Williamsburg’s Old Fashioned Trading Days kicks off Thursday; will offer more music

Williamsburg’s Old Fashioned Trading Days will offer more music this year with a second stage being added.

While some local festivals are cutting back entertainment this year, Williamsburg’s Old Fashioned Trading Days, which starts Thursday, isn’t one of them.

Old Fashioned Trading Days Chairperson Joyce Byrd said that the addition of a second stage for entertainment is the biggest change for this year’s festival.

"We are trying to add a few more things and see how it goes," noted Williamsburg Main Street Manager Nannie Hays.

While stage one will still feature the traditional bluegrass and gospel music concerts that Old Fashioned Trading Days is known for, stage two will feature rock and country artists.

"It is a different kind of music for a younger generation. We are just trying to attract some more people," Hays said. "We hope it will be successful so we can start expanding it a little more this year."

Stage one will still be located near the intersection of Third Street and Cumberland Avenue across the street from Bill Woods Park.

Stage two will be set up on Main Street between the Whitley County Board of Education’s central office and Milly’s on Main.

Portions of Main Street, Third Street and Cumberland Avenue will be shut down starting early Wednesday morning. Other portions of Cumberland Avenue starting at Fourth Street will be shut down Thursday afternoon after the school buses go through.

The biggest changes to the festival over the last 30 years has been the addition of several vendors and the fact that local merchants and participants no longer dress up in old time clothing, like they did during the early days, noted both Hays and Byrd.

"One of the things during the early days were that the merchants downtown got involved and set out things," Hays said.

"They dressed old fashioned that is the way it was. They decorated their stores and set their merchandise out on the sidewalk to be sold along with the other vendors but they don’t do that any more," Byrd added.

Currently there are nearly 100 vendors lined up for this year’s festival.

Opens Thursday

Old Fashioned Trading Days will start Thursday with booths opening on the courthouse lawn that morning. Set up will start after 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Quilting and canning registration will take place Wednesday from 10 a.m. – noon at the old Whitley County Extension Office, which is across the street from Williamsburg City Hall.

Entries will be on display at the old extension office from 1 – 6 p.m. both Thursday and Friday.

The displays will be available for pick-up from 6 – 7 p.m. Friday.

Bluegrass music will start Thursday at 4 p.m. on stage one with Whitley County Colonel Strings, Mountain Connection, Tad Paddle, Tidal Wave Road, the Moron Brothers and Laurel River Line performing.

The Moron Brothers offer a variety of comedy and bluegrass music.

Klayssc Tymes, a group that has performed at several Williamsburg Main Street Block Parties in recent years, will perform on stage two from 8 – 10 p.m.

Friday events

Friday’s festivities will start off with registration for the vegetable show from 9 – 10:45 a.m. Judging will start at 11 a.m.

The Whitley Central Intermediate School Patriotic Performers will start the entertainment at 9:30 a.m. on stage one.

Several local choirs and bands will take the stage beginning at 10 a.m. Friday starting with the Williamsburg High School Choir, followed by the Williamsburg High School Band, the Whitley County Middle School Choir, the Whitley County High School Choir, and the Whitley County High School Band.

Gospel music kicks off at 2 p.m. Friday on stage one with Peggy Inks, followed by Clear Fork-Clifford Moses, Ron & Vernon & Straight Creek, Mercy’s Reigns, the Mike Bowling Family and The Believers.

Megan Sasko, a local resident, will be performing on stage two starting at 7 p.m.

Saturday events

Festivities will start off early Saturday morning with the Kiwanis Harold Mauney 5-K run/walk at 9 a.m. Registration starts at 8 a.m. The race begins and ends at the University of the Cumberlands’ Track.

Registration for the Sid Strunk Corn Toss tournaments will start at 9 a.m. with practice time from 9 – 10 a.m. The tournament begins at 10 a.m.

The car show will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday in the Whitley County Health Department parking lot, and will run until 3 p.m.

"Our car show is going to be a little different this year," Byrd said.

Several classes have been added to the car show this year, including: best Chevy, best Ford, best Mopar, best rat rod, best street rod, best street rod truck, people’s choice, most unusual, best original and best paint job.

Trophies will be given in the car show. The first 50 entries will receive t-shirts. There will also be a door prize drawing and free dash plates. The entry fee will be $10. The awards presentation will be at 1 p.m.

From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Williamsburg police will be handing out children’s ID kits to parents.

The kits enable parents to collect blood and hair follicle samples that they can keep for up to five years, and use to positively identify their child in the event it goes missing.

The Williamsburg High School Football Team will hold at auction at stage two starting at 10 a.m.

Saturday’s entertainment will start with the The Dance Centre performing at 10:30 a.m. at stage one followed by the Youth Talent Show starting at 11 a.m. 

There are four age divisions, including ages two through five, six through nine, 10 through 13, and 14 through 18 years of age. Each age division will have first, second and third place awards. All contestants will receive a certificate of participation award.

After the talent show, Leanne Hoffman will perform at 12:30 p.m. and Savannah Faith will perform in concert at 1:30 p.m.

WKYT’s Bill Bryant will be the special guest Saturday afternoon.

Gospel music will follow on stage one starting at 3 p.m.

The singing will kick off with the Heavenly Heirs, followed by The Whisnants, Jeff and Sheri Easter, and The Primitives.

The ABD Band, which is another local group, will perform on stage two starting at 7 p.m.

Hall of Fame

Hays added that the Williamsburg Alumni Association will be conducting its annual induction ceremonies this weekend.

There will be a tailgate party for alumni association members at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center starting at 5 p.m. Friday. There will be an induction ceremony Saturday evening at the tourism center. The dinner will take place from 5:30 – 7 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony.

The new hall of fame members are J. Donald Faulkner, William Galbreath, Kathleen Miller Sinkhorn, Virginia Young, Dr. Willard White and Edwin Bunch.

The cost for the dinner and the gala is $25 per person.