Kentuck Festival of the Arts looks forward to weekend in new location

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ( WIAT ) – Kentuck's 53rd Festival of the Arts will kick off its first day of the festival on Saturday in its new location.

In 1971, the City of Northport celebrated its 100th anniversary with its first-ever arts festival. On Saturday, it will be the first time since that day Kentuck's art festival has been held anywhere else.

"Trying to figure out where we were going to go was a really difficult time in all of our lives," Kentuck Executive Director Exa Skinner said.

The decision to relocate this year's festival was made last year. Northport approved plans for a new sports complex, and Kentuck expressed concerns over how that would impact the festival.

"The construction process involves loading tons and tons of dirt into that park," Skinner said. "That tears up the ground around it, and it would have been in one of our parking spaces."

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Unable to find resolve, Kentuck looked to other venues.

"They approached the city of Tuscaloosa, and we took the time to engage in those negotiations," City of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said.

Negotiations began in December, and not long after Kentuck decided to move out of Northport and move into Tuscaloosa – at least for their 53rd year. The festival will be held at Snow Hinton Park, which has received upgrades to accommodate the crowds. walking paths.

The park's new walking paths stand out to Skinner as a huge plus for artists and their tents, but especially for guests who use walkers or wheelchairs.

"It is really open and welcoming," Skinner said. "Easy to get around in, easy to navigate, and I think they're going to be really blown away."

Tuscaloosa and Kentuck are not currently contractually bound once the festival wraps up on Sunday, however, Mayor Maddox sees benefits that last longer than a two-day weekend.

"Kentuck being so naturally renowned, so successful, certainly gives us not only pride – but it will have a future economic impact that's going to be good for all of Tuscaloosa," Maddox said.

It's a partnership both parties agree is mutually beneficial.

"Everybody just generally feels very wanted and welcomed in this space," Skinner said.

"I think the thing that mattered most to us, is they wanted to be here in Tuscaloosa, and I think what mattered most to them is that they wanted to host their event in Tuscaloosa," Maddox said.

Nearly 20,000 people from around the country come to Alabama for the Kentuck Festival of the Arts. When attendees arrive in Tuscaloosa this year, Skinner believes the new venue will go above and beyond their expectations.

"I think what they're going to see is this is what a festival our size would look like – needs to look like," Skinner said.