Back to its Roots
Dean Selfridge wants the 39th annual Butler Fall Festival to hearken back to a Butler event of old.
Selfridge, president of the festival, said arts and crafts vendors will be more prevalent at this year's festival, which will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in downtown Butler.
“That was the main complaint we heard from customers or visitors,” Selfridge said. “They wanted to come down to actually see arts and crafts, and kind of resemble what the old ethnic festival was.
“That's what we were trying to go back toward, because everybody remembers it.”
The festival, which is free for attendees, will be funded by vendor application fees, donations and various sponsorships. It will feature live music and performing arts, including dance routines on stages at Jefferson and New Castle streets.
The acts will rotate between the two stages. There also will be music in Diamond Park.
“There's always going to be music,” Selfridge said.
New this year is a kids zone, which will include a petting zoo, various arts and crafts, a barrel train and people dressed up as characters to meet and greet children.
There also will be face painting, tug-of-war, kids karaoke and cotton candy.
“We want to up our game a little bit, so we want to make it better each year from now on out,” Selfridge said.
Adults will be able to try out different winery and distillery vendors.
“The goal for the fall fest to just try to make it more fun and family-oriented for everybody,” Selfridge said. “(We want) to continue to drive Butler as a destination point.”
Selfridge said the festival still is looking for additional vendors. Those interested can visit www.butlerfallfestival.com.Festival music offeringsThe soundtrack for this year's festivities will include a variety of music.Area bands will perform on the various stages of the festival. Miss Fredye's Homecookin' Band will kick things off at noon at the Shady Lady Productions Stage, followed by the Ray Lanich Band at 2 p.m., the Mo Nelson band at 4 p.m., and the Shag Dog Melon Band at 6 p.m.In between, Kinastara's Dance Studio will perform at 1:30 p.m., Master Connel's ATA Taekwondo will showcase its skills at 3:30 p.m., and DYEnamic Flame, a professional fire performance duo, will heat up the stage at 5:30 p.m.Meanwhile, bands will be playing tunes on the Butler Brew Works Stage. Tom Panei will perform at 11 a.m., followed by the Tom Pappas Trio at 1 p.m., Anger the Ant at 3 p.m. and Red Room Effect at 5 p.m.Demonstrations will be interspersed with the music, as Mandi's Dance Studio will perform at 12:30 p.m.Panei will return for a live art presentation at 2:30 p.m., and Sean McDonald will demonstrate his glass-blowing art at 4:30 p.m.Diamond Park will also feature jams from Washboard Tony at 11 a.m., Mary Lou Sherder at 11:45 a.m., and Cities Under Cities at 12:30 p.m.Zach Manuel will take the stage at 1:15 p.m., Donny Eozzo will follow at 2 p.m., Brother From Another Mother will perform at 2:45 p.m., and Anthony Adkins, of Good Old Ernie, will close out the stage at 3:30 p.m.
