Kent Heritage Festival celebrates July 4
July 3, 2010
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While some people were just discovering
the event this year, others
had made it a tradition. Freshman
anthropology major Tami Ehrman
had been coming to the festival since
she was a child. Though she said she
enjoys the car show and free live
music, Ehrman admitted she has
a favorite activity that brings her
downtown each year.
“I’m partial to the fireworks at
the end of the night,” she said. “It’s
always a different show.”
Residents aren’t the only ones
who make the festival a regular part
of their summer. Gypsy Soul, a bellydancing
group, has been taking to
the downtown stages for 10 years.
“We love performing here,”
said Gypsy Soul co-creator Melanie
Miller of Norton. “It’s always
a good crowd.”
The festivities have drawn more
than 20,000 guests from the city,
campus and surrounding areas in
the past, and continue to bring new
people each year.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Kent culture,” said Nischelle
Shuck, a new resident and firsttime
attendee. “It’s a great way to
support the community.”
Jamie Sopko, a photographer
who grew up in the area, may have
attended the festival before, but
chose this year to debut her line of
photos that she described as classic
iconography of Kent.
“It seemed like a good place to
go back to my roots,” said Sopko, who sold prints and postcards featuring
well-known Kent landmarks.
Three stages showcased performances
by local artists throughout
the day, while more than 140 vendors
lined Main Street, North Water Street, and West College Avenue.
The festival also had a kids play
area to entertain the younger generation
of festival attendees.
The night came to a bright and
colorful conclusion as patrons of the
festival sat on the bridge to watch
the Jeff Graham Memorial Fireworks
show over the river.
Contact entertainment reporter Dawn Einsel at [email protected].
