Father of the Blues: W.C. Handy's Legacy Celebrated in Henderson
Way back in 1990, soon after beginning her career as the Director of Tourism for Henderson County, Marcia Eblen was busy brainstorming ideas for new community events. I feel confident that some divine intervention led her to discover that W.C. Handy, also known as the "Father of the Blues," had spent significant time in Henderson. While in Henderson, Handy met his wife, Elizabeth, while performing at a barbecue. Outdoor music? Blues? Barbecue? Sounds like a festival to me!
Watch this lovely lady (who happens to be the mother of yours truly) give a brief explanation of Handy's ties to Henderson, Kentucky:
For twenty three years now, the residents of Henderson have enjoyed a free, week-long blues festival full of lunchtime entertainment, street strut parades, mouth-watering barbecue, and outdoor, musical heaven on earth. The annual W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival is held mainly along the banks of the Ohio River in Audubon Mill Park. But don't think that this is just for the locals. I remember walking around our downtown streets during the festival twelve years ago and finding license plates belonging to Montana, Canada, and California! And it's no wonder. Past performers have included Leon Redbone, John Hammond, Koko Taylor, and Bernard Allison. (You can also catch Bernard Allison headlining this year's Java Blues Jam, the festival's big Saturday night closer on the 15th.)
Just check out this year's lineup:
- Bernard Allison
- Voice of the Wetlands Allstars
- Janiva Magness
- Royal Southern Brotherhood
- The Holmes Brothers
- Peter Karp and Sue Foley
- Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
- Super Chikan
- Blues Caravan 2013 Featuring Bart Walker, Joanne Shaw Taylor and Jimmy Bowskil
- Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble
- Terry Evans Band
- Michael Gough Band
- Boscoe France Band
- Lamont Gillispie and 100 Proof Blues
- David Dunavent and Evol Love Band
- Amazing Soul Crackers
- Three Shades of Grey
- Jimtown Saints
- Blues 4U
- Bob Minnette and The Dixieland Society
Kicking off the festival is the William Branaman Street Strut People's Parade. This parade has evolved from a few dozen curious folks parading alongside the few who were adventurous enough to dress up for the event to a crowd favorite with tons of Hendersonians of all ages going all out in their costumes to decorating their wagons, strollers, and parasols, ready to strut and compete for the title of Grande Ooh-Pee-Doo. The Parade forms at 9:30 am on Saturday, June 8th, at Central Park.
 |
| Henderson residents enjoy a Street Strut and showing off their creative decorations. (I see you, Steve Gold!) |
One of the most popular nights of the festival shines the spotlight on Zydeco music and scrumptious Cajun food. Ever enjoyed some bread pudding on a Thursday night at the festival? I bet you have, because my mom had to quit making it in our kitchen and turn that job over to a larger operation! (Don't worry - it's still the same recipe it always was. Raise your hand if you love it. You, too?) The red beans and rice are also not to be missed. Here is a little look into the behind-the-scenes efforts by so many volunteers to make that night an annual success. Once again, I know this interviewee pretty well, and you will no doubt see other familiar faces hard at work:
Throughout the week, there are several Handy Lunch Breaks and Happy Hours at many of Henderson's favorite downtown restaurants, including Rockhouse @ Wolf's, Commonwealth Kitchen + Bar, Planters Coffeehouse, Delizio On the Corner, and On Deck. Check here to see the full calendar of events.
Do yourself a favor and go enjoy some part of this wonderful community event. You will love it, even if you don't fancy yourself a blues lover. Trust me! If you have been once or for twenty three years, let us know your favorite thing about the festival.
Prestonsburg's Fight FORE MS
This time of year, it seems the guys in my family are constantly talking -- and arguing -- about golf. My brother, my daddy, my cousin -- they've all got very set, very specific opinions about the best golfers, the best equipment, and the best courses. And they'll tell you all about it in an animated, high-volume manner. Sometimes I ignore them, especially if it is yet another discussion about the elusive "perfect putter." But, sometimes, I actually listen. And one of the few topics that I've actually heard them agree upon is the very best golf tournament in Eastern Kentucky, Senator Johnny Ray Turner's Fight "FORE" Multiple Sclerosis.
Now in its 11th year, the Fight FORE MS is a Floyd County summer tradition. Sponsored teams take part in a Captain's Choice Scramble at Prestonsburg's stunning Stone Crest Golf Course for prizes such as golf bags, carry bags, and rounds of golf. There's food, door prizes, and contests throughout the day. And, according to my brother, who's quite well-versed in these matters, the best gift bags you'll find anywhere. Beyond the fun of the tournament and the opportunity to catch up with most of Eastern Kentucky, there's a strong commitment to charity. Since its inception, the Fight FORE MS has led to nearly $100,000 in donations to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Senator Turner, who represents the 29th District in Frankfort, established the tournament in 2003, not long after his wife was diagnosed with MS. The Turner family's personal commitment to raising both funds and disease awareness shines through in the careful planning of the event. You can run into Senator Turner's always-sweet wife, Linda, or his awesomely creative daughters, Margalee and Melissa, any time of the year, and they can tell you all about their plans for the upcoming tournament. Their passion, planning, and hard work are why even the pickiest Eastern Kentucky golfers deem this tournament the best.
This year's event is next Friday, June 14. If you go, look for me; I'll be volunteering!
You can learn more about the Fight FORE MS golf tournament on the event website and Facebook page. If you can't attend, please consider donating to the event or to the National MS Society.
My Favorite Wedding Story
Wedding season is in full swing, and I want to share my favorite wedding story with all of you. I tell this story to every single bride-to-be I come into contact with as a reminder that even if your wedding day isn't perfect, that doesn't mean your marriage can't be.
***
July 10, 2004 was a beautiful day. Aside from the sweltering heat, the weather was gorgeous. My friends Crystal and Clay were getting married that day. It was the wedding Crystal had dreamed of--an outdoor wedding on Clay's family farm in Lawrenceburg, perfect for the country girl at heart. The wedding guests would sit on hay bales, there would be daisies everywhere, and the men would wear cowboy hats. It would be the gorgeous.
There was a bit of a mishap in the afternoon when the fellas were having their pictures taken. Clay laid his cowboy hat down and a wasp got inside of it. When he put the hat back on, the wasp stung him. Since Clay is allergic to wasps, his head swelled to the point that his hat wouldn't fit right and just sort of sat on top of his head.
One tiny problem. Nothing major. The beautiful wedding Crystal had planned for months was still on track.
As the day wore on, a storm rolled in. Like any bride with an outdoor wedding, Crystal had a backup plan--a large barn nearby. The mothers argued with Crystal about moving the ceremony inside. They insisted that the ceremony would be fine outside, until the lightning started. When the rain hit, it hit hard.
What followed was a series of unfortunate events that would've had most brides curled up in a corner somewhere, rocking and pulling their hair out.
The bride and bridesmaids ran from the house where we'd gotten ready to the limo that would drive us to the barn. Inside, we did a quick champagne toast...which I proceeded to spill all over myself and a fellow bridesmaid, Kristin. We ran back into the house to use a blowdryer to dry the spill from our dresses. Luckily, the material was shiny and a bit metallic, so it wasn't noticeable at all.
We exited the limo beneath an array of umbrellas. The dogs had been put in a cage in the barn so they wouldn't run loose during the wedding, and because of the storm they were absolutely losing their minds, barking like crazy.
There wasn't enough seating for guests. The hay bales they were supposed to sit on were drenched with rain.
As Crystal's father walked her down the aisle, her nephew ran across the aisle behind her, stepping on her cathedral-length train and pulling it off of her dress.
Her train. Fell off. Her dress.
Once she was up the aisle, the wedding went pretty smoothly. When it was over, the bride and groom hopped into a limo and left--just to have a few minutes alone before returning for pictures and the reception.
They were gone for over an hour. No one knew where they were. We finished all the photographs we could take without the bride and groom. Finally, a very loud flatbed Dodge truck made it way up the gravel drive to the barn, and Clay and Crystal hopped out of the passenger side. We stared, completely confused. They'd left in a limo. They returned in a truck driven by some guy we'd never seen. Crystal quickly explained--
The limo had broken down.
Twice.
They'd hitchhiked back to the wedding.
They'd hitchhiked. Back. To the wedding.
At this point, all the bridesmaids were starting to wonder what Crystal's breaking point would be. We gathered, we talked, we strategized. We were not going to let our friend fall apart. I heard someone gasp and I raised my head from the circle to glance back at Crystal. She was standing with Clay near the front of the barn, smiling and posing for pictures.
There was a dog standing right next to her with his leg hiked up.
The dog. Peed. On her dress.
After that, Crystal decided to change into the white sundress she'd purchased for the reception. We all ran back to the house to help her, and as she slipped it on, one of the straps broke. Because, of course.
Through it all, Crystal never lost her composure. She was so happy, and took every single thing in stride. When I made my toast, I told her that if the two of them could survive that wedding, they could survive anything.
Almost ten years and two beautiful children later, they're still going strong.
Remember, as much planning as you put into your wedding and as perfect as you want it to be--something will go wrong. (Or, in Crystal's case, a whole lot of somethings.) Don't let yourself get so caught up in the details that you forget the end result--you're marrying the person you love. Whether the weather doesn't cooperate or the music is wrong or a dog pees on you, at the end of the day you will be married. Don't let anything ruin that.
My (original) Kentucky Wedding
My husband and I are celebrating ten years of marriage this summer with a vow renewal ceremony in July. Before I share the specifics of that party, I thought I would share some of the fun Kentucky details of our first ceremony a decade ago.
We got married in my hometown of Paducah, Kentucky, and I wanted our guests to feel my love for our locale. Out-of-town guests got the customary gift bags filled with local products. Everyone received Starnes BBQ sauce, a little Paducah pin, and some chocolate from a local shop.
I used Queen Anne's lace in my wedding bouquet as a send up to the local wildflower that grows like weeds in the hot months of a Kentucky summer. Even better, I'm reminded of our wedding every year as it springs up along roadsides and fills fields near my home.
The day of our wedding a summer rain storm came drenching the area and sending me into hysterics. Luckily, the rain stopped before our reception which was held in a restored home, with half of the tables being set up outside under the trees. Unfortunately, the rain turned the already hot day into a sauna-like evening.
We had a signature bourbon cocktail to help our guests to cool down. It was called a Trolley Cooler as a send up to the Paducah trolley car we took from the church to the reception. The cocktail was a shot of bourbon with a 1/2 cup pineapple juice and a 1/2 cup of cranberry juice. However, our "bartender" (who was really just a family friend) began partaking of the Trolley Coolers and by the end of the evening it was more like a cup of bourbon with a splash of pineapple juice and a splash of cranberry juice!
However, I think the crowd favorite of Paducah-specific details was our end of the evening treat. After a night of dancing (and bourbon), we pulled out coolers of Dip 'n Dots for our guests to enjoy as a final treat. Dip 'n Dots were invented and are manufactured in Paducah so I knew we had to include them. For years, I would have guests comment on the Dip 'n Dots and how much fun it was to have them at the end of the night.
I wish I had Style Me Pretty worthy photos of all these details but alas my wedding was before the age of photojournalistic style documenting of every little flower and flourish. Still, my memories are happy and I hope ten years later our guests still remember having a good time in the little town of Paducah, Kentucky.
~ Sarah Stewart Holland
Happy 221st birthday, Kentucky
Kentucky became the 15th state admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792.
