The best entertainment value in the area will be Saturday, June 16, at the 2012 Festival in Forest at the Forest County 4-H Center, five miles south of Tionesta on Rt. 36. The Festival in the Forest is a free event that offers the opportunity to enjoy the best of Forest County area's artistic talent in the beauty of the natural setting provided by the 4-H Center. There will be plenty of free parking at the 4-H Center. The big news this year is the live entertainment all day long. Take lawn chair so you can enjoy all eight hours of the entertainment in comfort. In addition, the Lions Club will return with their magnificent pancake breakfast. Local community service organizations will sell a variety of refreshments.
Scott and Kathy Pearson of Warren will kick off the entertainment at 8 a.m. playing during the pancake breakfast until 10 a.m. You won't want to miss this talented couple that has performed at all the past Festivals in the Forest.
Something new this year you will really enjoy is Border Ride, winners of the 2011 Fourth Annual Oil Country Bluegrass Festival band competition. Playing from 10 a.m. to noon, the group blends award-winning musical backgrounds into cohesive traditional bluegrass standards, progressive non-traditional Newgrass numbers and original compositions. The band fuses moving vocal harmonies and inspired musicianship.
Border Ride is made up of Cathy Pearson on fiddle, Scott Pearson playing mandolin and fiddle, Jimmy Metz on banjo, dobro, and vocals, Darla Evans on Bass and vocals, and Nelson Boosel on guitar and vocals.
Returning again this year are the popular Dixie Doodlers from Erie performing from noon to 2 p.m. Entertainment wrap-up of the day will be provided by Backwoods Folks comprised of Rick Bruening playing from 2 to 4 p.m.
Festival in the Forest 2012 Art Show and Competition includes photography, fiber arts and the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional classifications in which artists and artisans enter their artwork in four divisions: professional, amateur, youth and child. The child division is for entrants 12 years and younger. The youth division is for entrants 13 to 18 years. More than $900 in cash prizes will be awarded. One best in show prize will also be awarded.
To enter the art show and competition and/or to have a vendor booth at the Festival in the Forest, contact Pat Mays, (814) 927-5154 or email her at maysfarm@earthlink.net, or Julia McCray, (814) 755-8808 or email her at jmkellygreen@verizon.net. Pat and Julia can answer any questions, and they will provide an appropriate registration package(s) or visit our website at forestareaartscouncil.forestcounty.com. to find out more about entering and or selling your artwork and photos at the Festival in the Forest 2012.