festival is run entirely by volunteers with the help of donations from our sponsors.Thank You to Our Wonderful Volunteers!
Jim Pierce, Jim McWilliams, Joel Dufour, Claire Hess, Jane Marie Watts, Keenan Bishop, Clay Goebeler, Doug Osborne, Levi Gordon & Bluebird Whitehead, Susan Goddard, Sellus Wilder, Trina & Tim Peiffer, Heather Housman, Connie Lemley, Mary Quinan, Brad Slutskin, Melissa Calhoun, Brad George, Dale Booth, Walt Baldwin, Ben Griffith, Pete Kraska, Cora Weer, Seth Murphy, Danny Hess, Jasmine Fouts, John & Velda Watts, Katie McKone, Jessica Schuster, Cooper Hendrix, Natalie Dufour, Sophie Dufour, Eric Peiffer, Betty Beshoar, Melinda Baker, Bridget Corum, Andy McDonald, Logan Ernst, Brian Baker, Emma McHone, Lynn Cruz, Jim Daniel, Melanie Van Houten, BJ Duvall, Wendy Howe, Eddie Riddle, Rachel Harrod & Michael Carpenter, Morgan & Margi Jones, Anna Dudley, Patrick Kennedy, David Harwich, Bryan Reynolds, Marianna Colten, Nat Colten, Kathy Murphy, Amanda Dunn, and the Franklin County Environmental Club.
Many thanks to our wonderful emcee Eddie Riddle. Applause for Seth Murphy of Blackhat Productions for superbly running the sound system and to Ben Griffith for the keyboard and his terrific assistance during the music competitions. Many thanks to our 2019 Sponsors for their generosity! Kentucky Coffeetree Café, Radio Free Frankfort, Nancy Osborne, WesBanco Bank, Lanham Media Services, Diane Lewis, Bob Padgett, Extra-Tree-Estrial, Froggy 104.9, Loren Curtis & Connie May, Eddie Riddle, WEKU, Michael & Sheila Campbell, Doug Osborne, Millville Community Center, John & Velda Watts, Griffith Piano Service, Josephine Sculpture Park, Anonymous, Frankfort Kiwanis Club, Jeff Alexander, Dale Booth, Franklin County Farmers Market, Capital City Historical Dancers and Musicians, Seldom Scene Farm.
Contact the organizerOrganizer Chris Schimmoeller was director of Kentucky Heartwood from 1992 to 2002. She is currently on the Kentucky Heartwood Council and lives in the Frankfort area. Contact her at 502-226-5751.
Do you have suggestions or comments?Every year people compliment us on the quality of the workshops and kids’ activities. Parents are also happy to be at a festival small enough that they don’t worry about where their kids are. If you have comments or suggestions about activities to add to the festival, please email Chris at c.schimmoeller@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you at the festival!
|
Kentucky Heartwood is a non-profit forest advocacy organization that has worked since 1992 to protect and restore the integrity, stability, and beauty of Kentucky’s native forests. Our focus is the Daniel Boone National Forest in southeastern Kentucky. The 700,000 acre public forest boasts the state’s highest concentration of rare species, one of the highest concentrations of archaeological sites in the southeast, over 3,000 miles of clifflines, and attractions like the Red River Gorge.
Running waters on the Daniel Boone National Forest support about 60% of Kentucky’s native fish species, which represents 28% of all southeastern fishes and 18% of all native freshwater fishes in the United States. Mussel species in streams on the Daniel Boone comprise 22% of mussel species in North America. Overall, Kentucky ranks third in the nation for aquatic fauna diversity.
The Daniel Boone’s intricately folded topography creates specialized habitats for endemic species, such as white haired goldenrod, found nowhere else in the world.
The forest itself is highly diverse, distinguished by outstanding biodiversity, pockets of old growth, and unique upland bogs and glades. Because it stretches for 140 miles from north of Morehead to the Tennessee border along the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, the Boone represents our best opportunity to restore functioning forest ecosystems in the state.
Run primarily by volunteers, Kentucky Heartwood passionately defends the Boone from logging, mining, development, and four wheeling. We have helped to dramatically reduce logging levels and ATV abuse.
Protecting forests is increasingly important in this era of climate change. Large forest blocks stabilize the atmosphere, sequester carbon, and conserve water.
Running waters on the Daniel Boone National Forest support about 60% of Kentucky’s native fish species, which represents 28% of all southeastern fishes and 18% of all native freshwater fishes in the United States. Mussel species in streams on the Daniel Boone comprise 22% of mussel species in North America. Overall, Kentucky ranks third in the nation for aquatic fauna diversity.
The Daniel Boone’s intricately folded topography creates specialized habitats for endemic species, such as white haired goldenrod, found nowhere else in the world.
The forest itself is highly diverse, distinguished by outstanding biodiversity, pockets of old growth, and unique upland bogs and glades. Because it stretches for 140 miles from north of Morehead to the Tennessee border along the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, the Boone represents our best opportunity to restore functioning forest ecosystems in the state.
Run primarily by volunteers, Kentucky Heartwood passionately defends the Boone from logging, mining, development, and four wheeling. We have helped to dramatically reduce logging levels and ATV abuse.
Protecting forests is increasingly important in this era of climate change. Large forest blocks stabilize the atmosphere, sequester carbon, and conserve water.
Here's a few Music Fest posters from over the years...
Thank you to all of the artists who volunteered your time and talent to make these!
|
|
|
|
