Panoply (Huntsville, Madison: home, buying, live)

[zenjenn]

Anyone else go?

Our family went for a few hours today and had a really nice time! Very similar to the community arts festivals we have attended in California, but without the oppressive crowds.

[Charles]

I didn't go (it was 32F and snowing at my daugther's soccer game here....) but the HTimes had a good photo page:

Photo Gallery - al.com: Photo Galleries: Photos from Panoply

[FCEddie]

Is it for kids or adults?

Tell me more Zenjenn.

[sinfree]

I am thinking of heading over there tomorrow.

FCEddie,

It is for all ages. Check out Panoply - Home for more info.

[NicoleC]

I went. It was definitely more for kids. But there was live music and such for the adults, too. I mostly went for the fiddle competition, which was a little sad. I didn't get there in time for the juniors (I heard there were 15 kids) but there were only 4 adults and 4 seniors entered. I guess it needs some more time to get popular.

Arts festivals are usually pretty dull; this one was a notch above.

Whistlestop next weekend I think will be more adult oriented, although still family friendly I think.

[zenjenn]

I was truly impressed with all the art activities for kids - just thing after thing - and all free (kids under 12 had free entry, too). We were there for over 3 hours and didn't even do half of the activities. My kids each came home with two crazy hats, a melted wax picture, a stamped greeting card, a cardboard truck, a clay sculpture, a decorated canvas Boeing tote (which we used today as cloth grocery bags), rainbows painted on their cheeks and frozen yogurt in their tummies, none of which we spent a dime on. I also saw kids making animal puppets, spin art, cardboard shakers, compact disc fish, easel paintings, and coffee filter butterflies. I'm sure there's more we didn't even see. We also spent time listening to music and watching dance performances.

There was plenty I would have spent more time looking at if I had been there without kids, but since I didn't look at it much, I can't remark on the quality. If you are the kind of person who would enjoy buying some original artwork from some local artists for your home, it'd definitely be the place to go.

[Reactionary]

Even with the threat of rain for much of the weekend, record crowds attended Panoply. By the estimate of Broad and David Todd, the executive director of the Arts Council, attendance for the weekend was a record 150,000. The previous record was last year's attendance of 140,000...

As predicted rain pelts Panoply, crowds keep partying, wait it out- al.com

[33458]

I'll have to mark the calendar for next year - we had Thomas and the Corn Bread thing already planned...

[*DerF]

I went to see the Madison Community Band play on Sunday. It's too bad I didn't have more time this year to spend there.

[FlourChild]

OHHHHHH, I MISS PANOPLY!

Sorry for the caps. I just envy y'all for getting to go. We have GOT to get back to Huntsville.