Panoply Arts Festival
The Panoply Arts Festival, an annual three-day celebration of the arts in Huntsville, Alabama, has been a Huntsville tradition since it first opened on Friday, 14 May 1982. The outdoor festival celebrates the arts with a wide array of performances, exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.
Panoply is a production of The Arts Council, Inc., with sponsorship by Huntsville-area businesses and volunteer support from up to as many as 2,000 people each year. The festival is held annually the last full weekend of April in downtown Huntsville's Big Spring International Park and Von Braun Center.
Over the years, Panoply has evolved into one of the region’s largest festivals, featuring activities and events like the “Global Village” – a gateway to the area’s diverse cultures – to children’s make-n-take activities to the “Official Alabama State Fiddling Championship,” "Homegrown Talent Contest," and "MOVA Songwriters' Competition." Panoply has had record attendances of over 100,000 in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Southeast Tourism Society ranked the festival among their “Top Twenty Events” and Gov. Bob Riley recently announced it as one of Alabama’s Top Ten Tourism Events.
The 2011 festival was cancelled because of the April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak.[1]
References
- ↑ Cure, Sarah. "Panoply Arts Festival canceled, food vendors helping city". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved May 7, 2011.