Reviewed by: Liv George
Kentuck Festival announces schedule for first year at new location
The annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts has been held in Northport for the last five decades but next month, it will make its first appearance in Tuscaloosa. Here’s what you need to know:
- 53rd Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts
- When: Oct. 19-20; 9AM-5PM Saturday, 9AM-4PM Sunday
- Where: Snow Hinton Park, 1000 Hargrove Rd East, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405
- Tickets: $25 weekend pass, $15 day pass | More info
Keep reading to find out more about this year’s festival including the recently announced music lineup + schedule.
2024 festival
The two-day festival features over 200 artists each year. The festival grounds are covered with different activities and vendors including:
- Musicians
- Spoken word
- Craft booths
- Food trucks
- Local breweries
This year’s festival will also feature several different games and activities for children including a playground at Snow Hinton Park and a permanent pavilion dedicated to Kentuck for Kids.
There are two judges for this year’s festival—Teresa Hollingsworth and Gilda McDaniel. Judges will award a total of $12,200 to exhibiting artists at the festival, scoring art based on quality, originality, design, composition, technique, and overall presentation.
Artist applications for this year are closed but keep an eye on the festival’s website for information on applying for future festivals.
Kentuck is still asking for volunteer help for the festival.
Music lineup
The full lineup for the Brother Ben Music Stage is out, headlined by a Sunday appearance from the Secret Sisters. The Kentuck show will come less than a month after they play the Alabama Theatre.
Here’s the full schedule for the music stage:
- Saturday, Oct. 19
- 9:30AM – Tim Higgins
- 11AM – Haysop
- 12:30PM – Big Ray and the Ultra’s
- 2:15PM – Golden Shoals
- 3:45PM – Rock Bottom String Band
- Sunday, Oct. 20
- 10AM – Lindy Urban
- 11:30AM – Tom Rathe
- 1PM – Debbie Bond
- 2:45PM – The Secret Sisters
There will also be a stage dedicated to spoken word, named after the late journalist, storyteller and Alabama legend Kathryn Tucker Windham. The stage’s schedule for the two-day event includes:
- Saturday, Oct. 19
- 10AM – University of Alabama Undergraduate Creative Writing Students
- 11:30AM – Pure Products Writers
- 1PM – Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas, stories about Kathryn Tucker Windham
- 2:30PM – Carolyn Hembree
- 3:30PM – Brooke Champagne
- Sunday, Oct. 20
- 11AM – Pure Products
- 1PM – Black Warrior Review
- 1:30PM – John Giggie
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