Louisville Loves Mountains Day 2013!

This is our live blog of Louisville Loves Mountains 2013 held on May 17.

4:10 pm

Everybody is setting up for the 5th Annual Louisville Loves Mountains Day!

That's right, it's that time again for the fine folk of Louisville to come together in celebration and protection of Kentucky's beautiful Appalachian mountains! In anticipation of rain we have moved the festival this year from Longest Ave. to the Green Building on Market Street, which means we have more space for more people to pour in! Join us in celebrating the people and places that make our state so special; we will be uniting our voices in support of ending Mountaintop Removal Mining pratices, transitioning to new, sustainable power sources, and creating a new economy in the Appalachian region.

The scheduel for the day is as follows:

5:00pm Troubadors of Divine Bliss

5:30pm Potluck Ramblers

6:05pm Hog Operation

6:35pm River City Pipe Drummers

7:10pm Beady

7:50pm Slow Charleston

8:30-10pm Dance party celebration with Hay DJ

We have plenty of beer from NABC, BBC, and ATG, as well as food offerings from Morels and Spinelli's pizza. All vendors are donating a percentage of the proceeds to KFTC to go toward ending Mountaintop Removal practices.

Look for continued updates, photos, and videos throughout the night!

4:45pm

Just got the first testimonial of the evening from a couple of thoughtful youngsters who triumphantly declard, "I love mountains because they grow in to flowers!" and "I love trees more than mountains!" Good thing, because we want our mountains to be as full of trees and flowers as they possibly can and are meant to be! Stop by if you're here and tell me why YOU love mountains!

5:15pm

The walls of the Green Building's back patio are vibrating with some powerful harmonies from Troubadors of Divine Bliss. The two lovely ladies are crooning some mighty fine tunes about humanity, solidarity, and of course, life in the mountains! In fact, they just began a song called "No Mountain Tops Removed." The band just assured us all that "we will not stop the fight until there's no fight left to win."

"We are the ones we've been waiting for." "We can be the change we wish to see." -Troubadors of Divine Bliss

There's a happy little crowd filtering in already, with pizza, beer, and vegan treats flowing! There's a lot of great literature, as well as bumper stickers and posters available for purchase to commemorate the day and offer some added education.

And of course, this year's AWESOME new shirt, designed by Hound Dog Press in Louisville, KY. Shirts are free when you sign up for or renew your $25 membership to KFTC!

 5:40pm

The Potluck Ramblers just took to the stage! They're pickin' and grinnin' and burning up the strings bringing a good healthy dose of Bluegrass to today's gathering.

 6:15pm

No festival would be complete without hula hoopers.. The party has officially started!

Representative Jim Wayne said a few words before Hog Operation took the stage, keeping today's celebration grounded ina message of citizen empowerment, "The only counterpoint to corporate greed is your voice. Otherwise, corporations control the Kentucky economy, and right now that means coal." -Rep. Jim Wayne

His message is an important one, we all have to potential to be citizen lobbyists and activists, and our voices are stronger as we grow in number and visibility.

6:40pm

Hog Operation jsut finished up a knee slapping set with their version of My Old Kentucky Home!

I managed to slip away just long enough to get my photo taken with Berea's KFTC chapter leader, Beth Bissmeyer, at the Magnolia Photo Booth! Don't forget to grab a picture of yourself and your friends having a great time!

Carmichael's Book Store owner, Carol, just announced the winners of the youth essay contest, and one quote that resonated was from 11 year old Ivona's piece, "If a lot of people make a small change it'll turn in to a big change." Kentucky is lucky to have such young wisdom emerging in the social justice community!

Carol followed the announcement by passing a donation basket in to the crowd, and started the rally of support for KFTC's work with a check for $1000. Thank you so much, Carmichael's, and to everyone in attendence, for making events like this a huge success! Up next, River City Pipe Drummers!

7:10pm

The River City Pipe Drummers are playing to a PACKED HOUSE!! People of all ages, races, and walks of life are grooving to some amazingly intricate, bellowing beats! These kids not only drum like pros, they built their own instruments! This group of youth is a true testament to the unifying potential of raw talent, raw materials, and passion. Their hard work and imagination have clearly paid off, through the crowd there are smiles as far as the eye can see!

 7:45pm

Louisville has shown immense support tonight not only for the mountains, but for the Jefferson County chapter of KFTC by turning out in droves, and at a change of venue at the last minute to boot!

Beady gave us a great set, definitely a Louisville music diamond! Young people playing music like a group of old souls, staying true to their Kentucky roots!

8:15pm

Homegrown talents Slow Charleston are finishing up their set with a Brazilian number. Why not, we're all downstream, right?!

Just finished up a lovely conversation with a gentleman who is new to Kentucky via the Pacific Northwest. He was struck by the turnout and comaraderie, and particularly interested in KFTC's ability to reach out and educate so many people in a way that inspires and mobilizes folk. As a theologian, he understood the bridge between a need or a curiosity to genuine action to empowerment. Conversations like this are so rewarding, and testament to what a simple fesival can achieve!

Up next, DANCE PARTY! Let's celebrate, y'all!

8:40pm

Another wonderful comverstion with strangers: A group of women began by complimenting one another on their jewelry, which turned out to be mostly handmade by Kentucky artisans, Berea folk in particular. What started out as a superficial bond quickly developed in to a mountain love-fest. One woman remarked that she was afraid that we were running our Earth to quick ruin, to which another answered, in reference to the era of dinosaurs, "Yes, I'm afraid we're the lizards this time." But guess what folks? We're here today to ensure that those prophecies do NOT come true! We are the holders of the future and the keepers of this land. Starting conversations with strangers, building bridges and finding bonds with people completely unlike ourselves proves that we're all actually just the same, and that fact has an awful lot of power.

On that note, Hay DJs is pulling off a full-on disco, let's dance!

9:30pm

Louisville Loves Mountains 2013 is one for the books! What an incredible turnout!

Hay DJ's are killing it!

9:40pm

Last post of the night, y'all!

Caught a glimpse of this fella taking a picture of a sign at my booth... Turns out he grew up on Pine Mountain! Great to see Appalachian grown Kentuckians in attendence to support and celebrate the protection of our precious mountains!

Thanks to the beer vendors and food providers, as well as Carmichael's, Heine Bros, and the Green Building... What a success!

Until next year, friends!

Louisville Loves Mountains 2013