Midway Renaissance revives Greenspace Committee, plans for Francisco's Farm Art Fair June 13-14

The annual general membership meeting followed the monthly dinner at Midway Christian Church. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

By Lauren McCally
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Renaissance announced the revival of its Greenspace Committee at the group’s annual general membership meeting Monday night. The meeting followed the monthly community dinner at Midway Christian Church, which featured leftovers from the church’s Epiphany dinner.

Greenspace was the first committee of Midway Renaissance, but went dormant in 2013, said Debra Shockley, the secretary of Midway Renaissance. “Something that’s exciting is that Greenspace is coming back,” she said, “but in a totally different integration.”

When the committee started, “Some of the things that they worked on were to remove invasive species, they planted trees, established rain guards, and a lot of other things that helped preserve and protect our environment,” Stacy Thurman, a Greenspace and City Council member, told Renaissance members.

The idea to bring this committee back came from Marcie Christensen, who wanted to help educate Midway residents and work with the city government and other organizations to teach more sustainable ways for Midway to do things.

Debra Shockley is secretary of Renaissance. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

Shockley said after the meeting that the committee’s current mission differs from the old one because that sort of work is done by the city’s Parks Board, Friends of Walter Bradley Park and other volunteers who “do the trails and the bridges” in the park.

The Greenspace Committee is “going to have educational classes, maybe seminars and stuff up at the library,” Shockley said. “They are not actually going to be working in the park. . . . This Greenspace incarnation will focus on sustainability.”

Greenspace is planning educational projects for the community and Northside Elementary, which will teach appropriate recycling techniques, community composting, and care of street trees.

“We are open to any ideas that people have or projects … here in Midway, ” Thurman said. “We welcome anybody that wants to get involved in the Greenspace Committee.”

Greenspace holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Midway Library. If you would like to join the committee, attend a meeting, share an idea or learn more about certain projects, contact Marcie Christensen via Facebook or Thurman at the library, which she manages.

Another committee mentioned during the meeting was Living History. “Living History is one of the most active committees,” said Shockley. “They do so many projects.” Some include a big sign about bourbon history by The Brown Barrel and a lot of older pictures of buildings downtown, which have been put up with information such as who owned them and what year they were built.

Planning for the June 13-14 Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, which Shockley said is Renaissance’s “primary source of income,” is going very well, event coordinator Elisha Holt told the members. “We have about 67 artists who have applied” to exhibit, she said; the deadline is March 1 and the jury will notify exhibitors by March 31.

The fair will be held at Midway University but there will also be a small block party downtown with a musical event on the evening of Saturday, June 13.

To help advertise the art fair, Renaissance will provide yard signs to contributors. Those who give $25 will receive a sign saying “Friends of Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, Midway University, June 13-14,” to put in their front yard; $100 givers will be designated friends of the art fair, and get a sign; $500 givers will be sponsors, with their name or logo on signs at the event, in the fair map and on the website. Donations need to be sent by May 1, so the committee can print the signs and distribute them.

The Renaissance board will have a workshop and strategic planning review Sunday, March 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the library conference room, and anyone is welcome to attend. The board has room for four more members, who serve three-year terms.

The next general meeting of Renaissance is scheduled for Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. in the second floor community room of the Rau Building (City Hall). Anyone is welcome to attend and the officers for 2020 will be elected.  Membership in Renaissance is $10 per person or 10 food items.

Saturday showers don't dampen pride of artists and appreciation of guests at 15th Francisco's Farm Art Fair

Story and photos by Sarah Ladd

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Art vendors proudly displayed their masterpieces at the 15th annual Francisco’s Farm Art Fair Saturday and Sunday, despite frequent rain showers the first day.

The fair at Midway University featured many jewelers, painters, sculptors and potters, as well as food vendors including Bite Me and Hog Fathers BBQ & Catering. Live musicians sang while guests visited each tent and children enjoyed interactive booths.

"The Little Whirly" isn't so little.

Among the more striking images at the fair was a 12-foot steel statue that was visible above the tent line. Savanna Haner, who works with the statue’s artist, Anthony Slichenmyer, by adding the final paint touches, said the towering piece of art is simply for decorative purposes, but they hope to someday incorporate a design that would allow it to pump water for a garden. The tall piece has an ironic name, “The Little Whirly.”

Slichenmyer owns All But One Ironworks and had a beautiful display of steel flower garden markers and ornate mirror décor at his booth. He said the process of creating a piece can be quite long; he does all his work free-hand rather than using molds. Sometimes, he said, he will finish one part and need to start again because it was crooked. “It’s fun, though,” he said.

Sherburne's newspaper pots (click on photo for a larger version)

Potter Jimmy Sherburne displayed many eye-catching pots, bowls and jugs in his tent, such as his comical moonshine jug with a burned-in newspaper image that read, “Prohibition ends at last!” To get the newspaper and other images onto his pottery, he said, he adds the images using ceramic decals and then fires them a third time at 2,300 degrees. He said his motto is “Mundo Cane”, which means “A Dog’s World” or a “Dog’s Life” because of the similarity he sees between dog-like courage and loyalty and the human condition.

He also has a bigger vision for the pieces he creates: “Consider the timeless nature of pots,” he said. “Consider the archeaological potential of deriving cultural significance from the stories future scholars find on our pots. I do not make pots as memoriams so much as markers.”

Midway native Jimmy Sherburne's "Most Excellent Pots" (click on photo for a larger version)

Sherburne was raised in Midway and said he holds a special place in his heart for the area. Though he now lives in Pennsylvania and works out of his gallery there, Artist Hand Gallery, he returns to Midway for the fair to share his art with the community he loves.

The Making of a Master display and the children’s art display was inside the university’s Anne Hart Raymond Center. It showcased the work of the area’s finest artists.

Civil War style quilt (click on photo for a larger version)

On display was a striking quilt made by master quilter Patricia Brennan of Fort Thomas featuring 15 traditional block patterns using Civil War style fabric. Brennan’s description card said the quilt, “speaks to me of the importance of following your dream. At the time of the Civil War, the dream was freedom. My dream of passing on quilting skills and the love of quilting is much smaller but still important to me.”

The displays also included one adult-sized and one child-sized Appalachian chair made by father-and-son pair Terry and Joseph Ratliff.

The children’s art display included paintings and sketches from Northside, Simmons, Southside and Huntertown elementary schools, Woodford County High School, St. Leo’s School, Versailles Montessori and Woodford Christian School, and ranged from landscapes to self-portraits to abstract. (Click on photo for larger version)

An interactive booth outside allowed children like Joseph Hale (left) to decorate a container and plant a flower in it to take home and care for.

Several vendors said the intermittent rain dampened a few spirits, but they persevered and made the most of the event. 

Renaissance seeks artists, volunteers and sponsors for Francisco's Farm festival, members for board

Midway Renaissance is still seeking artists for its annual Francisco's Farm Arts Festival, to be held at Midway University May 20 and 21.

Tuesday is the deadline for artists to apply, but it may have to be extended because not enough have applied, Treasurer Leslie Penn said after the group's annual membership meeting.

The chili cook-off preceded the Midway Renaissance meeting.

The festival is also looking for volunteers and sponsors, Midway University Vice President Ellen Gregory told the crowd at the meeting, bolstered by the annual chili cook-off at Midway Christian Church.

"If you can make it here tonight at eat chili, you can be a volunteer for the Francisco's Farm Arts Festival," Gregory said. "You really get to know your neighbors and become lifelong friends."

Also, "We are always looking for sponsors," she said. "Any way you wish to serve, we appreciate it."

Midway Renaissance is also looking for board members to serve three-year terms; it has 10 and can have up to 18, Board Member Debra Shockley told the crowd.

The board meets once a month. Its next meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Midway branch library. Officers for the year will be elected.

Shockley said Renaissance will keep City Hall and its restrooms open Saturday, Feb. 11, for the merchants' annual Chocolate Stroll, and will again sponsor Midsummer Nights in Midway in June, July and August.

Shockley began the meeting by recounting the history of Renaissance, which formed to seek grants from the state's Renaissance Kentucky Program in 2001. The largest grant reworked Main Street and financed the purchase of the Rau Building for City Hall.

Funding decreased under Gov. Ernie Fletcher in 2003-07, and Renaissance left the program in 2011 because it no longer had funds to employ a Main Street manager as required by the state. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in March 2016 that there was potential to re-create the position in the next three years, perhaps in the capacity of a tourism and economic development director for the city.

The Living History Committee of Renaissance got the street markets for the Midway Historic District last year, and other Renaissance committees have evolved into the group that supports Walter Bradley Park, and the Nursing Home Task Force that led to building of The Homeplace at Midway, Shockley said.

Renaissance is bouncing back; annual membership meeting brings encouraging reports, new ideas

By Tiffany Broughton

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Renaissance has come through conflict and a two-year lull but the civic group “is alive and well,” President Jim Wombles said at its annual membership meeting Monday night.

The organization has money in the bank, regular committee meetings, ideas for 2016 and a new contract with Midway University for their Francisco’s Farm Art Festival to stay on campus through May 2019.

In 2011, the festival was relocated to Equus Run Vineyeards, which displeased merchants because it would reduce business during that weekend. This was a result of Midway University’s previous administration declining to sign a long-term contract in 2008. That came on top of conflict with the previous city administration.

The festival returned to the campus in 2014 and will be held on May 21 and 22 this year.  Under the new contract, Renaissance will pay the university $5,000 annually and keep the rest of the proceeds from the event.

Renaissance Treasurer Leslie Penn reported that the festival account has $13,971.72, the general account $5,934.69 and the GreenSpace account $3,255.14.

The top of the web page for the annual arts festival

Volunteers will be needed to make the festival a success, Wombles said. The festival committee meets the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the university’s Anne Hart Raymond Center. The Renaissance board meets there at 7 p.m. on second Wednesdays.

Wombles announced that Renaissance is now eligible for federal contracts and grants, and board members have $1 million in liability insurance.

He said that when the group met last year on March 30, it had not filed taxes in two years and risked losing its federal tax exemption. The members elected a board and formed committees that have been meeting regularly. Wombles thanked Penn for her help on the tax exemption, which he said “was not easy.”

The Renaissance board is looking to form other committees and ways of fundraising to continue to make the festival and its GreenSpace efforts successes.

Wombles said he board would like to add four members so not all members’ three-year terms expire at the same time. After three members declined nomination, Katie Vandegrift accepted and was elected. She is the wife of Mayor Grayson Vandegrift.

Besides her, Penn and Wombles, the other board members are Kim Skeeter, Kenny Smith, John Holloway, John Maybriar, Jo Blease, Debra Shockley, Joy Arnold and Dee Dee Roach. The board is still looking for three more members.

Wombles said Renaissance needs to focus its efforts on the arts, even if it costs a little money. "Any success that we have had has to do with art," he said. "We have an opportunity to build on the arts."

Kenny Smith, owner of Kennydid Gallery, introduced an idea for public art. He displayed a poster-size photo of a mural in Wilmington, Ohio, that had been seen by Peggy Angel, owner of Steppin’ Out Boutique. Smith said it would be great to have something similar in Midway to help attract tourists. He said he has talked to building owners and has discussed a potential location of City Hall facing Winter Street.

Kenny Smith showed a photo of the Ohio mural as Jim Wombles and other Renaissance members watched.

Smith said the Board of Architectural Review for the Midway Historic District told him that a mural would be approved as long as it is not on the front of the building, has no advertising and has historic qualities.

"I spoke to the artist who did the mural in Wilmington and he charges $50 per square foot, so it will cost some money," said Smith. "We will have to plan for maintenance as well. We have to make sure 

we have enough money to maintain it after it is done."

The group also discussed old ideas, such as creating a trail across the creek leading to Northside Drive and finding money to pay a Main Street manager; and new ones, such as jam sessions that will be held on Sundays starting in May, as well as youth nights and a car show.

Council passes leash law, hears budget and plans for Francisco's Farm arts festival, still in the making

Dogs in Midway can no longer roam free, at least legally, under the leash law passed by the City Council this week. Monday night's meeting also included the formal first reading of the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and discussion of plans for the Francisco's Farm arts festival.

The leash law passed unanimously, though Council Member Joy Arnold suggested that it be modified to allow exceptions for dog owners who can prove to an animal control officer that they can maintain control of their dogs without leashes. Arnold said Boulder, Colo., has such a law, and "We need to be a community that appreciates dogs that have been trained." She said a local dog trainer had expressed concern about Midway's ordinance.

Other city officials were skeptical. Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Turner said it is a dog's nature to give chase, and the leash law will keep dogs from being run down in the street. Mayor Tom Bozarth questioned how the exception would be enforced and funded.

Council Member Dan Roller suggested that the idea be referred to the county animal control office, since that office had requested the ordinance to make Midway conform with one in Versailles. Outside the limits of the two cities, the leash laws do not apply.

The proposed budget was read without comment; it had been discussed at two special council meetings, reported here. An Excel spreadsheet of the major items can be downloaded here.

Francisco's Farm: How to maintain connections with Midway?

Sara Hicks, the president of Midway Renaissance, reported on plans for Francisco's Farm, which will be held June 23-24 at Equus Run Vineyards on Moores Mill Road, three and a half miles from downtown Midway.

The festival's move to the vineyard last year, from Midway College, rankled some Midwegians who thought the change reduced the popular event's connection with the town. Tentative plans for a shuttle between the event and the town fell through.

Hicks was asked what the festival will do to bring people to Midway. She said some merchants have agreed to give discounts to festival-goers, and "We want most of our volunteers to be from Midway." The Lexington Art League is playing a major role with the event this year.

Hicks said Pam Trautner is recruiting volunteers for the event, and John Maybrier is seeking vendors. "We're looking to have healthier foods," Hicks said.

Council Member Charlann Wombles, acknowledging that her idea may be too late for this year, suggested that the festival be called "Midway's Francisco's Farm."

"I like that," Hicks replied. "It's the people of Midway who put it on for all those years. She said the festival will have a table for Midway merchants.

However, Grayson Vandegrift, president of the merchants' association, said it was not planning to have a booth because the festival said that would cost the association $1,000. Hicks said she would look into that. Later in the week, Vandegrift said the festival had agreed to provide a free booth.

Francisco's Farm, a nationally recognized and professionally juried art fair, is named for Col. John Francisco, whose farm became the site of Midway when the state's first railroad was built through it in the 1830s.

Other business

The council agreed to have a special meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 15 to discuss garbage and recycling policies and pending bids. Bozarth said water customers will get a questionnaire, the answers to which will guide the city's decisions.

Council Member Aaron Hamilton said the survey will include questions asking if residents would be more likely to recycle if all types of material could be combined into a single stream, and whether they would be willing to pay a fee if glass could be collected for recycling and the current blue bags eliminated.

After the opening of the farmers' market for the summer was announced for 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, June 4, Bozarth said "I think we're going to have someone else down here on Saturdays." That, he said after the meeting, would be B & B Farms from Lawrenceburg.

Leash law up for final approval at council Monday

Second reading and final passage of a revised dog ordinance, requiring leashes when off the owner's property, is among the business on the Midway City Council's agenda Monday.

Other items on the agenda include first reading of the proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, which the council has been discussing; and several guests, including Sara Hicks of the Francisco's Farm art fair, city-county Planning Director Pattie Wilson, county Library Director Karen Kascavage and Brad McLean, chairman of the Woodford County Economic Development Authority.

All council meetings are open to the public. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

City council discusses recycling, Renaissance, Francisco's Farm, scout projects, more

By Dick Yarmy
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

The Midway City Council played to a standing-room only crowd Monday night in what longtime council watcher John McDaniel called “the best meeting I’ve seen in a while.”

The standing room was rectified with the arrival of extra chairs as the council discussed issues ranging from recycling a business study to Eagle Scout projects, and received updates on Midway Renaissance and planning for the 2012 Francisco’s Farm Art Festival.

Recycling: “Name me a business that can show a 53 percent increase in productivity,” Magistrate Bruce Gill said as he ran the numbers describing improvements in Woodford County’s recycling efforts.

Gill reported how grant monies were used for machinery that has all but eliminated using middlemen to sell recycled products. By bundling the materials and taking only mill-ready material to the end user, the county is receiving top prices, Gill said.

The county received $186,000 for recycled materials this year and kept 1,100 tons of material out of the landfill. By not using the landfill, Gill estimated, the county saved fees of more than $60,000. “That savings goes un-noticed,” he said. Midway residents pay county taxes.

The problem of not accepting fiberboard, which drew criticism from the city last February, was addressed by recycling resource coordinator Nola Serber. She reminded the council that in addition to household material, they are handling 204 businesses five days a week. “We take everything, but glass, and we’re working on that right now,” she said.

Renaissance: “I can see an opportunity for this community,” said Council Member Becky Moore, as she reviewed the status of the group. “It is a very well established, driven 501(c)(3) organization, and depending on who’s on the board ... it can go in whatever direction the community wants it to go.” Renaissance is recruiting volunteers and board members to fill vacancies created by three retiring board members. Moore directed interested parties to the organization’s website for more information.

The status of the Francisco’s Farm festival was covered in a report from event coordinator Marcie Christensen, right (photo from a different meeting). The event planning committee is proposing June 23-24 for the festival and recommending it remain at Equus Run Vineyards, where it was moved last year. This recommendation will be offered to the Renaissance board for approval.

The board has said it needs to know who will be responsible for the finances and momentum of the festival. Co-chairs for the festival are Equus Run owner Cynthia Bohn and Sarah Hicks. Bozarth asked, “Who is ultimately responsible for Francisco’s Farm?” Christensen replied, “Midway Rennaisance.”

Market study: “The right direction for Midway has to come at the intersection of community desire and market potential.” That’s what Josh Bloom, principal in the Community Land Use and Economics Group, said at a public meeting last March. CLUE was hired to prepare a state-funded market study of Midway’s business potential, administered by Renaissance. The completed study is now available on the Renaissance website, Christensen said.

She called attention to the retail and restaurant tip sheets, designed to help businesses improve traffic and sales. McDaniel, president of the Midway Business Association, said downtown merchants are already using some of the suggestions and added some have purchased virtual business tours to increase their online presence.

Eagle Scouts: The community projects that Boy Scouts Tim Hagan and William Borland are mounting to gain the Eagle rank continued to gain momentum. Both gave the council addenda to their proposals, filling in details needed to gain the council’s approval. The council voted to let Bozarth grant final approvals and schedules for the projects.

Hagan’s dog park project received an additional boost. Donations of resources and materials were pledged to help reduce the cost. “I called in a few favors,’ Bozarth said as he told Hagen about the contributions. (He said after the meeting that posts have been donated by Shadwell Farm and the concrete is being donated by John and Jim McDaniel in honor of their dogs Little Man and Molly.) Borland is mapping and cleaning cemeteries.

Other business: The council set Nov. 19 as the day to dispose of large items, at the old sewer plant from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Bozarth said the city’s property maintenance code needs to be strengthened. He appointed a committee of council members to work on it: Joy Arnold, Dan Roller and Moore, his predecessor as mayor.

Francisco's Farm committee wants to keep going; Renaissance wants key questions answered

By Nate Courtney
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

(This story has been revised to correct a mistaken attribution.)

The Planning Committee for the Francisco’s Farm Art Festival decided at its meeting Sept. 29 that the festival should continue in 2012 because they believe enough people have committed to raise necessary funds and do other work.

The committee, which will meet again Thursday, also decided the venue should be Equus Run Vineyard, where it was moved last year after seven years at Midway College.

After the planning committee meeting, the Midway Renaissance board voted “in favor of Francisco's Farm continuing, especially if they have enough interest for that to happen in an effective manner,” according to a report provided by Marcie Christensen of Renaissance. However, the directors won’t fully endorse it until two items are resolved: First, who will be responsible for the finances of the festival, and second, who is going to be the driving force of the festival and keep the momentum going forward?

The driving force of Francisco’s Farm has been Midway Renaissance, the future of which is in doubt.

“We will not continue to exist without people taking leadership positions,” Renaissance President Randy Thomas, said at a general Renaissance meeting on Sept. 26. Thomas has said he will be leaving the Renaissance board at the end of the year.

Three days later, at the planning committee meeting, Cynthia Bohn, right, owner of Equus Run, agreed to serve as co-chair of the festival.

“I love art,” Bohn said at the meeting. “But it will take a village to run this festival.”

Phil Dare, a regular volunteer for Francisco’s Farm and chair of the Greenspace Committee of Renaissance Jon Maybriar, a former Renaissance member who has volunteered to help with the festival, said there are Midway residents who feel separated from the organization. “There is a mistrust,” he said. “It needs to be repaired.”

Dare Maybriar also said that the planning committee meeting was the “first serious dialogue about including downtown Midway.” Downtown businesses were upset that the festival moved three and a half miles away.

Several committee members also wanted to have a meeting with the Midway City Council and Mayor Tom Bozarth to “bridge the gap,” as Dare Maybriar put it.

One way to bridge the gap is transparency of information, Bohn said. “Communication,” she said. “That will help unify Midway again.” She said the key mission of Francisco’s Farm is simple: to give back to the community.

Bohn acknowledged that the festival’s overall preparation was an issue its first year at Equus Run. Everything from the loosely kept entrance gate to toilet paper control led to some revenue loss, the committee said. Christensen said the festival account had about $1,000.

In order to counter these flaws, Bohn wants to see the creation of specific teams for parking, signs, advertising, music, production, and food vendors, which could improve revenue for the festival, which she said drew more than 11,000 visitors last year.

Bohn has offered her 16 employees to Francisco’s Farm but the festival has been heavily reliant on a larger number of volunteers.

Former Renaissance president Diana Ratliff expressed her concerns in an interview with the Midway Messenger.

She said the important point of the festival’s success is the volunteers, and it can’t replace 400 volunteers with 16 employees.

Ratliff said Francisco’s Farm should still remain a community engaged event, and there are a number of people in the community that would be willing to help.

Several steps the committee is taking include: having a downtown restaurant owner on the committee, promoting downtown at the festival, and alternating future committee meetings between Equus Run and downtown. Committee members said alternating the meetings would reinforce the understanding that the festival is a Midway event, not just an Equus Run event.

The committee’s next meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at United Bank.

Committee members know that the longevity of Francisco’s Farm depends on the community and its volunteers, like Sara Hicks.

“I love the festival because I love the arts,” Hicks said at the meeting. “I don’t want to see it leave. I’m here to see it stay.”

Information for this story, originally published in the Midway Messenger, was also provided by Dick Yarmy.

Francisco's Farm Art Festival, moved to Equus Run Vineyards, will be held this Saturday and Sunday

The ninth eighth annual Francisco's Farm Art Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26, at Equus Run Vineyards and Winery three and a half miles east of Midway. It will feature art by scores of artists from 16 states, such as this painting by Robert Rodenberger of Marietta, Ga., which Midway Renaissance is featuring in its promotions of the nationally recognized event. The wine bottle shows appears to show the Weisenberger Mill in the Scott County part of "Greater Midway," but Rodenberger says he never heard of it, according to Marcie Christensen of Renaissance. (See comment below.)

The festival is named for Col. John Francisco, who sold his farm to Kentucky's first railroad so it could create Kentucky's first railroad town. Now the only evidence of the festival in town is a banner across Winter Street, US 62, and a few directional signs. UPDATE, June 24: The vineyard is on Moores Mill Road, where today workers were placing banners along the shoulder near the entrance.

Renaissance's decision to move the festival from the Midway College campus, which upset some downtown interests, was made for several reasons, event coordinator Marcie Christensen told Business Lexington recently. "The move to Equus Run will enhance our ability to attract art patrons, expand our opportunities for creative expression, and provide broader and more diverse exposure for our corporate sponsors," she said. "The opportunity to provide an evening concert and the beautiful ambience of the vineyard will continue to elevate the reputation of the festival as a show not to be missed."

Renaissance is promoting downtown on the Francisco's Farm website, but there will be no shuttle service between the city and the vineyard. The route is on the MapQuest image below.

In tonight's edition of The Woodford Sun (which is not online), correspondent and downtown promoter John McDaniel reports that downtown merchants will have sidewalk sales this weekend, and that an "Art's Fair" with 15 artists will be held in the downtown courtyard from 10 to 5 Saturday and noon to 5 on Sunday. Those are the same hours as the festival, except that the festival will run until 6 Saturday.

Lexington fan company signs on as 'climate sponsor' for Francisco's Farm Arts Festival

Midway Renaissance announced today that Big Ass Fans of Lexington will be the "climate sponsor" for the annual Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival at its new location at Equus Run Vineyards next June.

The award-winning firm, which uses a backward-looking donkey as its logo, left, says it is the leading manufacturer of large-diameter, low-speed fans, which Renaissance hopes will “provide the climate we want,” Marcie Christensen, the event's coordinator, said in a press release. “We’ve tried ordering perfect weather for the festival for several years, and it always seems to be delivered two days late. This year we decided to be more proactive . . . ”

The festival, held for seven years at Midway College, is named for Col. John Francisco, the original owner of the farm on which Midway stands. The Southeast Tourism Society has named the festival one of its Top 20 Events for June 2011, and AmericanStyle Magazine included the festival on its Top 10 Art Fairs and Festivals list for 2007-2010.

The festival will be held Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Artist applications will be accepted through Jan. 31. For more information, visit http://www.franciscosfarm.org/ or call 859-846-4049.

Businesses worry about arts festival's move; Renaissance says weekend could be bigger

By Rachel Bryant
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Midway Renaissance works with the Midway Business Association to promote commerce downtown, but merchants are concerned that the Renaissance decision to move the Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival to Equus Run Vineyards will rob them of a big weekend.

“Of course we wish them all the luck but we’re wondering what kind of effect that’s going to have on what we do downtown,” said Eric Thoreson, owner of Damselfly Studio Gallery.

The festival has been held at Midway College since it began in 2004. Last year’s festival showcased 150 artists from 14 states and saw nearly 8,000 visitors.

The Renaissance committee in charge of the event announced at the group’s annual membership celebration Nov. 11 that it would hold the 2011 festival at Equus Run Vineyards and Winery, three and a half miles from downtown. (MapQuest image)

“I know there are efforts underway on trying to have people come downtown,” Thoreson said, “but it’s going to present challenges.”

Marcie Christensen, the Main Street manager for Renaissance, acknowledged at the meeting that the decision is causing concern among business owners.

“It was a long, long considered decision and carefully considered,” Christensen said. “It presents some challenges because there are some people who are concerned about how it’s going to work.”

While business owners fear that the new location will take the customers they normally see that weekend, Christensen says the change will attract more visitors to the area.

“I disagree with the opinion that we won't draw as many customers downtown,” she said in an interview. “In fact, I think we can draw even more than we have in years past. We'll be working with the Midway Business Association and the community over the next few months to develop plans and promotions that will tie the festival to downtown in ways that draw visitors to both places during the last weekend in June and well beyond.”

There were many factors in the decision to move the festival. Christensen said the college was not interested in a multi-year agreement to host the event, and the uncertainty left the board looking for alternate venues.

A group of artists, arts organization directors, and marketing consultants advised the committee that Equus Run offered many benefits, Christensen said: convenient parking, electricity for exhibitors, the opportunity to drink beer or wine, an even greater variety of dining options, room allowing a booth layout with easy access, and broad promotion from the winery including its thousands of loyal customers.

The college had declined to allow beer and wine to be served on its campus, Christensen said.

Not only are merchants worried about business, some feel that the involvement of the college was an important part of the festival.

“The college won’t be promoted at all. That was free advertising for the college and its nice having any college involved in the arts,” said Leslie Penn, owner of the Historic Midway Museum Store.

While merchants worry about the possibility of lost sales that weekend, they recognize that it’s impossible to know the end results, and acknowledged that it could be a successful event for all involved.

“Now one good thing about our outlook from the merchants’ association is we are trying to make people shop not just in Midway but all around Central Kentucky,” Penn said, “so expanding it out there might be good.” The committee’s new challenge moving forward, Christensen said, is to develop the concept of the community of Midway to be more inclusive, interdependent and collaborative.

She said at the meeting, “One of the things that is important for all involved in Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival or who wants to be or feels that it is an important part of the community is to look at expanding our concept of what our community is, and figuring out ways that we can make this work very well for everyone.”

Nationally touted Francisco's Farm Arts Festival returns to Midway College campus this weekend

Midway will play host to the seventh annual Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival at Midway College, produced by Midway Renaissance, June 26 and 27.

The festival has been named among the “Top Ten Art Fairs in the U.S.” for the third year in a row by AmericanStyle magazine. This year's edition has several new features; for a full story, click here.

Nationally touted Francisco's Farm Arts Festival returns to Midway College campus June 27 and 28

By Meghan Quigley
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Midway will play host to the sixth annual Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival at Midway College, produced by Midway Renaissance, June 27 and 28. The festival is named among the “Top Ten Art Fairs in the U.S.” for the third year in a row by AmericanStyle magazine.

The name of the festival commemorates Col. John Francisco, the original owner of the property on which historic Midway now stands. This year’s festival will display an array of media by 150 artists from 17 states, including Dan Neil Barnes of Lexington, who did this glass sculpture. (Photo by Sarah Wilson; read more)

Midway Renaissance group takes over art fair

By Emily Zengel
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Two Midway organizations have established a much stronger connection, giving hope that both will continue with their successful pasts. But in the town of 1,620, not everyone had the same views about combining a not-for-profit corporation and the Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival.

Midway Renaissance Inc. will now be solely responsible for planning the start-of-summer festival. The decision came during the Jan. 21 city council meeting, where members voted to rescind Midway’s current agreement with Midway College, and transfer the responsibility for the festival to Renaissance.

“It will remain a partnership, really a collaborative effort of Renaissance, the city of Midway, and Midway College,” Midway Renaissance President Randy Thomas said in an interview. “The only thing that’s changing is the oversight responsibility.”

Francisco’s Farm has been a successful, juried art fair since its creation in 2004.

The festival has won numerous awards since its debut. It won the 2004 Enterprise Cities Award from the Kentucky League of Cities. It’s twice been placed among the Top Ten Festivals and Events by the Kentucky Tourism Council and was among the “Top 20 Events” for June 2007 and 2008 chosen by the Southeast Tourism Society. In January, The Kentucky Festival and Events Association presented Francisco’s Farm with its “Best Festival Website” award. To see the site, go to www.franciscosfarm.org.

Christensen said the change in responsibility will not affect Francisco’s Farm.

“I don’t think the festival will change as a result of moving to Midway Renaissance. I think it’s just come home to Renaissance, because it started there,” said Christensen, who is employed by the corporation.

The festival took some time to get ready for the public. According to Christensen, a small committee of Midway Renaissance, the Social and Cultural Action Team, began planning the event with some advice from Mike Stutland, owner of the Artique Gallery in the nearby city of Lexington.

“They decided that an art festival would be a very good fit for Midway, something to engage the whole community, and something of which the whole community would be proud,” said Christensen.

And so far, the festival has engaged a large part of the community.

“We average that better than 10 percent of the community is involved,” said Council Member Charlann Wombles. The city’s population in 2000 was 1,620, so if Wombles is accurate, about 162 people help with the festival.

At the first festival, volunteers outnumbered the artists two to one, according to Christensen. They helped set up booths for the artists, brought them water and helped many other ways as well. In its first year, Christensen estimates that there were 75 artists. Last year’s festival brought in 130.

Christensen and Wombles attribute part of the growth and success of the festival to the way volunteers treated the artists. It seems the festival had some unexpected benefits for the community, especially those involved with the event.

“There’s something about working side by side with people that you may not socialize with, necessarily, year round; but getting to know people who have, for one thing, the common interest: loving the town where you live,” said Christensen.

Midway Renaissance, is an organization that receives funding from the statewide Renaissance on Main Program. Gov. Paul Patton began the initiative as Renaissance Kentucky in 1999; the goal of which was to give financial assistance to small communities for downtown development.

The original agreement made Nov. 27, 2006, between Midway College, the City of Midway and Midway Renaissance said the college was to provide facilities, food service and college employees. The city was to provide a contract with an event coordinator (with the advice of Renaissance), a bank account for event funding, fundraising, and student scholarships.

That agreement and another were rescinded at the council meeting. The new agreement states that Renaissance is responsible for conducting Francisco’s Farm in 2008. New Renaissance responsibilities will also include handling all financial aspects of the event and contracting with the event coordinator, to be paid solely from festival funds. Upon request, the city may provide employees to help before and after the event.

“I think the college is glad where [Francisco’s Farm] can come out from under them because it’s less responsibility for them. I know from the mayor’s standpoint, I feel like it’s the same thing with him. They have more important issues to deal with,” said John McDaniel, who is a director of Midway Main Street Renaissance.

Main Street Renaissance, which is a branch of Midway Renaissance Inc., focuses on the improvement of Main Street.

The new agreement was signed by Thomas and Mayor Tom Bozarth, after a few changes that were made during the council meeting. Council Member Charlann Wombles said the changes made involved the wording of the contract.

“There have been agreements that have had to be developed and worded to suit everyone,” said Wombles.

Wombles added that most of the work on the agreement was done by volunteers. One of the changes made was requested by Council Member Sheila Redmond. She suggested that Renaissance should be able to request, instead of require, assistance from the city. That change was approved.

Redmond originally said she was disappointed about the transfer of Francisco’s Farm to Midway Renaissance, because she wanted to see more people in the community involved than just those in Renaissance.

“It’s not really going exactly the way I think it should go. I’m glad it’s out from under the city,” Redmond said. “But the city is so intertwined with Renaissance, that I question the wisdom of that. But at the same time, maybe it is the way to go.” Renaissance was created by the city, and Bozarth is the corporation’s process agent.

Redmond would like to involve new community members and possibly residents of Lexington and Frankfort as well, because she said fresh ideas can help organizations thrive, and would like to see a creation of open forums.

“People could sign up and say, ‘you know I really think I have some things that I could add to Francisco Farm, and I’d like to be part of that’,” said Redmond.

Although everyone may not be on the same page about the agreement, it seems that people really do love the town of Midway, and want to see it grow and thrive, through Francisco’s Farm, other arts or other avenues all together.

“I would love to see a venue for art education and opportunities for adults, children and the whole community,” said Wombles, adding that she believes Midway residents are very ripe for art education.

Redmond wants one organization to house several kinds of arts projects, and hopes that in the future, something like this may be possible. She originally created the Midway Arts Foundation for similar reasons.

“It started out pretty good. They had a pretty good response and everything,” said McDaniel. But after a little while, he said, “Arts in Midway kind of faded.”

The festival may be an exception to McDaniel’s statement. When asked about her vision for arts in Midway, Redmond said “For all intents and purposes right now, there is no arts in Midway. It’s kind of a failed effort, one that I hope in the future will revive in one sort or another.”

Despite her disappointment in Renaissance’s new responsibilities, she remained positive.

“I think there’s hope for the future, and I think the time has to be right for things, and maybe just the time isn’t quite right,” said Redmond.

But no matter what organization residents become involved with, whether it’s a current one or one that has yet to be created, Christensen gives a good reason for why people do so.

“I think that everyone has a need to be, to contribute and to be involved with other people in the creation of something that they see as a good thing,” said Christensen.

This year’s Francisco’s Farm will be held June 21-22.

Fund-raiser supports Francisco's Farm arts festival

By Emily Zengel
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

“I like to compare it to Northern Exposure meets Mayberry.”

That’s how singer Billy Hill describes Midway, Ky. It may be a small town, but people from across the globe are drawn to the restaurants and antique stores lining Main Street.

There’s another reason people go to Midway: Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival. It's a juried art event and takes place annually at Midway College. There’s also live music throughout the festival. This year's festival will take place June 21-22.

At a recent fund-raising event in Midway for Francisco's Farm, people were able to see what it's all about. There was live music, a silent auction and an intermission show. Here's a report.

Council meeting gives glimpse into Midway's future

By Autumn Harbison, Melissa Hill, Sean Patterson & Monica Wade
School of Journalism and Telecommunications, University of Kentucky

Midway’s City Council meeting Tuesday night gave a glimpse into Midway’s future. The proposed Midway Station development and changes in an annual art fair dominated the meeting, but the council also discussed the proposed Woodford County smoking ban and a journalism experiment with the University of Kentucky.

Change is coming to Midway and Anderson Communities is the catalyst. The Midway Station commercial and residential development being planned by the Anderson company would bring 700 new residences to Midway, said Bob Rouse, right, the Midway representative for the Woodford County Economic Development Authority.

That would slightly more than double the number of residences the town currently has, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "That’s what Midway is all about, bringing people in, and I think this will do that,” said Rouse. “This community is going to change.” He assured the council that it would not be a sudden change, but that the plan would unfold throughout the course of 10 years.

The authority has signed a contract to sell the property, contingent on a zoning change. Rouse said it also depends on the permission of the four companies who bought property with the expectation that it would be zoned for industrial use. The rezoning hearing has not yet been scheduled, pending approval from the former property owners, but the most likely date is March 27, Mayor Tom Bozarth said.

The land in question has been the subject of contention lately. It was the intended location for the Bluegrass Stockyards facility that ended up not being relocated from Lexington. Rouse said the four companies "bought into a plan that has since changed," referring to their approval of the stockyard plan. "We need to get them on board before we move forward."

Asked about the proposed zoning change, Bozarth said, "We need to learn more about it and how it would impact the city of Midway. "We have to look at costs and other factors." But he also noted that the city has a lot invested in the property already. “We’ve paid over $700,000 in interest on the property,” he said. “It’s an interesting piece of property that is not paying down like we wanted to.”

Rouse said the project would lower sewer rates and increase tax revenue. He said he didn't know if the project would provide jobs for local residents, but Council Member Aaron Hamilton, who asked him that question, seemed positive about the plan. “I think it will be a good thing for Midway to bring in new faces and new people,” he said. Council Member Diana Queen also said in an interview that she supports the change.

Art fair responsibility shifts

The only major, formal action of the evening was approval of a new contract transferring responsibility for the annual Francisco's Farm art fair from Midway College to Midway Renaissance Inc., a not-for-profit organization that has worked with the fair in the past.

At the suggestion of Council Member Shelia Redmond, the agreement was changed to say that the Renaissance organization could request, instead of require, assistance from the city.

Council Member Charlann Wombles, right, alluded to past conflict over the issue. “It’s required a lot of patience, but it’s a good thing,” she said.

Other business

Al Cross, assistant professor of journalism at the University of Kentucky, addressed the council and introduced five journalism students who he said would be reporting on Midway for his class. He said he wants his students to get real-world experience in covering a small town, and the city deserves its own news outlet. “This is a town that gets visitors from all over the world,” he said. “People in small towns deserve good journalism just as much as people in large towns.”

For now, a Midway blog has been set up at this site, but the class will soon develop a Midway Messenger Web site. Bozarth said of the students, “I encourage everyone … to be open with [them].”

Bozarth, left, criticized Garland VanZant, the director of the Woodford County Health Department, for not notifying the Council of the county health board's plan to enact a countywide ban on smoking in public places. “I think out of respect and courtesy he should have done so,” Bozarth said -- noting later that Midway businesses already ban smoking.

The proposal, the subject of a Feb. 5 public hearing, would be a major change for Woodford County, which was once among the top five producers of tobacco in Kentucky and still raises the crop.

The council ended the meeting with a closed session that lasted approximately 10 minutes. The motion to hold the session said it was to discuss the purchase of property, one of the exceptions to the state open-meetings law.

Photographs by Sean Patterson