Tim Tingle at Tinglewood festival. Photo by Marley Sledge, Photographer. By Sarah Brandy
The Tinglewood Festival took place at Orr Park in Montevallo, AL on Sept 6 . From 9am to 5pm that Saturday, festivities were on for anyone with time to spare. From the moment you arrive at the park, you are greeted by vendors and individuals who were ecstatic about sharing their work. The park was filled with numerous activities such as a petting zoo, a car show, woodworking exhibitions, and bouncy houses for the children. The festival had something for everyone and there wasn’t a dull moment.
The Tinglewood Festival had numerous food vendors selling a variety of foods; from fair foods such as nachos and ice cream to more southern foods like Ox tails and barbeque. Other more mainstream food vendors such as Chick-fil-a were also present at festival, selling canned sodas for a dollar along with other foods from their menu. At the festival, there was also a food truck that sold kettle corn as well as pork rinds or skins. Participants felt likely to stay for longer since there was refreshments on every corner.
At the Tinglewood Festival there were so many great vendors selling a plethora of things, but here’s two vendors to highlight:
Ivy League Craft
Ivy League Crafts is owned by a married couple named Gloria and Willie, based out of Montgomery, AL. They come all the way from home to sell their beautiful hanging wood crafts at the Tinglewood festival. Ivy League Crafts is a black owned business that creates skillfully crafted wood hanging pieces that can be given as gifts or for one’s own use. This vendor had a lot of variety and something for anyone looking for something beautiful to place in their home.
Laser Sharp Products
Laser Sharp Products is owned by Mike Sanders, who specializes in making laser cut wood pieces. Sanders specializes in creating wooden puzzles for children of 46 of the 50 states and their cities. He says what brings him the most happiness is watching people enjoy his wonderful craftsmen ship for years to come. Laser Sharp Products has been in operation for about 15 years and hopefully many more to come.
The Tinglewood festival had so much to give to the community of Montevallo and it’s an event that many residents and students look forward to. Numerous previous students from the University came back just to attend this festival, so if you didn’t get the chance to attend this year, your encouraged to catch it next year!
