Folk Festival Draws Local, Regional Talent to Kittanning
The 44th annual Fort Armstrong Folk Festival filled North Water Street in Kittanning last night and will continue through Sunday.
by Jonathan Weaver
The 44th Annual Fort Armstrong Folk Festival kicked off yesterday in ceremonial fashion and will involve talent both in crafts and in voice through Sunday.
The festival began as traditionally with the Kittanning Fireman’s Band on the main stage beside St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on North Water Street.
Festival Founder Don Runninger recruited his son-in-law (and now-Festival President) Keith Livengood in 1986 to assist with electrical duties.
“He said ‘Could you help me with this?’ – and 29 years later, I’m still here,” Livengood said. “They started with a power truck, which was just a box on the back of a truck with all these plugs in it, and now we have actual wire panels throughout the park. It is a lot easier.”
Livengood has only been on the board of directors for about 10 of those years.
“It takes a lot of people, a lot of volunteers,” Livengood said. “A lot of people put a lot of time in here – for the most part, we do this because we like giving back to our community.
“We love putting this festival on, and as long as we keep getting help, we’ll keep doing it.”
Jerry Cable, of Kittanning, was also one of the founders and was part of the Board of Directors for 35 years. He still comes annually with his wife, Carole, to see old friends and listen to the Kittanning Fireman’s Band.
Thursday was also the couple’s wedding anniversary.
It is the first year Lynda Pozzuto is part of the board of directors.
A community volunteer who regularly helps with Downtown Kittanning Inc., Pozzuto was asked to sit on the board this year and has helped in various departments – such as with Coil at the Information Booth and volunteer Autumn Vorpe-Seyler with a veterans’ breakfast Sunday.
“They have me doing a little bit of everything, which is OK,” Pozzuto said. “The best way for me to learn about the (festival) is by doing a little bit of everything.
“I’m always excited about helping out in the community. After I get through and I learn everything about the festival, I think it’s going to be a good experience.”
Originally of Sharon (Mercer County), Pozzuto remembers always looking forward to the Folk Festival as a child.
More than 65 unique arts-and-crafts vendors and 14 food vendors fill the north side of Kittanning Riverfront Park for this weekend’s events, according to Director Jessica Coil.
“So many of them are demonstrating their craft, which is really interesting, And that’s what the festival is all about – a way to honor our history and heritage,” Coil said. “We’re so proud to have these people here.”
The first booth in Kittanning Riverfront Park was occupied by Jack Krafft, of Austin (Potter County) – who has been showcasing his framing on stone in the folk festival for the past 14 years.
Each combination of painting and an art print takes about seven to 10 days to complete, and he had several dozen for festival-goers to look at Thursday. Each stone is handled 22 times, regardless of size.
“We take an art print like you’d find in a gallery, chemically we dismantle it and capture the image in color and with other chemicals it goes onto the flagstone. It’s real flagstone that picks up that dimension, that detail,” Krafft said. “All the lines and colors to the framework we cut, hammer and chisel for each individual piece.
“It’s the dimension on the stone that makes each one unique.”
The Chief Rock Finder, Krafft attends nearly 35 shows per year.
Sylvia Hooks, of Manorville has showcased her handmade pottery for nearly 25 years after retiring as a Dayton Elementary second-grade teacher.
“I kind-of fell in love with clay after I graduated from college, so I fell into this,” Hooks said.
Hooks said she also tried a new type of clay with more thermal properties in her garage studio, and attends about three shows per year – traveling as far as Saxonburg in September.
Friend Ginny Haasch, of Applewold, helped Hooks Thursday evening and uses pottery she has bought from Hooks frequently.
“She does beautiful work,” Haasch said.
John Cooney, of Slippery Rock, got into glass making “on accident” and is at his fourth Fort Armstrong Folk Festival this weekend. Cooney made glass marbles for spectators Thursday evening
Glass Smith John Cooney, of Slippery Rock, also got his hobby “on accident” and comes back to Kittanning for his fourth show.
Cooney made glass marbles for spectators Thursday evening
“It keeps me busy, out of trouble mostly,” Cooney said. “Keeps the bills paid and keeps me pretty-well fed (too).”
Other than the crafting in the park, musical entertainment was also featured at the festival – from the main stage to another on the other side of the street and ending with the annual Festiv-Idol competition.
Ava Bosco, of Slatelick, will perform on the North Stage each night at 8PM.
The 17-year-old future Armstrong High School senior has performed acoustically at the folk festival for about six years. She was asked by directors in March to perform again in 2015.
“I definitely think I matured – not only myself, but my voice,” Bosco said. “I think I’ve gotten a lot better over the years.”
Bosco hopes to attend Penn State University in State College next Fall.
Madison Eyth, of Karns City, won this year’s competition after singing Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband.”
Madison Eyth, of Karns City, won this year’s competition after singing Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband.”
“She’s one of my favorite singers,” Eyth said. “I wanted to do something fun. I’ve been to other competitions and we sing mainly slow songs, so I wanted to take it up a notch.”
The future seventh-grader at Karns City Junior-Senior High, Eyth was participating in her second Festiv-Idol after placing third with “Part of Your World” from the Disney animated movie “The Little Mermaid.”
Eyth, who also sang at last year’s East Brady Riverfest, plans to use her $150 in winnings toward accessories for her new room. She plans to be in next year’s Festiv-Idol to try and retain her crown.
Parents Shannon and Brandon Eyth said Madison’s first public singing happened while embarrassed under the preacher’s desk at Trinity Reform Church in East Brady.
Madison utilized the stage Thursday night, and received high reviews from judges based on that stage presence and vocal talent according to Judge Cortney Bavera.
Musical entertainment continues every day throughout the festival on each stage.
Local News | jweaver July 31, 2015
By rocket, August 1, 2015 @ 1:30 PM
HEY JONATHAN WEAVER!!!!!
Please correct this article, although Don Runninger was a great person, and integral to founding the FAFF, The Fort Armstrong Folk Festival was founded by Dr. William Martin. Check your sources!-former FAFF board member, volunteer, historic education director, visual and media designer.
We interviewed Dr. Martin years 0ago while reviving the Festival early 2000-2010 prior to Jessica Coil’s being appointed director.
By jorn jensen, August 1, 2015 @ 9:25 PM
Thank you, Jack Bennett, for putting together the 3 nights of vehicle shows - it is a first class event with beautiful trucks, cars and motorcycles.