Francisco's Farm Arts Festival May 16-17 at Midway College will have jury-selected art in many media

By Arion Wright

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Mixed media art by Charlie Yowell

The annual Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival will be held on May 16 and 17 at Midway College. Pottery, jewelry, photographs and various artwork by 85 artists will be on exhibit.

The event is named for Col. John Francisco, who was the original owner of the property where Midway now sits. He sold his farm to the Lexington and the Ohio Railroad, which established Midway in the 1830s. The festival started at Midway College at 2004.

This year’s event will feature the work of fine artists and craft artists pre-selected by a panel of jury members from 125 applicants.  Artists come from all around the world.

The outdoor exhibition is an opportunity for the public to meet and interact with artists and purchase art. The festival will feature artists’ booths, food concessions, live music, public art projects, artist demonstrations and other special exhibits. There will be a variety of exhibits, including two-dimensional art, and fine crafts in all media. There will be a diverse showcase of fine art and fine crafts.

Donald Pekarek jewelry

Also, the Woodford County Public Library will sponsor a children’s’ booth, that will include tie dye crafts, a fun diffusing paper activity, with water soluble markers, and water, for a beautiful color effect.

Kenny Smith, the festival’s artist coordinator and the owner of Kennydid Gallery in Midway, noted that the event has been named one of the top festivals in the South by the Southeast Tourism Society.

The festival’s other awards include the Kentucky League of Cities Enterprise City Award, the Kentucky Tourism Council’s Top 10 Events and American Style Magazine’s Top 10 Art Festival for four years.

The event will run between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday at Midway College. Admission is free, and parking at the college is $5.

On Saturday, there will be live music on the steps of the Little Memorial Library. The Lexington Saxophone Trio, Celtic group Margret Lyle Gravit and Jack Twombly, traditional Irish singer Liam’s Fancy, jazz and African spoken-word artist Water, and the gyspy jazz Americana and Latina group Stirfy Musette, will perform.

On Sunday, the entertainers will be traditional English and Irish folk singers Bill and Leslie Penn; the rock, blues, and roots group Chung Yen Twins; the American and classic pop group Chester the Band; tonk piano balladeer Keith Hubbard; the Midway Children’s Choir; the Americana group Bill, Lauren and Sophie Hill; and gospel singer Aaron Hamilton of Midway.

Ceramic by Janet Essenpreis

The festival will have a variety of vendors, including Two Ladies and a Kettle, Rick’s Hotdogs, Lucky Dog BBQ, The La Petite Creperie, Oak Barrel Honey Lemonade, Honnah Lee Bubble Tea, and KC Candy.

Local-area artists include Raymond Papka, a mixed media artist; Gray Zeitz, a letterpress publisher; and Karen Riggins, a quilt artist. For a complete list of the artists see http://www.franciscosfarm.org/#!2015-artists-/c1pxi.

"Midway Renaissance and Midway College are excited to welcome visitors to this year's festival,” said Ellen Gregory, festival committee marketing chair and college spokesperson. “The variety of artists will please all of our visitors and provide something for everyone's artistic tastes."

For more information about the festival, go to www.franciscosfarm.org.