On October 19 and 20, the 53rd Kentuck Festival of the Arts, an event that artists near and far look forward to annually, will be held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the first time. Previously taking place in Northport, the festival will be held in the newly remodeled Snow Hinton Park.

“The 52nd Kentuck Festival was my 7th Kentuck Festival, and in that time I’ve formed many friendships with people I only get to see in person once a year. It’s almost like a big happy family reunion when everyone gets to the festival grounds on Friday to set up their tents,” said Ashley Williams, Director of Marketing and Communications at Kentuck Art Center.

“In my personal life, I am an artist too, and getting to experience so much creativity at once and to spend time in an artists’ community is inspiring and fuels my artwork. It’s my favorite weekend of the whole year, and knowing that I get to be a small part of making The Kentuck Festival of the Arts happen for the community is something I am extremely grateful for.”

As Marketing Manager, Williams oversees all external communications for both the festival and the Kentuck Art Center. Her role includes drafting press releases, working on design projects, and managing all social media channels.

“I have the privilege of crafting and telling 53-plus years of Kentuck Art Center’s history, significance to the community, and the exciting events and activities that are happening now,” she shared. “Additionally, I get to help provide a platform for artists to tell their stories, and I think that’s an extraordinarily special part of the job.”

This year, the festival will host artists specializing in multiple mediums and more than a dozen concessionaires and performances. While most of the artists are local to Alabama and Tuscaloosa County, artists come from all over the United States to be a part of the annual festival. Featured artists specialize in various mediums including clay, jewelry, metal, and wood. There are two stages at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts—the Brother Ben Music Stage and the Kathryn Tucker Windham Spoken Word Stage. Both stages have a full two-day performance lineup which can be viewed here and here.

This year’s festival judges are Teresa Hollingsworth, Director for Traditional Arts at South Arts, and Gilda McDaniel, Director of Weddings & Special Events at Fearrington Village. Judges have the privilege of awarding a total of $12,200 to exhibiting artists based on quality, originality, design, composition, technique, and overall presentation.

“Part of what makes the Kentuck Festival of the Arts special is the community that supports it,” says Williams. “Thank you to every one of the volunteers, corporate partners, government entities, Kentuck’s board of directors, steering committee members, artists, and staff members who spend time and resources making the Kentuck Festival of the Arts a heaven of a place for all who attend.”

Outside of the annual festival, Kentuck hosts events year-round. Stay in the loop by visiting their events calendar, following their social media @kentuckart, or signing up for their email newsletter on their website.