Festival commemorative items to be auctioned prior to concerts

For followers of official Festival of the Bells commemorative items, the 2011 festival will feature some items that will be highly-coveted by dedicated collectors.

Festival entertainment chairperson Rick Williams said that prior to the Thursday night concert of Christian artist Matthew West, a special auction will be held for a set of collectible bells from the series on Hillsboro churches, and a basket signed by West. 

"One of the things that we're doing Thursday, June 30 at 8:30 p.m., the festival attendees are going to be able to buy a basket autographed by Matthew West. Along with that, six bells featuring Hillsboro churches from previous years will be auctioned off in a glass-front case," Williams said. 

The two-lot auction, Williams said, should be of special interest to the fans coming out for the Christian concert, which is sponsored by the Highland County Ministerial Association.  

The churches featured on the bells include: Hillsboro First Baptist Church, Hillsboro Church of Christ, Hillsboro First United Methodist Church, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, St. Mary Catholic Church and the First Presbyterian Church.

"All six bells have been sold in previous years, I believe from 2000-2006," Williams said.  

Collectors will have another chance to purchase a classic bell from years past during the auction held Saturday, July 2 at 8 p.m., prior to the Easton Corbin concert.

"We'll do what we've always done in the past, sell bells numbered 1-5," Williams said. "We will also have baskets autographed by The Band Perry and Easton Corbin. What we've got new this year is that we're going to be selling the very first bell from 1991 featuring the Highland County Courthouse. There were only 400 of those sold at the time. That bell has brought in as much as $1,150 in past years. I just sold one for $800 Saturday in an auction of mine. But we will sell it regardless of the price it brings."

The bells for 2011 will be on sale Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. until noon at Classic Real Estate, located on West Main Street in Hillsboro. 

Williams said that this year's country entertainment features high-quality groups that have bright futures in country music.

"I have seen both groups," Williams said. "I have seen Easton Corbin and The Band Perry. They're just super nice people. These people are going to be huge, huge, huge stars when it's all said and done. Easton sounds so much like George Strait. I tell people that George Strait is never going to come to Hillsboro because we can't afford him, and Easton is the closest thing we're going to get. Ten years ago, George Strait didn't record 'Roll With It' for whatever reason, and Easton took it and made it a number one hit." 

Williams said The Band Perry's song "You Lie" is currently climbing the charts and may be a big summer hit by festival time. 

"Over the weekend on CMT (Country Music Television), it was already in the top five," Williams said. "So by festival time, maybe it will be number one or two. They're super nice people. They're brothers and sisters, and the sister, Kimberly, she has her younger brothers Reid and Neil under control. They're just a great family. I saw them in Kentucky last August and after I talked with them we elected to go after them (to be booked at the festival). I think they're going to be like another Lady Antebellum two years from now. I think they will be really good.

"I think people are going to have a great time on the country end of it, and in the Christian concert, I think Matthew West is going to bring a great message to the community with his music on the Thursday night concert," Williams said. 

Festival organizers say they are hoping for good weather with no rain during the annual three-day festival on June 30 and July 1-2. The opening ceremonies will start at 5 p.m. June 30, with the parade rolling at 6:30 p.m.

"I leave the weather up to the ministers," Williams said with a laugh. "I always talk to them and hope they can get that taken care of. It would be nice for it to rain on Sunday morningthough because it washes the streets off a little. We're keeping our fingers crossed."

The help the festival receives from corporate sponsors is essential to making the festival happen, Williams said, and he encouraged festival-goers to give them a 'thank you.'

"Everyone needs to go to the website to check out our list of events and our list of corporate sponsors. This could not be done if it wasn't for them," Williams said. "We will still pass the basket around (for donations from concert-goers) each night. People can throw in their fives, tens, twenties, or whatever they want. It's all a help. Entertainment was just over $50,000."

Williams said the work is worthwhile so the people of Highland County, and the thousands who are drawn to the county each year, can see a free, quality concert with fun for the whole family. 

"I think people are going to enjoy it," Williams said.