Greene Countrie Towne Festival: City ready for 'bigger, better' festival
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Looking for a future that is bigger and brighter for Greenfield, organizers of the village’s annual festival are looking to their roots for inspiration by going back to the festival’s very beginning.
The Greene Countrie Towne Festival, formerly the Wheels of Progress Festival, will have its official start Thursday, July 14 with the annual queen pageant at the Greenfield Church of Christ. Opening ceremonies for the festival will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, July 15 at the Fourth Street Stage. The festival lasts through Sunday, July 17.
“We’re hoping for a whole attitude change,” said Greenfield Rotarian Jim Weller.
“We’re hoping the attitude and structure change mean a bigger and better festival. There are more vendors than we’ve ever had before, and there has been a lot of interest. Great things are happening. It’s still the old-style, hometown fair-type of community festival.”
Weller said that years ago, the Wheels of Progress Festival was formerly called the Greene Countrie Towne Festival. Earlier this year when the Rotary Club was looking for a new way to bring some changes to the annual event, they considered several name changes.
“We tried to come up with other names and different themes. Then we just said, ‘Let’s go back to our roots,’” Weller said.
According to the festival’s website, the name and old-time spelling of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival were the result of a description of Greenfield by Gen. Duncan McArthur, who founded the community in 1799.
“That’s what Gen. McArthur called it, and it was time that was the name we went back to,” Weller said.
In addition to the name change, Weller said the festival will feature lots of different entertainment, a new company providing the rides, and lots of local, and out-of-county entertainment.
“We have a lot of entertainment, and it’s all very, very good,” Webber said. “Our opening night entertainment is The Rubber Knife Gang, which is a Bluegrass type of group.”
Musical groups Streetwise, Rock N Country, Velvet Torpedo and Cheap Wine and Bread will perform throughout the weekend.
“The atmosphere of the festival is always really relaxed. People will want to sit back, and enjoy it, and say, ‘This is wonderful,’” Weller said.
“There are so many things that are going on: The variety of entertainment acts, the rides, the games, the festival food, the auction, the 5K race, the baby contest, the church service, lip sync contest, outhouse races, cornhole, kiddie tractor pulls, ice cream socials (The ice cream is made in an antique tractor.). There is just everything. Literally everything. We have the antique (vehicle) parade on Saturday and the main parade on Sunday. There is anything you could want. There is something continuously going on, and something for all ages.”
There has been so much interest in this year’s festival, Weller said that there is no additional space left for more vendors.
The grand marshal for the 2011 parade is George Waddell, who passed away last year. To honor him for his philanthropic service to the community of Greenfield, his family will represent him in the parade.
“He donated a lot of money into the community,” Weller said. “This is our way of honoring him.”
While the Greenfield Rotary Club is the primary sponsor of the festival, many businesses and individuals always contribute and chip in. However, Weller said they are always looking for more corporate sponsorship for future festival years.
“It’s a community event, and we always hope to make it bigger and better, and it looks like that is happening,” Weller said. “We hope people come out so we can continue to grow.”[[In-content Ad]]
The Greene Countrie Towne Festival, formerly the Wheels of Progress Festival, will have its official start Thursday, July 14 with the annual queen pageant at the Greenfield Church of Christ. Opening ceremonies for the festival will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, July 15 at the Fourth Street Stage. The festival lasts through Sunday, July 17.
“We’re hoping for a whole attitude change,” said Greenfield Rotarian Jim Weller.
“We’re hoping the attitude and structure change mean a bigger and better festival. There are more vendors than we’ve ever had before, and there has been a lot of interest. Great things are happening. It’s still the old-style, hometown fair-type of community festival.”
Weller said that years ago, the Wheels of Progress Festival was formerly called the Greene Countrie Towne Festival. Earlier this year when the Rotary Club was looking for a new way to bring some changes to the annual event, they considered several name changes.
“We tried to come up with other names and different themes. Then we just said, ‘Let’s go back to our roots,’” Weller said.
According to the festival’s website, the name and old-time spelling of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival were the result of a description of Greenfield by Gen. Duncan McArthur, who founded the community in 1799.
“That’s what Gen. McArthur called it, and it was time that was the name we went back to,” Weller said.
In addition to the name change, Weller said the festival will feature lots of different entertainment, a new company providing the rides, and lots of local, and out-of-county entertainment.
“We have a lot of entertainment, and it’s all very, very good,” Webber said. “Our opening night entertainment is The Rubber Knife Gang, which is a Bluegrass type of group.”
Musical groups Streetwise, Rock N Country, Velvet Torpedo and Cheap Wine and Bread will perform throughout the weekend.
“The atmosphere of the festival is always really relaxed. People will want to sit back, and enjoy it, and say, ‘This is wonderful,’” Weller said.
“There are so many things that are going on: The variety of entertainment acts, the rides, the games, the festival food, the auction, the 5K race, the baby contest, the church service, lip sync contest, outhouse races, cornhole, kiddie tractor pulls, ice cream socials (The ice cream is made in an antique tractor.). There is just everything. Literally everything. We have the antique (vehicle) parade on Saturday and the main parade on Sunday. There is anything you could want. There is something continuously going on, and something for all ages.”
There has been so much interest in this year’s festival, Weller said that there is no additional space left for more vendors.
The grand marshal for the 2011 parade is George Waddell, who passed away last year. To honor him for his philanthropic service to the community of Greenfield, his family will represent him in the parade.
“He donated a lot of money into the community,” Weller said. “This is our way of honoring him.”
While the Greenfield Rotary Club is the primary sponsor of the festival, many businesses and individuals always contribute and chip in. However, Weller said they are always looking for more corporate sponsorship for future festival years.
“It’s a community event, and we always hope to make it bigger and better, and it looks like that is happening,” Weller said. “We hope people come out so we can continue to grow.”[[In-content Ad]]