Friday, August 31, 2001
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Friday, August 31, 2001 |
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Powers Crossroads celebrates 31 years of arts, crafts and entertainment By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
Thirty-one years ago, Tom Powers began a festival at Powers' plantation, his boyhood home, that featured artists and crafters. Since that time the Powers Crossroads Country Fair and Arts Festival has grown exponentially. The weekend now features live entertainment, a 5K road race, a plethora of Southern dishes and festival foods and exhibits from more than 200 artists. Visitors to Powers Crossroads this year will have the opportunity to see and purchase paintings, drawings, photographs, wood carvings and sculpture, pottery, jewelry and much more. More than 30 percent of this year's exhibitors are showcasing their wares at the festival for the first time. The exhibitors hail from 23 states and were narrowed down by a jury from a field of 500 applicants. "The variety of creative, handmade work that will be on display this year is amazing," said festival director Roxanne Wallis. "Every type of craft, both traditional and contemporary, will be represented at this year's festival, as well as painting, print making and photography." Each year the food booths draw huge crowds. Twenty-five local church and civic club booths serve up traditional festival food, such as funnel cakes, spiral potatoes and hamburgers as well as Southern dishes such as pecan tarts, fried pies and pork barbecue. The musical entertainment this year features some newcomers and some old favorites. Teresa Wade, an up-and-comer from Nashville, will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, while the U.S. Army Ground Forces Band from Fort McPherson will perform at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3. The Bullsboro Bluegrass Band returns for its 30th consecutive year with performances at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 3. Other local talents performing at various times all three days will be Justin Thompson, Dark Horse and Honky Tonk Deluxe. Also featured annually at the festival are demonstrations of plantation life as it existed circa 1850, with the original Powers' Crossroads grist mill churning out wheat flour and corn meal and a blacksmith demonstrating his skills as he works on farm implements used at that time. Newnan-based Country Gardens Farm and Nursery will present 20-minute courses on a variety of gardening topics. There will also be a special booth sponsored by The Home Depot and manned by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newnan/Coweta County. The children have been working hard assembling and decorating jewel boxes, bird houses, plastic bag recycling boxes and spice racks from kits provided by The Home Depot. The road race, now in its 25th year, will take place Saturday, Sept. 1. A 5K race and a one-mile course will run through the city of Newnan. Call 770-253-0751. Hundreds of volunteers from around Coweta County work each year to make the festival a success. Proceeds from the event are returned to the community through a variety of projects sponsored by the Coweta Festivals member organizations. Festival gates are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 1 and 2, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and military personnel; and $2 for children 5-12. Children under 4 are admitted free. Parking is also free and a free shuttle bus is available.
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