Volunteers honored at annual banquet

Volunteers and members of the community who have made significant contributions to the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center during 2011, were honored at a banquet Friday, January 13. Last year was a very significant year for the Center, with an increase in visitors, hosting 3 traveling exhibits, many field trips and tours, 5 Concerts on the Porch and the 1st Exit 56 Blues Fest. 

Thank you to those pictured above, those not pictured and everyone who has helped make it a great year. We're looking forward to what 2012 will bring. It's going to be great!

Crafters invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Exit 56 Blues Fest

A Cut Above's Joe Adams won the Most Creative Item Award for his scroll saw wood puzzles at the 2010 Exit 56 Blues Fest.

Calling all outside arts and crafters. The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center is seeking do-it-yourselfers and traditional and non-traditional crafters who create high quality, one-of-kind items to take part in the Exit 56 Blues Fest Arts and Crafts Show May 26, in Brownsville, Tenn.

Cookbook author Pamela Whinnery, talks about her Tennessee celebrity cookbook with a festival attendee at the 2010 Exit 56 Blues Fest in Brownsville, Tenn.

The show will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is limited to the first 50 applicants. Application deadline is May 1. The location, just off of Interstate 40 at Exit 56, offers crafters a unique opportunity to showcase their talents and wares to visitors traveling through West Tennessee, as well as residents of the region.

This is a non-juried event, but special care will be taken to ensure that a good selection is available without an over abundance of any one particular items.

"The Blues Fest is planned for Memorial Day weekend, which is the first big travel weekend of the year," says center director Sonia Outlaw-Clark.

The event attracted more than 400 attendees in its first year and is expected to grow substantially over the next few years, according to Clark. Planners are already working on how they can increase the festival area to accommodate more activities.

In addition to the Arts and Crafts show, live Blues music will be performed from the porch of the Sleepy John Estes home from 1-9 p.m. A car cruise-in, special exhibits inside the Center, festival foods and a kid's area are also planned for the event.

Crafters may download an application by visiting the Center's website at www.WestTNHeritage.com and click on the Exit 56 logo. For more information or questions, email info@westtnheritage.com, or call the Center at 731-779-9000.

Welcome 2012

Jeremy and Jessica, of McComb, Miss., were our first visitors of 2012. Their reward - a Brownsville birdhouse.

We've started 2012 with a bang and ended 2011 with a record year for attendance. Over 20,500 visitors walked through our doors last year and we loved meeting and sharing our West Tennessee culture with each and every one.

Now it's time to welcome new guests as we continue to greet old friends. It's was a little of both when we greeted our first visitors for 2012. Jeremy had stopped in before. On this trip, he made a special stop to show his friend Jessica our museums. It's the ultimate compliment when our visitors come back, and especially when they bring others to share the experience.

Happy New Year! May it be filled with all you could possibly hope for!!