The lineup for the 53rd Kentuck Festival of the Arts is being announced. The event will have its Tuscaloosa debut on Oct. 19 and 20 at Snow Hinton Park.
Tickets include a single day pass at $15 and a weekend pass at $25. Kids 12 and under get in free.
The annual arts festival has always been held in Northport. However, the Druid City and Kentuck struck an agreement last year for Tuscaloosa to host the festival in 2024. This came after some back and forth between Northport and Kentuck leaders.
The nationally recognized event highlights local and national folk art and attracts large crowds of between 10,000 to 20,000 people each year.
In the past, participants enjoyed a variety of arts and crafts, live entertainment, spoken word, food trucks and local craft brews. More than 270 local and national artists performed at the festival in 2023, with similar vendors and attractions planned for this year.
According to the Kentuck website, lineups for two stages have taken shape and are as follows:
Kathryn Tucker Windham Spoken Word Stage Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 19:
- 10:00 am – University of Alabama Undergraduate Creative Writing Students
- 11:30 am – Pure Products Writers
- 1:00 pm – Charlie "Tin Man" Lucas, stories about Kathryn Tucker Windham
- 2:30 pm – Carolyn Hembree
- 3:30pm – Brooke Champagne
Sunday, Oct. 20:
- 11:00 am – Pure Products
- 1:00 pm – Black Warrior Review
- 1:30 pm – John Giggie
- 2:45 pm – Ashley M. Jones, Alabama Poet Laureate
The Kathryn Tucker Windham Spoken Word Stage honors the late journalist, storyteller and Alabama legend Kathryn Tucker Windham. The Kentuck website states, "The Spoken Word Stage at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts would not exist if not for Kathryn."
In the early years of the festival, there was no storytelling stage. Instead, there was a circled spot on a map where someone would tack up a sign with her name and times. Windham would reportedly walk the festival grounds, then wander back whenever a crowd of children gathered.
Kentuck says the hope of honoring Windham with stage dedication would "stir feelings of nostalgia for those who grew up reading her stories and introduce a new generation to the magic of storytelling."
The Kathryn Tucker Windham Spoken Word Stage is sponsored by The Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Information on each artist can be found here.
Brother Ben Music Stage Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 19:
- 9:30-10:30am – Tim Higgins
- 11:00am-12:00pm – Haysop
- 12:30-1:45pm – Big Ray and the Ultra's
- 2:15-3:30pm – Golden Shoals
- 3:45-5:00pm – Rock Bottom String Band
Sunday, Oct. 20:
- 10:00-11:00am – Lindy Urban
- 11:30am-12:30pm – Tom Rathe
- 1:00-2:15pm – Debbie Bond
- 2:45-4:00pm – The Secret Sisters
The Brother Ben Music Stage is named in honor of folk artist Benjamin Franklin (B.F.) Perkins, an Alabama farm boy, underage Merchant Marine, U.S. Marine and Presidential bodyguard, FBI agent, revival tent minister and celebrated folk artist from Fayette. Information on each artist gracing the stage can be found here.
The Kentuck Festival of the Arts was recognized by Alabama Department of Tourism as one of the top-ten events to attend in Alabama and by Alabama Magazine as one of the “Best of Bama 2022.”
Kentuck has also been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Southern Living, American Style Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler.
Pets are not allowed at the event. More information on the 53rd annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts can be found here.
