Music Festival 2024
THANKS FOR COMING!
See you in 2025!
The Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival is a fundraiser for the forest protection work of Kentucky Heartwood. We love celebrating our mission through community and the arts!
THANKS FOR COMING!
The 18th Annual Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival was a success! About 200 people attended, and we raised nearly $4,000 for forest protection. Cheers all around!
We had a host of musical talent on stage. Congratulations to our winners! For the 8—12 year olds, 1st place: Spencer Gortman; 2nd place: Dre Edwards ; 3rd place: Abigail Meshginpoosh. In the 13-18 year age group, 1st place: Nathan Gabbard; 2nd place: Anyuli Martinez; 3rd place: Lyvia McCutchen.
Thanks to our wonderful judges, Jim McWilliams, Elizabeth McCutcheon, and Walt Baldwin! Once again, artist Jeff Alexander created the fantastic trophies for our first place winners.
The festival kicked off with line dancing in the gym! As always, our workshops were fabulous. Thanks to Katie McKone and Jacob Culp for the stream workshops; Jane Harrod for talking about sustainable yards; Tara Linney for the nutrition and wellness workshop; and Mark Schimmoeller for the solar cooking workshop.
Our speakers inspired us with their passion and knowledge. Thanks to Kentucky Heartwood Director Lauren Kallmeyer, Trina Schimmoeller, Connie Lemley, Ally Hall, Malissa MacAlister, Andy McDonald, Noel McCutchen, and Whitney Hamblin.
Many thanks to Trina Schimmoeller for serving lemon shakeups and selling farmers market produce. Jim Daniel and Lynn Cruz once again funded and ran the ice cream stand. All proceeds from both stands went to Kentucky Heartwood. Thank you!
Ezra Corum was our fabulous emcee. Campbell Kohls helped contestants get settled on stage. Ben Griffith provided the keyboard. Seth Murphy of Murphy Music Production orchestrated the sound system. Thank you so much!
Natalie Dufour, Campbell Kohls, Sophie Dufour, and Joel Dufour created a fun and challenging obstacle course. A’zuriah Jackson had the fastest time. Eric Peiffer ran the sports competition with assistance from Sophie Dufour and Kaylin Lafferty. River Mitchum won the event!
First place for the best chalk drawing (a beautiful apple) went to Adi Baldwin!!
We had another amazing talent show on the lawn this year! Kids showcased everything from magic tricks to puppets to dancing.
Much appreciation to our vendors and all the groups that tabled. The McCutchens and Yes Arts! did face painting and had fun activities for kids. Emma Strong and Mary Quinan captured the spirit of the event with great photos! Thanks to Polly Webb, Isabel Cochran, Kathy Murphy, Bridget Brodbeck, and Trina Schimmoeller for running the raffle tree!
Schedule of Events
3:00 pm – Dancing in the Gym
Twirling in the gym with Franklin County Majorettes
3:30 - 3:45pm – Open Mic
3:30 pm – Stream Ecology Workshop
3:45 pm – Remix of My Old Kentucky Home
by Nappy Roots, KD, and Villebillies
4:00 pm – Music Competition (8-12 yr olds)
4:30 pm – Sustainable Yards Workshop
4:45 pm – Obstacle Course
5:00 pm – Aileen Conner
5:00pm – Nutrition & Wellness Workshop
5:15 pm – Sports Competition
5:30 pm – Stream Ecology Workshop
6:00 pm – Music Competition (13-18 yr olds)
6:00 pm – Solar Cooking Workshop
6:30 pm – Children’s Talent Show
7:00 pm – Children’s Parade
7:15 pm – Raffle Drawing & Enviro Quiz Winner
7:30 pm – Awards Presentation
7:45 pm – The Shackelfords
10:00 pm – Event ends
All Day: Information tables, Vendors, Local Food, Concessions, and a Moonbounce!
Special thanks to our emcee Ezra Corum, poster artist Dale Booth, and sound wizard Seth Murphy of Murphy Music Production!
Rolling Oven Mobile Pizzeria on site this year!
Click the logo to learn more.
Schedule of Speakers
(All speakers will be on the main stage for 2-3 minutes each.)
4 pm – Welcome to Music Festival
Chris Schimmoeller and Lauren Kallmeyer
4:50 pm
Yes! Arts – Elle Travis
Wanda Joyce Foundation – Trina Peiffer
County Ban of Single Use Plastic – Ally Hall
5:50 pm
Logging Jellico Mountain – Whitney Hamblin
Solarize Frankfort – Andy McDonald
Glenns Creek – Malissa McAlister
6:50 pm
Save Bernheim Now – Martha Flack
Local Food in Schools – Connie Lemley
7:30 pm – Presentation of Awards
Jane Marie Watts and Chris Schimmoeller
Schedule of Workshops
3:30 pm – Stream Workshop #1
4:30 pm – Sustainable Yards Workshop
5:00 pm – Nutrition Workshop
Join nutrition coach/ fitness, health and wellness expert Tara Linney for a workshop on nutrition and wellness to help you understand your nutritional needs and develop better habits.
5:30 pm – Stream Workshop #2
6:00 pm – Solar Cooking Workshop
Mark Schimmoeller has been designing, constructing, and cooking with solar ovens for over 30 years. Join him for the Solar Cooking workshop to learn the basics of cooking with the sun!
THANKS TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS!
More details here!
Meet the Musicians
Aileen Conner is a rising sophomore from Lexington, Kentucky, studying Vocal Arts and Opera at the University of Southern California. She is involved in the Thornton Chamber Opera at USC and loves to sing various types of music. In 2023, she formed her community service initiative called “Elder Tunes,” where she performed for senior citizens with dementia and Alzheimers, inspired by her grandmother. She has placed in multiple state vocal competitions, including first in the Heartwood Teen Music Festival in 2022 and 2023. She is excited to be performing as a guest this year at the festival and hopes you enjoy your time. Listen to her music here!
Follow Aileen on Instagram or YouTube by clicking the icons below!
Youth Music Competition
Young musicians are invited to compete in the Youth Music Competition. One of the highlights of the festival, the youth music competition is a friendly, supportive event that allows young musicians to compete in two categories, ages 8-12 and 13-18. First prize is $100; second is $25; third is a Kentucky Heartwood T shirt. All kinds of music are welcome. The younger kids' competition begins at 4pm; the older kids compete at 6pm. Award winners are announced at 7:15pm.
We are always amazed at the wonderful talent of our contestants, and we love that they have so much fun at the festival in addition to the music (kids can play in the stream, participate in the chalk drawing competition, enter the obstacle course, etc.) Please register early - cost is $10 per contestant!
Do you make your own specialty products, wares, or other one-of-a-kind items? If yes, consider becoming a vendor!
We also welcome other non-profits to table at our event.
Exhibitors: There is no charge for-non profits who are tabling. Kentucky Heartwood also doesn't charge for-profit vendors, although we do ask that you consider making a donation at the end if you've had a good day!
The Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival is a fundraiser for the forest protection work of Kentucky Heartwood. We love to celebrate our mission through community, the arts, and music at this event. We feature local crafts, foods and items associated with sustainability at the festival. We reserve the right to vet vendors for participation at the festival.
The Historic Millville Community Center
The Kentucky Heartwood Music Festival is located in western Woodford County on the banks of Glenn’s Creek in the scenic community of Millville. The site of the festival is the Millville Community Center, which includes portions of the restored historic Millville Elementary School. The facility is well known for its horseshoe tournaments. Also available are basketball courts, picnic tables, and an outdoor pavilion.
Congrats to 16 years of winners!
Ages 8 – 12 Ages 13 – 18
2006 Alyssa Meece Tyler Stahl & Blake Sugarman
2007 Samantha Cunningham Michael Cruise
2008 Samantha Cunningham Morgan Darby
2009 Jacob Broyles Damon Pulliam
2010 Austin Moore Bethany Breakall
2011 Ella Lemley-Frye Damon Pulliam
2012 Andrew Breakall Bethany Breakall
2013 Ella Lemley-Frye Samantha Cunningham
2014 Jonathan Corum Jordan Semones
2015 Jackson Williams-Hale Alexandra Hagan
2016 Ezra Corum Kellar Casciola
2017 Saisei Kameyama Zoe Parker
2018 Sophie Dufour Marie Bandeman
2019 Phoebe White Charity Gilbert
2021 Acadia Meyers Aileen Conner
2022 Stockton Stivers Anyuli Martinez
2023 Spencer Gortman Aileen Connor
2024 Spencer Gortman Nathan Gabbard
Contact the Organizer
Comments or Suggestions?
Every year people compliment us on the quality of the workshops and kids’ activities. Parents are also happy to be at a festival small enough that they don’t worry about where their kids are. If you have comments or suggestions about activities to add to the festival, please email info@kyheartwood.org
We look forward to seeing you at the festival!