At the July meeting, the Union County Heritage Festival Board and Committee voted to postpone the Heritage Festival to 2021. “We decided to take that country road right on into next year,” commented Director Marilyn Toppins. "With every East Tennessee county experiencing spread above the CDC containment threshold, the risk overcame the ability to keep our patrons and volunteers safe."
The 2021 Heritage Festival should prove to be even better since the committee will continue to plan monthly from the present until festival day, October 2, 2021. All of the musicians, including headliner Flashback, plan to return in 2021 along with morel than 100 vendors. The Front Porch is being redesigned. The grounds and layout may have a new look, but the same hometown hospitality with plenty of country cookin' and music will remain.
Although festival day is postponed, the Heritage Festival committee plans to be ever-present and continually promoting our heritage. To help achieve this goal, the board and committee agreed to partner with UT Extension Union County to implement a Heritage Community and Youth Education Grant from Juanita Fasola Foundation, Inc. The purpose of the grant is to teach families and youth basic life skills and consumer science skills that will be repeatedly used throughout their lives.
The grant is being administered by Alyshia Victoria, County Agent, who directs the Family and Consumer Science Program and 4-H Youth Development. The September issue of Historic Union County will have more information on these activities.