Venerating veterans, troops: Perryville festival will honor current and former members of military

PERRYVILLE — A wish to create a community-based event has evolved into a full-fledged festival honoring veterans and supporting soldiers. Red, White & Bluegrass, hosted by Main Street Perryville, will happen Saturday and feature a variety of goings-on.
Kayla Alcorn, chair of the promotional committee for Main Street Perryville, said she and Main Street Perryville Executive Director Vicki Goode were bouncing around ideas for an event in the community. They alit on the idea of celebrating veterans and decided a time near Independence Day would be ideal. The community of Perryville is contributing to the festival, and the money from the free festival will stay in the Perryville community, Goode said.
Local churches will be selling food; proceeds from those sales will go back to the churches. Main Street Perryville will be selling “support the troops” wristbands and yellow ribbons for $1, and small American flags for $.50. Money will go to sending care packages overseas for soldiers.
Alcorn said letters for soldiers are welcome, noting “the most important thing soldiers get is letters.” Care packages should not contain anything perishable nor should it have any pork products. Good items to send are DVDs, books, magazines, hand sanitizer, protein bars, hard candy, body washes and lotions, and anything that reminds soldiers of home. “Wherever soldiers are stationed, packages will go,” Alcorn noted.
She added American Legion Post 301 Ladies Auxiliary are donating their time to as well as items for packages. Drop-off points for care packages are the Main Street Perryville office, Farmers National Bank in Perryville, and The Dollar General Store in Perryville.
“The troops are really close to my heart,” Alcorn said. “I don’t think they get enough recognition for sacrifices they make.”
Added Goode, “We couldn’t celebrate what we celebrate on the fourth of July without the troops.”
“It’s what the whole country was founded on — freedom. ... Troops need to be recognized for their efforts. Everyone’s family is touched by someone who has served or know someone who has served and they need to be recognized. And we have a rich military history in Perryville.”
The VFW will do a flag folding presentation, and will explain what the significance is of the folding. Stanford Post. 18 of the American Legion’s color guard will give a 21-gun salute.
A Zumba demonstration will be given and a petting zoo will be set up for children. The Garrard County Humane Society will showcase what’s available for adoption. Vendors will be set up and the shops along Merchants Row will be open. The Main Street Museum will be open for tours, and bands Dix River Crossing of Perryville, traditional bluegrass; Strait Way, gospel-bluegrass; Lincoln County Bluegrass, bluegrass; and Cuzin Earl of Somerset, progressive bluegrass, will perform. Goode advised attendees to bring lawn chairs.