Amish Acres to Host WFRN Friend Fest 2012

WFRN FM Radio is bringing its slate of national comtempory Christian artists to Amish Acres for its first Friend Fest June 29 through 30. This two-day family friendly music festival features a line up that includes the Casting Crowns, Crowder, Tenth Avenue North, Sanctus Real, and Mandissa.

Also appearing are Stellar Kart, Jared Anderson, Jeremy Riddle, Chris McClarney, Jamie Jamgochain, Hyland, 7eneth Time Down, Ashes Remain, Sixteen Cities, and Reill on multiple stages. Early Bird Special Pass Prices through February 29, Purchase Tickets Online Here

Joy Johnson to create the 50th Anniversary Quilt

Joy Johnson, Amish Acres master quilter for the last forty years, became disabled while working in Amish Acres kitchen when a tumor pinched her spine. Now with her handy crutches and equipped car, she drives to the gross Daadi house each day during the season and stitches quilts from morning till late afternoon.

Now in her eighth decade, she has made 591 quilts and will spend this summer creating the 50th anniversary Arts & Crafts Festival quilt, pouring approximately 758 hours into this creation using 800 yards of thread. She has met untold thousands of visitors from all over the world and has them return with the next generation. To commemorate this milestone anniversary, Joy and I collaborated to design this Distelfink Quilt using my son-in-law Jeff Stillson's design.

The Distelfink represents happiness and good fortune in the Pennsylvania Dutch culture, a fitting symbol for this event. Joy will move her quilting into the one room school during the festival. Amish Acres and Festival visitors (including artists) can register to win the quilt valued at over $1,000 which will be given away New Year's Eve during the farm's celebration.

$5,000 in Cash Awards for the 50th Competition

The Competition, the heart beat of the festival, has been reinvigorated for the 50th Anniversary of Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival in 2012. Two Best of Show $1,000 Cash Prizes will be joined by six $500 First Place Blue Ribbon winners.

Hall of Fame artist Coy Jankowski and jeweler Robert Smogor, registar, Snite Museum, University of Notre Dame, will repeat their 1997 judging of the 900 pieces in the Competition Tent. Winners are announced Thursday at noon at a press conference in the one room school. Colorful banners then fly above the winner's booths for the duration, calling visitors to winning booths.

4,000 Bigger, Brighter, Easier Artist Applications are in the Mail

Seven of us sat in the Inn's Lilac Room and stuffed and sealed 4,000 twelve page applications last week. It has been gone over with a fine tooth comb (cliche) and brought up to match Amish Acres 50th Anniversary plans. If you have not received yours, please Jingle Jenni at jenniwysong@amishacres.com or (574) 773-4188 ext. 215.

An active Online Application is also new for 2012. It is even easier to use and for the first time, application's can make deposits with credit cards.