Cincinnati Appalachian Festival Is A Good Thing!

Congratulations!

April 25                                                Debbie Oberklaus has won four tickets to the Festival!

Mother’s Day weekend in Cincinnati just isn’t the same without the region’s most popular spring festival – the Appalachian Festival. And the three day event is back – May 11 to 13 at Coney Island – packed with down home fun for the whole family. (For hours and pricing, please see below.)

The 43^rd annual Appalachian Festival — presented by The Appalachian Community Development Association to help raise awareness of Appalachian culture – will re-create authentic mountain life with down-home music, dance, storytelling, food and crafts. Appalachian heritage runs deep throughout this entire region with more than 300,000 people claiming Appalachian ancestry.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been working on the publicity for the Festival for over 20 years (I started in grade school). It is such a fun event.

Appalachian Festival 2012 release

Hang out with the Appalachian Festival on Facebook by clicking here.

Win tickets to the Festival!

Would you like four tickets to come and experience the Festival yourself? I’ll be giving away passes through May 3. Entering is fun and easy. Winners’ names will be drawn at random and posted here.
You can only win once.

Here is how to enter:

1.     Post a photo on Pinterest of either a craft that you have purchased from a past Appalachian Festival, a scene from a past Appalachian Festival, or find a photo that depicts what you are looking forward to this year. AND in the description, include the words ‘Appalachian Festival Cincinnati’.  THEN post a comment here with a link so that I can find it. (I encourage you to also post the link to the Appalachian Festival Facebook page.) And also so that I have your email address to send you your tickets.

2.    Don’t have a Pinterest account? You can email a photo to contest@goodthingsgoingaround.com or comment below as to why you would like the tickets.  NOTE that by submitting a photo you are giving me consent to post it on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

I will be announcing the ticket winners on this post. While I can not
announce who the winners are on Facebook, I will on the Appalachian Festival
Facebook page when I post winners on this blog.

 

The Appalachian Festival has always been known as a value-packed festival with modest ticket pricing. And now it is even better:  Friday, May 6, is extra special with a half-price admission all day and night long. “Frugal Friday” pricing is adults $4, seniors $2, and children 4-11 $1 (children under 3 get free admission.) Pricing on Saturday and Sunday is adults $8, seniors, $4, children 4-11, $2. Parking is $6.

Festival hours are Friday 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

 Don’t forget to check out MY SIDEKICK AND ME while you’re here for
pet behavior and fun posts. Just click here.

 

Please Support This Petition For The Appalachian Festival

A really good thing for Greater Cincinnati is its most popular outdoor spring family festival, the Appalachian Festival at Coney Island Mother’s Day weekend. It re-creates authentic mountain life with down-home music, heel-to-toe dancing, storytelling, food, and crafts.

For those who know me, you know I’ve been working on the Appalachian Festival for over 20 years (started as a baby). I look forward to it. Last year REALLY hurt organizers when it had to be cancelled for the first time ever due to rain. So, I’ve created this petition asking for sunshine. Please help us keep Cincinnati’s popular spring family festival around by adding your name or liking the petition that is on the Appalachian Festival Facebook page.

Here is a link.

Cincinnati’s Unique Heritage Being Told In Cincy Story Mural

Something truly wonderful is happening. It is transcending generations, bringing together diverse people from just about every local community. Our great city of Cincinnati is being told, one person, one story, one neighborhood at a time. Old shoeboxes are coming out of storage. Camcorders and iphones are popping up in storefronts and street corners. Memories are being inked in vivid detail as prose on pieces of lined paper.

It is all a part of a first-time project called the Cincy Story Mural. Through a series of what are being called harvesting events, the public has been invited to share photos, videos, narratives, and drawings to help tell the story of their unique corner of the world. And by the spring of 2012 (which is fast upon us), they will all be transformed into a beautiful mural installed in locations throughout Cincinnati with an interactive online version.

Cincy Story Mural is a collaboration between Starfire Council, DIY Printing, Public Allies, Cincy.com, and artist Krista Brinkmeyer.

Krista is the vision behind the project. In her late 20’s, she has always had a passion for expressing herself through storytelling – sometimes by capturing moments in photographs and sometimes through written word. She also has a knack for making friends, an important quality for any role let alone the role of project director.

“I like myself very much. I work hard at Starfire. I am a good person and I am happy,” she wrote in her blog profile.

I sat down with Krista and her right hand man as they say, Leah Addison, an Americorp volunteer with Starfire. The idea, they told me, was sparked when Krista was developing an idea for her capstone project in her final year at Starfire U.

“I like taking pictures and showing them to my friends,” Krista said. “I’m learning to blog and email. I’m meeting a lot of people. I’m not done yet and I need everyone’s help.”

If you have a photo or story you would like to contribute, please contact them at infor@CincyStoryMural.org.

Photo Caption:

Today my friends Aaron and Sybilka and I made a poster for our Mural Launch Party.  I got my picture taken while we were working on the screen printing.  The posters are blue and silver.  The posters tell about the project and they have a QR code on them so people can scan with their phones and read more about the project.

About Starfire U

I really couldn’t describe it better than the words used by Starfire on their website….

Starfire believes every person has gifts that should be valued and respected. Time at Starfire is spent discovering those gifts and finding the people and places where those gifts are able to shine the brightest. Starfire recognizes that all people want acceptance and need relationships. There is great value to relationships with the community and neighbors so an emphasis on building connection runs throughout each program. Starfire strives to maximize resources and generate new avenues and networks of connections for people.

Starfire U is a new, post-secondary opportunity focused on providing relevant educational opportunities for young adults with disabilities. It combines Starfire’s expertise in advancing socialization with traditional special education techniques. This research-based program will have a positive lifelong impact on the lives of people who experience disabilities.

The Starfire U curriculum includes communication, safety, transportation, health, citizenship, technology and volunteering. The knowledge and experience gained in the program helps people to become integral parts of their community.

Over the course of the four-year program, there is exposure to new opportunities, a chance to explore and define a person’s gifts and talents, find valued roles in their community, and build a network of support. The curriculum is designed to:

• Connect with the Community
• Develop Friendships
• Increase Social Confidence
• Gain Experiences at Local Colleges, Businesses, and Non‐Profits
• Contribute through Service
• Build Occupational Skills
• Develop Personalized Future Plan

 

 

Cincinnati Recognized For Helping Teens Succeed

For the second year in a row, Cincinnati has achieved national recognition as one of America’s Promise Alliance’s 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING for its initiatives to help young people. The competition recognizes communities across the country that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth.

An awards ceremony this week will kick off a series of community engagement events designed to create and sustain a community-wide dialogue and movement that is all about providing young people the educational and personal development options that will help them to be successful in their adult lives.
Community partners include: ArtsWave, ArtWorks, Bridges for a Just Community, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, CET Connect, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates, The Strive Partnership, The United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools and many more.

 

Good Things Cincinnati Is On Youtube

Well, I’ve finally done it. I’ve created a Youtube channel and it’s called Good Things Cincinnati.

My first video was recorded downtown Cincinnati at WIZF. Popular personality Jade West took the Good Things Pledge and talks about why you should as well.

Taking the Pledge is simple. Simple click on the ‘Take the Good Things Pledge’ page and add your information. I’ll send you your certificate.

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