April 20–21, 2024 @ Tusculum University
Family fun awaits guests as they enjoy an impressive array of memorable activities that will enrich their lives atTusculum University’s annualOld Oak Festival.
One of Tusculum’s cherished traditions, the festival returns Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, with something for everyone. The event will include staples such as vendors, food, authors and entertainment. Additional touches that will highlight the festival’s comprehensiveness are a car show, inflatables for children and creative writing readings by Tusculum students.
Art will occupy a prominent place at the festival. For the second straight year, the university will have an en plein air painting event featuring the iconicOld Oak Treeon campus. In addition, the popup art competition for Greeneville and Greene County elementary school students showcases their talent. The festival will also contain an exhibit of works by Bill Bledsoe, assistant professor ofart and design, and pieces developed by high school students during the Old Oak Workshops held prior to the festival.
“We are thrilled to welcome everyone to Tusculum University for this outstanding and diverse festival,” said Edward Roberts, vice president ofinstitutional advancement. “Spring has brought an extra layer of beauty to our historic campus, and the sight of our friends from the community on our campus makes this time of year even more special. We look forward to visiting with our guests but, most importantly, watching them have a great time and return home with smiles on their faces.”
Festival overview
The festival is open to everyone, and admission is free. The festival hours are 9 a.m. — 6 p.m.,April 20 and 10 a.m. — 4 p.m., April 21. Parking is available in some campus parking lots as well as in front of the university’s costume shop next to TaylorMade Grooming Lounge and at nearby Tusculum Baptist Church and Doak Elementary School. On Sunday, the lot at Tusculum Baptist will not be available until after church services conclude at noon. Shuttle service from some lots on campus will be available.
Additional activities take place during the weekend, some during the festival hours and some afterward, that the community can also incorporate in their calendar. Theatre-at-Tusculum will hold performances of the musical “Newsies” April 20 at 7 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m. at The Capitol Theatre in downtown Greeneville. Tusculum’sfootballteam will also have its annual spring game at Pioneer Field on campus at 1 p.m. April 20.
In addition to community members, the festival has become a popular destination for Tusculumalumni, who come back to visit with their classmates and faculty and staff members who have impacted their lives as students and post-graduate professionals. Tusculum faculty, staff and students help run and support the many festival activities as volunteers but also take time to partake in the buoyant atmosphere that permeates the campus.
Specific details
All activities will take place during the festival hours unless noted. Here are some specific items to know:
·The Old Oak Show and Shine car show will be held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 20 in front of Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center and Katherine Hall. Depending on the number of entrants, the show could also incorporate the parking lot between those two buildings.
·The creative writing readings will be held at 2 p.m. April 20 in The Pioneer Perk, which is located next to The Tusculum Campus Store inside the commons.
·The en plein air painting, led by Bledsoe, is occurring in the grass area near the Old Oak Tree at 1 p.m. April 21. The cost is $20 cash, which covers supplies.
·The entertainment schedule is available atbit.ly/3xoTpst.
·Authors’ Row and the Pop-up Art Contest, which is sponsored by the Greeneville Art Council, will be in the Thomas J. Garland Library.
·Kiddie Korner, which includes the inflatables and other children’s items, will take place in the Quad in front of the Scott M. Niswonger Commons.
·The art exhibit of works by Bledsoe is being held in the Clem Allison Art Gallery, which is located inside Annie Hogan Byrd.
Additional information about the festival is available athttps://site.tusculum.edu/old-oak-festival/. To learn more about the university, visitwww.tusculum.edu.
Category: Festival