As the afternoon sun shone brightly on the upper quad, visitors were greeted by the sound of drums and bagpipes from the Garrett Highlands Pipes and Drums. It is a welcoming sound of the heritage of the people in the Appalachian area. Many Scottish immigrants settle in the Appalachian area due to the fact of its similarities to their homeland. As the crowd watched, you could see the pride of the onlookers. Remembering where you come from and how far we have come is a part of the Appalachian Festival. From the Scottish bagpipers to the bluegrass bands the music of the times has certain been an influence on the area. We often forget how nice it was when neighbors would come together to celebrate the simplest things. They shared music, food, and friendship. This festival is a reminder of the times when convenience was an alien concept.
All afternoon as you walked around the grounds you can see signs of how far we come from the simple life this area has lead over the years. Underneath the huge tent were vendors displaying their craftsmanship. Walking by the tables you spot handmade baskets by Lori Senese, which we tend to take for granted, yet to the maker they are an accomplishment of their talent. Shawn Mencer an onlooker at the yarn table stated, “People don’t make things like these anymore. We have gotten away from simplistic things. Instead you can go down to the Walmart and simply pick this up.” It is true. We take for granted the idea of simply running down to the store and picking up a scarf, when once upon a time scarves had to be knitted and took hours or even a couple of days to make.
Even our food we take for granted. It does not take much to go to any store, and simply buy a gallon of lemonade. This weekend we got to sample a treat of what is now called “old-fashioned” lemonade. Though this may be deemed as such, we forget that long ago this was a way of life. If someone wanted to drink lemonade, they had to take the lemons, and make it themselves. As you walk by the Mennonite food stand, you see this sweets that tempt your palate. From the difficult steak/potato candy to the whoopie pies the served as a mouth watering reminds of the treats that filled this area.
This weekend served as a reminder. A reminder of a time when getting together with neighbors was a big thing. When sitting on the porch after a long hot day of work with a glass of lemonade was a treat. A time when having a hand knitted scarf was a sign of love from the one who made it with the intent of keeping us warm for winter. The simplistic lifestyle of the time may seem “old-fashioned” or out dated, but in a time where we are constantly on the run, we as a society yearn for this time. This leaves an open-ended question of, “What will the future generation learn about us?” It is strange to think that now when everyone lives for the moment. The Appalachian Festival gives us a reminder, a glimpse into the past so we can see where we have come from, and appreciate it.
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