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Apparent record crowds turned out Friday for the first day of the children’s area, and at least the normal crowds were on hand in the other areas of the ninth annual Foothills Fall Festival in Maryville.

Patti Clevenger has been coordinator since 2002 of Children’s Adventure Land, which runs from behind The Daily Times to the Alcoa city limits in Greenbelt Park.

“We’ve got our money’s worth,” she said at the close of the day Friday.

“We’re packed in here, and I mean packed. There are baby strollers all the way
through this whole area. There are people through this whole area. I love it,” Clevenger said.

“It’s been a great day. The weather has been beautiful. Everybody is happy. It’s fun.”

One big hit this year is the U.S. Army tent that is providing a “virtual Army experience” for youths 13 and over. Clevenger said there are few things for the older youths and this has been a real hit with teens.

Tiny babies, young children and older youths put all 16-plus acres of Adventure Land in use Friday.

“I haven’t seen any area as heavily used on a Friday. There are lines everywhere.

Kids are all over the place. I think every kid in Maryville has been tattooed (temporary tattoos that were applied in the children’s area),” Clevenger said.

Native Blount Countian and grandmother Delores McCarter brought her granddaughter Paige to the festival. She said the area the little girl liked most was the hay maze in Tiny Tot Land. Paige is the daughter of Nicholas and Tonya McCarter of Maryville.

Carolyn Forster, co-coordinator of the arts and crafts area along with Patti Bell, said, “It’s crowded for me. I see smiles on everybody’s face. This is the prettiest our downtown has ever been. I see high-quality crafts. It’s been great for me. This is what festivals are all about, and we’ve got it all,” Forster said.

The arts and crafts area covers both sides of Broadway in Downtown Maryville.
Bell said, “This is a large crowd. I think the shoppers like to peruse what they see at first and them come back to buy.”

Chris Clark, who oversees the food vendors throughout the festival, said people started queueing up early at the Theater in the Park.

“We’ve got a good crowd in line for the entertainment. People have been in line since 11 a.m. Thursday,” Clark said.

One bus driver said he transported more patrons than usual for a Friday.
Chris Crosby, of Winds of Change of Maryville, is in his third year exhibiting arts and crafts. He said he believed the arts and crafts area crowd set a record for a Friday.

“I expect more people on Saturday,” he said.

Crosby said many customers view the arts and crafts on Friday and Saturday, decide what they want, and return Sunday to buy specific items.

First time for Tino

Robert Tino, a first-time artist at this year’s festival, has a booth on the top level of the parking garage at Cusick and West Broadway Avenue. He is selling prints and framed copies of the print he did for the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Entitled “Finding the Way,” the print shows a black bear negotiating the way down a slate ledge in a fall scene in the high mountains. Proceeds go to Friends of the Smokies.

Tino, who is exhibiting other works also, said Friday that his sales had been good.
Karen Dwyer of Dwyer Design Gemstone Studio in Maryville is exhibiting for the sixth year. She said Friday was “a great day.” The crowd was about normal, she added.

“I have regulars that come on the first day so they can get the good stuff before it gets gone,” said Dwyer, who noted customers prefer the unique items.

Heath Claiborne held an open house for the Capitol Theater. He said he had a pretty good day Friday exhibiting arts and crafts out front.

Sunday he will have the Streamliners swing band perform at 1 and 3 p.m. inside the Capitol, Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.

Festival participant Sharon Hunt said, “There is some beautiful jewelry here. All the decorations are great. The feel of fall is in the air. I’m going to love the music (main entertainment venue at the Theater in the Park).”

Bob Ergenbright, music director at Broadway United Methodist Church, said Friday was a record crowd at the church. The church has opened for years to festival goers, providing free water and use of restroom facilities, as well as housing the Ten Thousand Villages crafts area.

He said entertainers, including Heaven’s Highway, will be playing Christian music in the church parking lot at 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. today and Sunday.