Greene County Democrat

Tag: Alabama Department of Tourism

  • 48th Annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival scheduled for August


    Blues musician Clarence Davis, Union Alabama, is one of founding folk artists of the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival; Ms.Vera Spencer cooking skins; Ms.Odessa Rice with crafts and
    Mrs. Claretha and Mr. James Gaines, Sr. singing old timey gospel.

    It’s that special time of year again and the excitement is escalating. The 48th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is coming to town on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday August 27, 2023. This community celebration is held on the old courthouse square in Eutaw, AL, (Greene County). The festival features down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts and special events for the young people.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, an event that celebrates culture and traditions.
    Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Jock Webb, Lil Lee and the Midnight Blues Band, Willie Halbert and the Fingerprint Band, Lendell Peebles and the Grapevine, Scott Percer and the Roadhouse Blues Band, Lemon Harper, Russell Gulley on guitar and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks, handmade soaps, candles and scents, handmade jewelry and other decorative items.
    The assortments of down-home foods include, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and pork skins, Polish sausage and Bear Burgers, ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, popcorn, freshly squeezed lemonade and more.
    Saturday’s festivities will also sponsor a Kids Tent, with complimentary hands-on art activities for the children. Special features will include pottery making and African drumming.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Greene County Mass Choir, The American Travelers, Maxine Donald and the Chosen Ones, soloist Ms. Eddie Mae Brown and many others.
    “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is homecoming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together musicians, craftspersons, storytellers, food specialists, community workers – all who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region. This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘how we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 26, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 27, 2:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Alabama Department of Tourism, Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation and other contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture. For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525; Email: zippert.carol79@gmail.com

  • The 45th Black Belt Folk Roots Festival goes virtual

    By: Carol P. Zippert
    Festival Coordinator

    The 45th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival did not go unclaimed, and undocumented. There was no magnificent tent shielding a stage of body and soul stirring musicians playing to hundreds not minding the August heat and drenching humidity. There was not the aroma of the famous Bear Burgers and Chicago Style Polish sausages sizzling on the grill, or the inviting scent of barbecue on the pit. One could not be drawn to the popping sounds of chicken wings and fish or pork skins in pots of hot oil. One could not taste the cooling refreshment of homemade ice cream or myriad flavors of snow cones and Italian Ice. Still, the annual festival did not go unclaimed and undocumented.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival went virtual on its 45th anniversary. A special website was designed to capture the usual ole timey blues and gospel sounds of the festival. The link highlights longtime bluesmen and bands such as Clarence Davis, Lil’Lee and the Midnight Blues Band, Jock Webb, Terry ‘Harmonica’ Bean, Jontavious Willis, Russell Gulley, Michael Carpenter and the Roadhouse Blues Band, Willie Halbert and the Fingerprint Band and more.
    The ole timey gospel groups noted included Son of Zion, The American Travelers, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, The Melody Kings of Starkville, Eddie Mae Brown, Glory to Glory Gospel Singers and more.

    One could not finger the fine stitching of the traditional hand crafted quilts and baskets or the intricate designs of hand crafted jewelry, but the authentic photos on the website portray the loving and painstaking care of the folk artists.
    The young people did engage in a hands on arts festival experience. The special Zoom link allowed them to follow the guide of local artist Mynecia (Mya) Steele, of Eutaw, in designing their own arts. The young participants were provided with the materials needed to create their projects in Zoom arts program, noted as the Kids Tent. Reportedly, the greatest joy for many young participants was seeing themselves on screen.
    The festival’s website also carries a video of the Kids Tent, claiming and documenting the young people’s activities.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture, did not go unclaimed and undocumented. The festival website will be continuous, featuring the folk artists of the West Alabama Region, celebrating history, culture and tradition through music, dance, crafts and foodways.
    Festival website: blackbeltfolkrootsfestival.weebly.com. Tune in and join a celebration of community.
    The major supporters of the virtual festival and the Kids Tent include Alabama Department of Tourism, the Black Belt Community Foundation, the Alabama Power Foundation, Greenetrack, Inc. and the TSP Support League, Inc.
    If you would like to support our continuing work of producing the festival
    contact
    Carol Zippert at
    205-372-0525 or email:
    zippert.carol79@gmail.com

  • Annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, time for reunions, good food and music

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    Lemon Harper of Sumter County shows off his dance routine at Annual Festival.  and John Kennedy Byrd prepares his famous Barbecue ribs at annual festival

    Where else can you smile and sway to ole timey blues, enjoy the delicacies of right-off-the grill barbecue and polish sausages, feast on freshly cooked country dinners with assorted pies and cakes and then top it all off with hand churned homemade ice cream.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival on Saturday, August 25 and Sunday August 26 on the Old Courthouse Square in Eutaw, AL.
    The festival features down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts. Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, The Liberators, Jock Webb, Davey Williams, Russell Gulley, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks. The assortments of down-home foods include soul food dinners, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and skins, homemade ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, and more.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the
    The Echo Juniors, The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Greene County Mass Choir, Glory Gospel Group, Angels of Faith, The American Gospel Singers and many others.

    “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is home coming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together musicians, craftspersons, storytellers, food specialists, community workers – all who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region,” she explained. “This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘How we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 25, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 26, 2:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation, Alabama Department of Tourism and other local contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture.
    There is no admission fee for the Festival events.
    For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525;
    Email: carolxzippert@aol.com