MOUNT VERNON – As the 2016 Dan Emmett Music and Arts Festival is drawing near and the list of entertainment is lined up, one can see the talent pouring from the local junior and high schools. From Thursday, August 11th to Sunday, August 14th, everyone is welcome to come and experience the musical, artistic, and athletic talent from our local students. Youth performances make up over 75% of the performers at the four-day long event.
On Thursday, August 11th, the day’s festivities kick off at Noon at the First-Knox South Stage with the Youth Showcase, sponsored by KnoxPages.com. This gives local youth the opportunity to perform vocally, instrumentally, poetically, through dance, and more! Following the Youth Showcase, local youth band Uncorrections will perform at 2:00 pm, followed by Parole Models at 3:30 pm. Beginning at 12:30 pm on the Square, Bella Ballantyne will perform, followed by Max Wolfe at 1:00 pm, Hailey Davis at 1:30 pm, Matthew Dinnen at 2:00 pm, and Raelyn and Lilly at 2:30 pm, and Maya McDonald at 3:00pm. Summer students of TaVaci will perform at 5:30 on the First-Knox South Stage. The 11th annual Cheer Competition will be held along the southern end of South Main Street at 6:00 pm, which will highlight local and out-of-county high schools. The evening ends with the first round of the 11th annual Knox Idol vocal competition, with singers ranging in ages from 14 to 29. The competition will begin at 7:30 pm on the First-Knox South Stage.
Friday’s performances begin at Noon on the First-Knox South Stage with a second showing of the Youth Showcase, followed Life to Live at 2:30 pm, and TaVaci School of Performing Arts at 5:30 pm. On the Square, Rachel Rinehart will perform at 12:00 pm, followed by students under the direction of Diane Dingler at 12:30 pm, Lacey Blubaugh at 2:00 pm, Abby Baker at 2:30 pm, magician Jimmy Burcham at 3:00 pm, Ciel Leach at 3:30 pm, Orange Barrel at 4:00 pm, and Blake Jackson at 4:30 pm. The Mount Vernon High School Band will perform at 7:00 pm, after the Band will be Sugar Creek Bluegrass at 8:00 pm. Friday evening ends with the final round of Knox Idol at 9:00 pm on the First-Knox Main Stage.
Saturday will feature a Fiddle, Banjo, and Flat-Pick Guitar contest with contestants of all ages. The Fiddle contest will take place on the Main Stage beginning at 11:00 am. Both the Banjo and Flat-Pick Guitar contests will take place on the South Stage, beginning at 10:00 am. A Youth Showcase takes the South Stage at 1:00 pm, followed by the Knox Choraliers at 2:00 pm, The Colonial Kids at 2:30 pm, Megan Campbell at 3:00 pm, MV Summer Strings at 3:30 pm, Erin Bell at 4:00 pm, the Bell Girls at 4:30 pm. ThePlace@TheWoodward (101 S. Main St) will feature Panther Kenpo Karate at Noon, Carol Dance Studio at 1:00 pm, the Spotlight Studio at 2:00 pm, and Bradford Academy of Dance at 3:00 pm, pianist Tim Noble will perform 6:30 pm.
On Sunday, August 16th, several local youth will grace the stage – Danielle Rebon, Perfect Vision, Kate Ernsberger, Leann Berg at ThePlace@TheWoodward.
Highlights of this year’s Festival will include performances by BJ Thomas, Phil Dirt & The Dozers, a wide variety of local musicians and performers (such as Kokosing River Surf Club, Safire Sun, and Caffiends, King Darwin), the Knox Idol competition, fiddle, banjo, and flat-pick guitar contests, a cheer competition, a flower show, a quilt show, arts, crafts, homemades, a motorcycle show, and the annual antique & classic car show, all with a wide variety of delicious foods.
The 2016 Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival runs August 11th-14th in Downtown Mount Vernon with various activities each day. This year’s Festival is made possible through the contributions of Ariel, First-Knox National Bank, and Time Warner Cable. For additional information, contact the Festival at (740) 392-FEST (3378).