Year 2!

2022 Event Memories & Accomplishments

$3,000 raised for our local domestic violence shelter to purchase supplies for art and music therapy

Over 700 attendees visiting downtown Pikeville
30 live music performances by female artists
18 interactive workshops for children and adults involving dance, art, storytelling, healing and panel discussions including the Kentucky Poet Laureate, Crystal Wilkinson
25 local female artists showcasing their work in the art gallery
35 small business artisan vendors selling their products
75% of attendees shopped at local businesses or dined in local restaurants
Awarded a Kentucky Travel Industry Association Traverse Award for Excellence in Marketing, Bronze Award for Experience Development

Many thanks to our photographer friends Dusty Layne, Jeremy Justice and Larry Epling for these photos!

MUSIC!

A group of five women and one man performing on stage with musical instruments. One woman is dancing, four women are singing or clapping, and one man is playing an electric guitar. There are microphones, speakers, and cables on the stage.

A young woman with pastel-colored hair and sunglasses playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone during an outdoor performance.

Group of six women performing music on stage at an outdoor event under a white canopy, with a colorful fabric backdrop, with audience members watching.

A black and white photo of a band performing on stage with a large projection in the background that says 'The Mountain Girls'. The band has four members: a guitarist, a singer with a guitar, a drummer, and a bassist.

Four women playing musical instruments and singing at an outdoor event. Three are holding guitars, one has a banjo, and they are all smiling and wearing matching gray T-shirts.

A group of five women performing live music on an outdoor stage under a white canopy, with an audience watching them. The women are playing various stringed instruments, including guitars, banjo, mandolin, and a lap steel guitar.

An elderly woman with gray hair sits on a stage with a guitar, smiling and looking to her left. She is outdoors, with a microphone in front of her and music equipment nearby.

Black and white photo of a man and woman singing and performing with musical instruments on stage. The man is holding a saxophone and smiling, while the woman is singing into a microphone and holding hands with the man.

A woman singing into a microphone while playing an acoustic guitar, wearing sunglasses, a t-shirt, and earrings, with a blurry background.

Two women playing string instruments on an outdoor stage, smiling and enjoying the performance, with green trees in the background.

A group of musicians performing live on an outdoor stage at dusk, with string lights overhead and a sign reading 'Mountain Top Media' above the stage.

Woman sitting on a chair, playing a keyboard and holding a melodica, performing on stage with a microphone nearby.

A woman with dreadlocks and a headband singing into a microphone while playing a pink keyboard on a dark stage.

A band performing on stage with a woman singing and playing bass guitar on the left, a man singing and playing electric guitar on the right, and a drummer in the background behind a green drum set.

Four male musicians playing guitars on stage during a live performance with string lights hanging overhead.

A group of musicians and singers performing on stage at night, with guitars and microphones, under colorful stage lights.

A music band performing on stage outdoors at night, with multiple musicians playing guitars, keyboards, and vocals, under string lights and stage lights.

Group of women singing and playing guitars on a stage at an outdoor concert, with a brick building and string lights in the background.

A group of musicians with a woman singing and others playing instruments on an outdoor stage during a performance.

Women performing on stage at a concert with musical instruments and microphones, illuminated by stage lights.

Two women performing musical concert outdoors with guitars on stage, one singing into a microphone, background of buildings and green trees, evening string lights hanging overhead.

Two musicians performing on stage under a white tent; one woman singing into a microphone and playing a banjo, and one man playing an acoustic guitar.

A woman wearing sunglasses and a black sleeveless top playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone during an outdoor performance, with stage equipment, microphones, and a building with trees behind her.

A group of musicians performing on an outdoor stage during the daytime. The group includes a woman singing into a microphone, a woman operating a camera, and several other band members with instruments such as guitars and drums. There are string ligh

Two women singing into a microphone with their eyes closed, in a dark room with blurred lights in the background.

A live outdoor music performance on a stage with multiple musicians and singers, set against a backdrop of a historic building and green hills, with string lights overhead.

A woman with curly hair singing into a microphone outdoors, playing a keyboard, with music sheets on a stand nearby.

A woman singing into a microphone on a stage, wearing a white blouse, leopard print headband, patterned skirt with blue flowers, and a black belt.

ART!

Collection of colorful paintings displayed on small easels outdoors, with a large green bush, modern building, and tent in the background.

Children and adults enjoying a watercolor painting activity outdoors, with watercolor palettes, brushes, and paper with geometric designs on a table.

Young woman with curly brown hair and black sunglasses smiling at the camera, sitting at a table outdoors with markers, page, and small cups. In the background, another woman with red hair, black hat, and sunglasses drinks from a water bottle, surrou

A woman with multi-colored dreadlocks and a unicorn hairpin, holding a tablet, standing at an outdoor event table with people around, some wearing glasses and swimming suits, with water bottles on the table.

Pike Arts outdoor booth with a banner, table with flyers, and bags on display, set up under a canopy on a sidewalk.

An outdoor art class or workshop with a group of people, including young girls and women, seated at a table with makeup palettes and brushes. An instructor with long, curly, pastel-colored hair and a green shirt is leading the session. In the backgro

Group of women and a girl sitting at outdoor tables with face painting kits, some with sad or disappointed expressions, during a gathering or party.

A young girl with long brown hair sitting on the floor in front of a large white paper. Someone is painting a colorful rainbow, clouds, and small floating islands on the paper. The words 'Love is love' are written in colorful letters at the bottom of

A woman with dark hair, wearing a floral bandana, sunglasses, a nose piercing, and earrings, is drawing on paper with a purple marker, seated at a table with art supplies. Another woman in the background is listening to music with headphones.

WORKSHOPS!

A group of women and children dancing happily under a large tent at an outdoor event, with some seated and others standing, and a microphone stand visible in the foreground.

Two women sit on stage having a conversation; one woman is reading a book, and the other woman is listening. There are water bottles on a small table between them, and a banner with multiple sponsor logos stands in the background.

Four women sitting on chairs with musical instruments on a stage, including a banjo, violin, and guitar, preparing to perform.

Two musicians performing on a stage under a tent, with one playing a banjo and the other dancing, in front of a colorful backdrop.

A group of people, including women and children, sitting in chairs under a tent at an outdoor event. A woman in a yellow dress is smiling and talking to a young girl sitting next to her. Some people are holding microphones and other items, indicating

Two women sitting on a bench playing wooden stringed instruments, others seated and talking in the background of a waiting area.

Group of women sitting on chairs outdoors, some clapping and smiling, others eating and talking, under a tent or canopy on a sunny day.

A woman on stage with long curly blonde hair, wearing a black t-shirt, black skirt, and black sneakers, preparing for a performance with microphones and musical equipment, under a white tent outdoors.

A group of eight women sitting in a circle on chairs on a stage, engaged in a discussion or rehearsal, with musical instruments like a guitar and drums nearby, and a banner with sponsor logos in the background.

Two women sit on white chairs on a stage, engaged in conversation. One woman is wearing glasses, a patterned dress, and yellow shoes. The other woman is wearing a pink cardigan, dark pants, and has a lanyard around her neck. There is a small table wi

A woman singing on stage with a microphone at an outdoor event inside a white tent. Audience members, including children and adults, are watching and dancing. Speakers, microphones, and musical equipment are visible.

Women sitting on benches playing dulcimers at an outdoor event, with some seated on the ground and others standing behind them, under a tent with a sign that says "Libby" in the background.

A woman with a ponytail on stage speaking into a microphone, and a man playing guitar sitting on a chair nearby, under a white tent. An audience of mostly women and children is watching.

A person wearing black shoes and a dark blue skirt is standing on a wooden platform, with one foot raised and the other on the platform, in an indoor setting.

People attending an art gallery event with paintings on the wall, a musical performance with two women, one playing guitar, in the center.

An elderly woman with glasses and gray hair, speaking and gesturing with her hands in front of a display board with various logos and text.

FUN!

Colorful birthday cake with a hand-drawn face of a woman with red lips, lavender blush, and colorful paper flowers on top, with the words "I'm a mountain girl" spelled out in multicolored letters around the side.

A woman and a young boy are sitting together, looking at a scrapbook or photo album with a puppy on the cover, inside a room with chairs and a table in the background.

A collection of leather bracelets in various colors and designs, with some engraved with words like 'MGE', 'MOUNTAIN GRR L', and 'EXPERIENCE' arranged on a black surface.

A group of musicians performing on an outdoor stage with a young girl dancing in front. The band includes a drummer, guitarist, bassist, and singers. The scene is set in front of a large brick building with mountains in the background.

Street vendor booth selling jewelry and art items outside a church

People standing in line at a yellow food truck on a city street, with a 'ROAD CLOSED' sign and parked cars in the background.

A booth at an outdoor event displays a large sign reading 'Signs of Appalachia' with a mountain and forest background. Below are various wooden and metal signs, cups, and small memorabilia on a black tablecloth under a blue canopy. A woman in sunglas

A person wearing a pepper-shaped hat sells sauces and jams at a market stall under a red tent, with customers browsing and chatting.

Outdoor market booth selling clothing and jewelry under white canopy tents with a mountain backdrop.

An outdoor information booth for Turning Point Domestic Violence Services with brochures, pamphlets, and informational displays, including a large purple banner with a ribbon symbol and contact details.

A signboard displays sponsors for an event, including University of Pikeville UPIKE, Appalachian Wireless, KFW, United Medical Group, The Smallwood Group, Village, Gearheart Communications, Windman Settlement School, OurLUX Spa & Salon, MC Mountain T

A woman and a young boy sitting on a bench, with the woman holding a small drumstick, while the boy wears a t-shirt with a frog graphic. There is a wooden box next to him, and people are visible in the background.

Two women on stage at a music event, one touching hands with the other, while a guitarist plays in the background, with musical equipment and guitars visible.

A woman wearing a large straw hat sitting behind a table with rainbow-themed decorations and flags, a drink with a straw, and various small items and papers on the table.

People standing around a table with books and pamphlets outside a building, with a banner that says 'Dollywood Imagination Library' and 'Pike Library' displayed.

Three women posing at an Animal Alliance booth, wearing colorful tie-dye shirts, potted plants on a table with supplies, at an outdoor event under a canopy, with other people and multi-story buildings in the background.

Children and adults at a book signing table outdoors during a sunny day, with a tent overhead. The table displays children's books, rainbow flags, and stationery items.

A woman and a young man sitting at a registration table with a sign that reads 'Register to Vote.' The woman is wearing a pink and purple plaid shirt and sunglasses, with water bottles and other items on the table. The young man is wearing a red t-sh

A young person with short curly hair at a music exchange booth, smiling with their hand on their face, sitting behind a table covered with promotional materials. An electric guitar with signatures is displayed on a stand to the right. The booth has a

People dancing and socializing at an outdoor event with tables, chairs, and umbrellas.

A white bubble machine on the sidewalk releasing bubbles, with a chalkboard sign advertising free kids' tents, flavored gums, pop rocks, and shakers, in front of what appears to be a market or outdoor event.

A woman with glasses plays a keyboard outdoors, seated on a stool.

Multiple people sitting on benches at an outdoor event, many are taking photos or videos with their smartphones, with some smiling and some looking towards the event.

A young person with short, curly hair dyed orange and brown, smiling and leaning on a pink plastic storage container, wearing a distressed dark gray t-shirt. In the background, another person is partially visible, sitting outdoors with blurred buildi

A young girl with blonde hair tied in a ponytail, sitting on a bench, reading a colorful comic book at a public event. She is wearing a black shirt, blue shorts, black and green socks, and red sneakers. Other people are standing nearby.

Two musicians, a woman and a man, performing on stage with microphone and drum set behind them. The woman has long blonde hair and is wearing a black dress, while the man has a gray beard, a camouflage cap, and is wearing a black t-shirt with jeans.

A boy drawing with chalk on the pavement during an outdoor event, with tables and other children in the background.

Man filming children playing musical instruments on stage with a camera mounted on a tripod.

A young girl in a blue shirt and leggings blowing bubbles with a bubble wand while a woman sitting on a chair watches. There are other people sitting at tables in the background, and tents and a building with reflective windows behind them.

What People Are Saying

“What a wonderful event!! I am so thankful for the entire Mountain Grrl Experience event. It was over the top of anything I expected from start to finish. I cannot say thank you enough to all who had a hand in this event. Three of us came from Greensburg, IN and we definitely plan to return!!!”

“I loved the activities for kids! The workshops with audience participation were wonderful.”

"Your town welcomed us in as family with such great southern hospitality! We plan to come back next year to support your cause again! The after party was so fun and a great way to close out the weekend!"

“Absolutely the best event in Eastern Kentucky!”

“I loved that this unique event created a welcoming space that faced the issues affecting women in our area head-on; the event presented educational, artistic, and ‘round table discussion’ opportunities to our women and girls, and everyone was made to feel valued and encouraged to have a voice. I loved that girls (of all ages) got to see strong, powerful, creative, intelligent women come together to learn, create, laugh, and edify each other. The music was incredible!”

“MGE was the best showcase of the women (and men) who are keeping the arts alive in Eastern Kentucky. I was so proud of the rich heritage in those mountains, and to be a small part of it.”

“I loved the activities and workshops for kids and adults alike! My son and I tried many new things and enjoyed ourselves greatly.”

“I loved the feeling of sisterhood among the attendees; people who otherwise might not have met were able to sit together and talk, laugh, and create as friends.”

“Hope is a remarkable thing. The smallest spark can ignite a future beyond anything we previously dreamed. The Mountain Grrl Experience is offering that kind of hope to women in Kentucky, leaving a ripple in the communities around them, or at least they have for me.”