Saturday, September 18, 2010 

Each third Saturday in September the community of Mayfield pays homage to the humble gourd.  The fifth annual Gourd Patch Festival celebrates a national art exhibition along with a day of artists, gourd vendors and crafters, entertainment, concessions, farmer’s market, silent auction, quilt raffle, bake sale and an exciting gourd-mobile racecar derby along with an Ugly Gourd Contest. 

 Festival activities are centered between Regions Bank on North 7^th and the Ice House Gallery at the corner of North and North 8^th Streets in Mayfield beginning at 9:00am until 4:00pm.  Vendors will provide wagonloads of gourds of all types and sizes for crafting and decorating. Artists will demonstrate everything from pottery to blacksmithing. Booths will include jewelry, photography, food, honey, unusual plants, and lots of gourd art. If you would also like to be a vendor, contact the Ice House. 

Activities tents give children opportunities to create art from gourd pieces.  A highlight of the festival is the gourd-mobile derby for both children and adults.  Among other entertainment, the Night Moves Dancers will perform from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. the percussion section of nearby Murray State University’s marching band will perform at several locations from 10 a.m. until 12 noon; playing only gourd instruments. The band Mid-life Crisis will perform from noon until 2 p.m. The day will end with an evening Civil War Ghost Walk in Mayfield’s Maplewood Cemetery. 

Ugly Gourd Contest

Whether it grew that way, or it succumbed to your artistic talents (or lack thereof), if you have an ugly gourd, bring it to the Gourd Patch Festival for our Ugly Gourd Contest. Voting will be done by way of donations of festival visitors to the art guild. The gourd that attracts the most donations will be deemed the ugliest and win a prize, so get your gourd here early - it’s going to get ugly. Ugly Gourd Contest Winner Announced at 3:00p.m. 

 “Go, gourds, go!”

A highlight of the festival is the gourd-mobile derby for both children and adults.  For a $10 entry fee, participants receive racecar supplies, lessons and entry into the derby. Gourd-mobile workshops, overseen by gourd specialist, Ronn Moyers, are held prior to the festival day on to assist in construction of the racecars using only gourds and gourd pieces. The class is two sessions on September 14 and 15, 4PM -6PM and 6PM - 8PM. Students may choose any two sessions they wish. Please call ahead and reserve your spot.