Year 5

2025 Event Memories & Accomplishments

  • Free event for all!

  • 13 Live Female-led musical acts plus the 1st ever Mountain Man Jam

  • 13 Creative Workshops offered with 325 attendee participants creating new art

  • Over 250 attendees at Front Porch Panel: The Power of the Appalachian Woman, featuring 5 prominent East Kentucky panelists

  • 10 Information Booths including University of Kentucky Ovarian Cancer Screening Program & Pike County Health Department’s “Mama Van”

  • 10 Appalachian Artisan Vendors, Crafters & Makers and Food & Beverage Trucks

  • Over 30 Juried Art Exhibition Participants and 30 Art Awards given

  • Funds raised and donated to our 2025 charitable entity, Pike County Health Department Domestic Violence Coalition

  • Received Kentucky Foundation for Women 2025 Radical, Timely & Urgent Grant

  • Hosted Kentucky Foundation for Women Regional Gathering at the Pikeville Welcome Center

  • Sincere Community Involvement

    • Volunteered with Can’d Aid and University of Pikeville at Healing Appalachia Festival in 2024 and 2025 to help festival goers build and decorate 60 Ukuleles that were donated to the 150 Academy, a free after-school youth music education program in East Kentucky.

    • Volunteered with Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour Flood Relief Instrument Giveaway in Pikeville, KY

    • Partnered with East Kentucky/Nashville artist Stef Ratliff to assist with the Appalachian Chapter of NEST Makers United

    •  Awarded Kentucky Foundation for Women Artist Career Development Mini-Grant to host KFW Regional Gathering at the Pikeville Welcome Center

    • Represented event at 26th Big Sandy Small Business Symposium -Women in Leadership Panel, Paintsville, KYGuest Speaker at Pikeville Domestic Violence Coalition meeting

Group of five smiling people, including four children and one adult woman, at an outdoor event in a park with green grass and trees.

Many thanks to our media friends Larry Epling (UPike), Dusty Layne, Jeremy Justice (Jeremy Justice Films), Nik Lee (Appalashop), Andrew Tussey (Tussey Media Group) and Austin Shuck (What the Shuck)

MUSIC!

A woman singing and dancing on stage with a band, holding a colorful fan, with musicians playing guitar and drums behind her.
A woman with brown hair, wearing sunglasses and a checkered shirt, smiling while adjusting the microphone in front of her at an outdoor event.
A woman holding a guitar at a music event with a male musician in the background playing a banjo.
Two women playing guitars on an outdoor stage, one wearing sunglasses and a checkered shirt, the other with curly hair and a patterned shirt, singing into microphones.
A group of women performing on stage with guitars, a banjo, and a cello during a concert or event, with a backdrop promoting Coaltown.
Group of four women and one man performing on stage with microphones and guitars, with a mountainous graphic and text in the background.
Four women performing with guitars and a double bass on stage at a concert, with a backdrop showing the words 'Coaltown Dixie' and an outline of five musicians playing instruments.
Four women performing on stage with musical instruments at a concert, behind a large screen displaying a logo for Coaltown Dixies.
A woman with brown hair playing a mandolin and singing into a microphone on stage, with a backdrop that reads 'Coalition for Preserving.'
A woman with medium-length brown hair, wearing a black t-shirt and patterned pants, is holding a red dog collar and gesturing with her left hand on a stage with a black background.
A woman playing a keyboard on an outdoor stage during a live performance, with blue umbrellas and green trees in the background.
A woman wearing sunglasses and a checkered shirt is playing a keyboard and singing into a microphone on an outdoor stage during sunset. Another person, partially visible, is standing nearby in patterned pants.
Young man playing a violin during an outdoor performance with a microphone nearby and green trees in the background.
A woman singing into a microphone on an outdoor stage, wearing sunglasses and a light-colored dress, with band members playing instruments in the background during a concert.
A woman playing the violin and singing into a microphone during a performance, wearing glasses and a yellow sleeveless top.
Two women singing and playing guitars on an outdoor stage, with a drummer in the background, under stage lights, against a building with a red-tiled roof.
Male drummer playing drums with large gong in the background, wearing sunglasses and a teal t-shirt.
A man with a beard, sunglasses, and a black cap playing a yellow bass guitar, and a woman with sunglasses and earrings singing at an outdoor music event with string lights overhead and a building in the background.
Man with sunglasses playing a trombone outdoors, wearing a colorful floral shirt.
A woman singing into a microphone with a guitarist in the background, both outdoors in a street setting, with buildings and flowers visible.
Three women singing and playing guitars on an outdoor stage during a sunny day, with bubbles in the foreground and a historic building in the background, all dressed in yellow dresses.
Woman singing into microphone while a man plays guitar in the background.
An older man with a gray beard wearing a navy cap and gray polo shirt playing an electric guitar outdoors, with microphones and audio equipment around him.
A man with long curly hair, wearing sunglasses, a black cap, and a black shirt, playing drums outdoors.
A woman singing into a microphone while playing an acoustic guitar, wearing a wide-brimmed hat with a feather, in front of a building with large windows.
A woman with light brown, wavy hair singing into a microphone, wearing purple eyeshadow and an expression of emotion.
A man with sunglasses, a yellow visor hat, and a beard playing an electric guitar outdoors, with a brick building in the background.
A band performing live on an outdoor stage with five musicians, including a woman singing in a light blue dress, a drummer, two guitarists, and a keyboardist, with a large building and green trees in the background.
A group of four musicians performing outdoors, including a woman singing and playing acoustic guitar, another woman playing violin, and two men on electric instruments, with a modern building in the background.
A woman singing into a microphone at an outdoor music event, wearing sunglasses, a cropped tank top, and pink pants. A person next to her is playing an electric guitar.
A woman with long red hair, wearing sunglasses, a sleeveless dinosaur-printed top, and a yellow skirt, playing a yellow electric guitar during a live outdoor music performance. There are drum sets and microphones in the background, with a building an
A woman with long hair wearing yellow sunglasses and a yellow headband singing into a microphone, playing a guitar.
Street musician playing a banjo and singing into a microphone in an urban setting, with buildings and parked cars in the background.
A man with long curly hair, a beard, and sunglasses wearing a red bandana and an orange sleeveless shirt playing an electric guitar during an outdoor performance.
A woman wearing sunglasses and earrings, singing into a microphone while playing an acoustic guitar at an outdoor event.
A woman singing and playing guitar on stage outdoors, with a man playing banjo in the background. They are performing in a city setting with buildings and colorful umbrellas in the background.
Musician playing drums outdoors with microphones set up around him, wearing sunglasses and a patterned shirt, with a building in the background.
A young man with brown hair wearing sunglasses and a dark shirt playing a saxophone outdoors.
A woman performing live on stage, playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone, wearing sunglasses, a bandana, and casual clothing.
Two women performing with acoustic and ukulele guitars on an outdoor stage under a tree.
A woman with long blonde hair singing into a microphone while playing a guitar on an outdoor stage. She is wearing a sleeveless dress and has tattoos on her arms. In the background, there are buildings, cars, and people sitting at tables.
Two musicians performing on an outdoor stage under a gazebo with green trees in the background. The man on the left has a beard, sunglasses, a gray cap, a gray t-shirt, and beige shorts, and is playing a mandolin. The woman on the right has long dark
Group of women and children on stage, some playing guitars, with a woman singing into a microphone, during a musical performance or rehearsal.
Woman in a red floral dress playing a lap dulcimer on stage, with microphones set up around her.
A woman in a floral dress and sunglasses playing guitar on an outdoor gazebo stage with trees and mountains in the background.
A woman is singing into a microphone, and a man is playing an acoustic guitar on an open-air pavilion stage. There are chairs and musical equipment around them, with a colorful cloth hanging from a microphone stand in the foreground. The pavilion has
A woman singing and playing guitar on an outdoor stage under a pavilion with trees in the background. There are chairs around and a sign indicating sponsorship by Bluegrass Pride.
A woman with long red hair, wearing sunglasses, a sleeveless top with horse and cactus prints, and a yellow skirt, singing passionately into a microphone on an outdoor stage. A man with a beard, sunglasses, and a hat is playing an electric bass guita
A bald man with glasses, a beard, and tattoos on his arms, smiling at a table with electronic equipment, outdoors with a black metal fence in the background.
Back view of a woman with short dark hair wearing a pink denim jacket with colorful mushroom and lightning bolt design on the back, raising her arms.
A bearded man with sunglasses, wearing a black hat and floral shirt, playing a bass guitar on an outdoor stage with microphones and musical equipment, with cars and a building in the background.
Three women in yellow dresses perform music on an outdoor stage with drums, guitars, and microphones, under a black canopy, at the Appalachian Arts Festival with green trees and brick buildings in the background.
A man with a curly beard, wearing sunglasses and a red bandana, smiling while holding an electric guitar at an outdoor performance.
A musical performance on an outdoor stage with three women dressed in yellow dresses, playing guitars, with a building with windows and a red roof in the background. Many soap bubbles are floating in front of the stage.
A woman playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone on a stage, flanked by two male musicians, one playing electric guitar and the other on drums. The woman wears a wide-brimmed hat and a white t-shirt, with a phone attached to her micro
Three musicians performing on stage outdoors, a woman playing keyboard, a man playing trombone, and a woman playing electric guitar, with a large window and trees in the background.
Two women performing on stage outdoors, one playing guitar and the other singing, both smiling and wearing casual clothing.
A smiling man with glasses and a goatee, wearing a watch and a dark grey shirt, sitting outdoors at a table with a laptop covered in stickers, and a DJ controller in front of him, with a black metal fence in the background.
A woman with tattoos and rings, wearing a white tank top and shorts, is adjusting a guitar inside a music store or music event.
A woman in a red floral dress playing a guitar on stage at Girl Experience event, with a large backdrop displaying The Mountain Girl Experience logo.
A woman with dark curly hair, sunglasses, and earrings looking at a display of colorful fabric pieces hanging on a metal stand at an outdoor event.
A male musician with sunglasses, a beard, and styled hair, playing drums at an outdoor event, with a microphone nearby.
A young man with sunglasses and a beard playing a banjo outdoors, sitting on a black chair on a porch or deck with green trees in the background.

ART!

2025 Women in the Arts Exhibition

 Congratulations to the 2025 Mountain Grrl Experience: Women in the Arts Exhibition Winners! 

We are so proud to celebrate the incredible talent, heart, and creativity showcased in this year’s exhibition at the UPike Weber Gallery. Each artist brought a unique voice and vision that reflects the strength, beauty, and spirit of Appalachian women in the arts.

Mountain Grrl Experience Artist Award - Allyson Taylor 

Artist Encouragement Award -Retha Hunt 

 Sculpture

 1st – Meridith Mullins for “Chris 2”

 2nd – Meridith Mullins for “Prince 4”

 3rd – Ruby Miranda for “Branching Lichen”

 Illustration

 1st – Alyssa Meade for “Tsalagi Devil: UnkTena”

 2nd – Sumer Bingham Musick for “Sowin Stillness”

 3rd – Cheyenne Smith for “Blood Lover”

 Acrylics

 1st – Maggie Lott for “The Rock-Skipper”

 2nd – Maggie Lott for “Montserrat”

 3rd – Cadance Thompson for “Caelium Mulier”

 Digital

 1st – Shannon McCarthy for “Tara”

 2nd – Allyson Taylor for “Copperhead Ouroboros”

 3rd – Ashton Johnson for “Undoing of Stars”

 Mixed Media

 1st – Elisha Taylor & Edna Fugate for “The Office”

 2nd – Alyssa Meade for “Rarest of Flowers”

 Textiles

 1st – Hayley Trimble for “Ocean Tide”

 2nd – Hayley Trimble for “Flicker from View Quilt”

 3rd – Letitia S. Coley for “Cover Me in Comfort & Hope”

 A heartfelt thank you to every artist who shared their work and spirit with us this year. Your creativity continues to inspire our communities and the next generation of Appalachian women in the arts.

Click Here to See More!
A woman in a pink dress looking at a quilt with blue flowers and pink accents displayed on a gallery wall.
Two paintbrushes with blue and green painted handles held in hand in front of a colorful landscape painting and a framed artwork of legs, with another painting wrapped in plastic leaning against the wall.
Table with flowers, gift baskets, and art supplies in front of a wall decorated with colorful handmade cards and drawings.
Gallery wall featuring three framed art pieces: a surreal mushroom painting in the center, a colorful watercolor of a couple walking in a wooded scene on the right, and a painting of a person reading outdoors on the left.
Art display with three small colorful paintings on easels on a table in an art gallery or school setting.
Art gallery wall with a prominent painting of floating legs and feet above a landscape, with smaller framed artworks surrounding it and a ceramic vase on a black pedestal in the corner.
A colorful, abstract painting of a human eye on an easel inside an art gallery, with various other artworks hanging on the wall in the background.
Two women standing next to each other in front of a table with wrapped gifts and a wall decorated with colorful handmade cards or posters. One woman is holding a piece of paper, and the other is holding an object. They are smiling.
Art gallery with framed paintings on white walls. Prominent artwork on beige display board features cartoon-style women with glasses; one screaming on a background of newspaper clippings. To the right, a painting of a woman with glasses and dark hair
Colorful patchwork quilt displayed on a wall with other artworks in an art gallery.
Information about the Mountain Girl Experience Artist Encouragement award for Gwen Romaine, including a description of the dedication to supporting emerging artists and images of artwork.
An award certificate for the Mount Girl Experience Artist Award given to Malia Bell for dance away. The certificate includes a handwritten description of Malia Bell's artistic journey, influences, personal growth, and current artistic style, along wi
List of winners in various categories at an art exhibition, including acrylics, oils, watercolors, illustration, sculpting, mix media, digital art, photography, and textiles.
Two women standing together in front of a colorful display with wrapped gifts and cards, one holding a box of flowers, in an indoor setting.

WORKSHOPS!

A group of children and adults gathered under a gazebo outdoors, some holding musical instruments such as a guitar and banjo, smiling and posing for a photo. There is playground equipment and trees in the background.
Two women standing inside a fabric store, each holding a quilt block designed to look like a shirt. The store has shelves filled with colorful fabric bolts and decorations hanging from the ceiling.
A woman painting a flower design on a terracotta flower pot outside at a table with art supplies and a smartphone.
A young girl in a pink shirt and patterned shorts is standing outdoors next to a large tree. She is smiling and pointing to a colorful quilt hanging on the tree, which features various patterned squares and a central design of a rainbow.
A group of people participating in a musical workshop or class under a gazebo in a park, with some playing string instruments and a woman speaking or instructing at the front.
A girl painting a small flower pot at an outdoor craft activity table, with art supplies and other flower pots around, while a boy decorates a flower pot behind her.
Children and adults painting pottery under a canopy in a park with playground equipment in the background.
People gathered around a table with foam and colorful bottles at an outdoor event in a park, with trees, bushes, and a brick building in the background.
Creative school report card with images of students building instruments, playing rhythm, and joining a jam session, featuring various photos, logos, and decorative elements.
Two teenagers, a boy and a girl, standing outdoors at a table covered with supplies, smiling at the camera. The boy is holding a tumbler and wearing a black t-shirt and shorts, while the girl is wearing a white top and shorts. There are trees, shrubs
A woman playing guitar and singing on a gazebo stage outdoors with children sitting on a rug, some wearing matching shirts.
Table with colorful rubber bands, rubber bands, and bottles of paint in various colors. A sign reads "Sponsored By: Kent Rose Foundation.com" with a photo of two men. The background has trees and boxes.
Women working on sewing machines in a fabric store or workshop, with shelves of fabric and quilting supplies in the background.
A woman helping a young girl with coloring at an outdoor table in a park, with playground equipment and benches in the background.
A woman presenting to a group in a room with a brick fireplace and a large screen displaying a slide with a photo of a young girl outdoors.
People gathered around a registration table at a park event, with tents and trees in the background.
Group of children and adults sitting in a semi-circle under a pavilion, playing musical instruments outdoors.
Young girl painting at an outdoor art tent, splattered with colorful paint, with a partially painted canvas on an easel.
A woman with dark hair and lipstick, sitting at a table with a laptop, a small blue fan, a phone, and informational flyers. Behind her, a brick fireplace with a mounted TV displaying a presentation about winter mushrooms, and a wall with a mirror and
A gathering of people seated in a gazebo in a park on a sunny day, with trees and playground equipment in the background and two signs on either side of the gazebo.
People painting rocks at an outdoor gathering on a sunny day, with a ping pong table and a water slide in the background.
A group of diverse people holding hands and dancing in a circle inside a building, possibly at a social gathering or celebration, with signs indicating restrooms in the background.
Three teenage girls sitting on a porch with musical instruments; two with guitars and one with a ukulele, with a supervisor standing behind them.
A woman with glasses and a floral dress playing a guitar, seated next to a young boy in a gray t-shirt inside a room.
Children sitting on chairs, holding drinks and snacks, wearing casual clothing, with one child holding a cup with a straw in a public setting.
Young girl playing guitar in a group with other girls, outdoors on a sunny day.
A woman playing guitar in a wheelchair focus on her with another woman sitting next to her in a social setting.
A young girl sitting in a stroller, playing with a spoon from a container of frozen yogurt, with a woman playing a guitar in the background.
A large cardboard box filled with used wooden angled painting or drawing easels, some painted with various colors, in a dimly lit space. A black bag is at the bottom edge of the box.
Group of women playing musical instruments, sitting and standing on a porch with a wooden fence, trees, and houses in the background
People holding hands and forming a circle, dancing inside a spacious, well-lit indoor venue with a high ceiling and large windows.

FUN!

A woman with brown hair wearing a blue t-shirt with the words "Made for More 2024 Kentucky" printed on the back, observing a stage performance outdoors.
A female ballet dancer being assisted by a male dancer in a performative pose, indoors at night with audience in the background.
Music-themed cake shaped like a guitar with black musical note decorations, colorful flowers and leaves, and the word 'MAY' spelled out in icing on the neck of the guitar.
Entrance area of Appalachian Arena with large colorful letters spelling 'MGE', outdoor seating, umbrellas, and a small stage.
Street market with stalls and tents, a donut food truck with pink and white stripe decor, and people walking on a sunny day with a background of buildings and green hills.
A bright yellow food truck selling hot dogs and other snacks, with a logo of a cartoon hot dog character wearing a cowboy hat, standing on a street with tents and shops in the background.
People standing in line at food trucks in a small town with green hills and buildings in the background.
Outdoor street market with tents and booths selling beverages, food, and crafts, in a small town with brick and glass buildings and people walking around.
Two pink banners displaying sponsors for the Mountaineer Girl Experience event, with logos and sponsor categories such as Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze community sponsors.
Group of five women standing in front of a mobile health unit at a community event outside a fitness center. They are smiling and dressed in casual clothes with event badges. A banner on the vehicle indicates it offers breastfeeding and diaper changi
A young girl in a pink shirt and white shorts with pink Crocs is standing on a wet brick sidewalk, leaning back with a joyful expression, enjoying a water spray from a nearby outdoor water feature shaped like a bear. The bear is painted black and blu
Two women sitting on a wooden bench outdoors in front of a wooden fence. The woman on the left is wearing a floral strapless dress, large sunglasses, a wide-brimmed sun hat, and has a prosthetic leg. The woman on the right is wearing a blue t-shirt,
Two men sitting on an outdoor patio, relaxing and smiling. One is wearing a light gray shirt and beige shorts with dark sunglasses. The other is wearing a dark brown shirt, a large straw hat, round mirrored sunglasses, and holding a phone.
A smiling older man with a gray beard and mustache wearing a gray Harley-Davidson cap with a yellow flower tucked behind his ear, sitting outdoors during a live music performance. In the background, there are two women playing guitars and singing on
Two smiling women wearing sunglasses, one sitting in a wheelchair and the other leaning over, outdoors with trees and trash bins in the background.
A young woman standing outdoors with her hands on her hips, wearing glasses, a T-shirt with a colorful graphic, dark jeans, and sneakers. A young man is seated nearby, wearing glasses and a dark T-shirt, with outdoor chairs and tables around them.
A woman in a pink satin dress with floral embroidery, wearing pink heart-shaped sunglasses, dancing at an outdoor event under blue umbrellas.
A person lounging outdoors on a black chair, using a camera with a stabilizer. The person is wearing a white shirt, a purple cap, and flip-flops, with a plastic water bottle on the table beside them. Behind, there is a pink event banner and black sta
A couple dancing closely at night, with the man holding the woman in an embrace, illuminated by string lights and a flag in the background.
Electric guitar with a bright blue body, signed by multiple players, mounted on a black guitar stand on concrete ground, with a black chair and backpack nearby.
A young woman with wavy brown hair and glasses smiling outdoors, with a background of empty metal chairs and tables.
Two smiling women sitting at a metal outdoor table, one with colorful tattoos and a rainbow headscarf, the other with short curly hair and sunglasses, during daytime with cars in the background.
A young girl with blonde hair in braids is smiling and taking a photo with her phone at an outdoor event during evening time. People are sitting and standing in the background with string lights overhead.
Smiling woman with braids, wearing sunglasses, a hat, and a striped sleeveless top, sitting outdoors.

Front Porch Panel:

The Power of the Appalachian Woman

(Sponsored by the University of Pikeville)

WOW I just attended one of the most powerful events I’ve ever listened to as a woman.

The Front Porch Panel of the Mountain Grrl Experience brought together a group of talented, passionate, intelligent, STRONG women from Eastern KY. They discussed a wide range of topics dealing with mountain women: our strength and our potential and our talents.

Here are just a few of the motivational words I was able to jot down:

*Bloom where your roots are planted.

*Look in unexpected places for opportunities OR create your own.

*Each of us has a story to tell and it deserves to be heard.

*Be bold in telling your story.

*Women always figure it out.

*There’s a difference between a southern belle and a hillbilly mountain woman. We have so much grit and resilience and work ethic because we have to fight hard for everything we want.

*Own your struggle- it makes you so much more interesting.

*No one in Eastern Ky was born into privilege.

*The best thing we can do for each other is be a girls girl- it’s not a competition- we need to lift all of us up!

*It’s ok to have seasons in our life. Life changes and that’s ok.

*Find strong people in your life to bond with and create a support system to help you.

*Be proud of what you love.

*Be bold.

*Do not let fear decide your life.

*Appalachian Women have super powers:

Our voice

Storytelling

The ability to take what’s handed to us and make it grow

Grit

Determination

We can fix anything

We can do anything

We make hard things look easy

We are fixers

We are capable of finding solutions

We are strong

Several high schools had brought young women to listen and I was so proud of those teachers. I would love to see every teen girl in our area in the audience next year to be inspired by these women.

A young girl standing smiling in front of a table displaying Pokémon trading cards, merchandise, and promotional materials at a Pokémon event.
Collection of colorful trading cards with a central card featuring four girls playing musical instruments on a porch, surrounded by vibrant plants.
A Pokémon trading card features an opossum dressed as a hippie with round sunglasses, a sunflower headband, a tie-dye shirt, and a fringed vest. The background includes colorful light effects and sparkles.
A digital card with an illustration of four young women playing guitars and singing together on a stage, with a wooden background. The card is titled "Coaltown Dixie" and has some game instructions about drawing cards and critters.
A colorful card from a game featuring Salyerpatch, a critter with a rainbow patchwork appearance flying in the sky, guided by an elderly woman with a staff. The card has a purple border and various game statistics.
A Pokémon trading card featuring Jamersona, a creature with tree and woodland bee characteristics, in front of a large moon background. The card has a purple border, a 'Regular' card type label, and states 70 health points. It includes descriptions o
A Pokémon-style card featuring a majestic, colorful bird surrounded by glowing butterflies, with a purple and yellow border.
Halloween-themed collectible card featuring a flying vampire bat with large eyes and a mischievous grin, surrounded by carved pumpkins in a dark, spooky forest with leafless trees, bats flying in the background, a full moon, and orange and black colo
A colorful cartoon-style playing card featuring Shannnala, a koala character with glasses, holding a drink, with a bright sunset background and green hills. The card is labeled 'Regular' and has 60 heart points. It includes gameplay text about a trai
A colorful illustrated trading card featuring a feline character playing a double bass surrounded by musical notes and vibrant lights. The card has the name 'Joanfare' with 110 health points.
A illustrated game card featuring Wilson The Spoon Dog, a cartoon dog with a blue bandana holding spoons, set in a colorful forest background.
A collectible card featuring a mystical, deer-like creature named Hartantler with large antlers, standing in a moonlit forest surrounded by pink candles and trees.
Book cover for 'Holler Critters' featuring a rolling swirl background, a jar with a black rat inside, and the title text in bold red, yellow, blue, and black letters.
A Pokémon card featuring Meowton Dulcipurr, a black cat with large yellow eyes, sitting on a grassy field with a glowing yellow aura around it. The cat holds a wooden dulcimer, with floating musical notes around it.

Mountain Grrls helping Mountain Grrls

Mountain Grrls helping Mountain Grrls

We are SO PROUD to announce a charitable donation will be made to the Pike County Domestic Violence Coalition

What People Are Saying

“I truly enjoyed every activity that I was able to participate in this weekend! My personal favorite was the poetry workshop.”

“It just feels like lazy booking — a lineup that doesn’t tell a story or reflect a real artistic vision (think of how beautifully curated Newport Folk Festival is). But no, at Railbird, once again, it’s mostly male acts. No disrespect to the artists, but when the audience is about 50/50, why isn’t the stage?

And leaving out powerhouse local talent like the Kentucky Queen (Carla Gover) makes even less sense. With rising production costs and the expense of bringing in all these out-of-town performers, the festival is passing those costs right back to the audience.

In the end, it’s a lose-lose: local artists aren’t supported, the lineup feels repetitive, and ticket prices go up. The result is a festival that doesn’t reflect its community — and that’s a real failure of artistic direction. It makes you wonder why they didn’t care enough to do better.

For those interested, there is an. International movement called KEYCHANGE - a pledge festivals take to ensure gender parity on stage. You can review who has signed it via their website.

Bek Smallwood Lord, honey, I sure loved being there! So grateful for what you all do, with all my heart 

In fact, you all inspired me to make this post, because you've been proving how NOT HARD it is to get high-quality acts onstage and also include and even feature women!


--So many festivals have done a better job lately. Thanks for posting about it. Sticks out like a sore thumb. Seems to lack diversity as well.

Kristen B. Preston, PharmD ”

“I felt safe in a public space and that is a rare thing in our current world.”

“A yearly summer festival reminder that there are ones in Kentucky that are female run, festivals with female acts that are also worth your time and your money.”

“Thank you so much for giving us an avenue to display our work.”

“I’m really proud of what happens out there every year.”

“
Today I learned how to play the ukulele, the dulcimer, how to flatfoot dance and hambone. I tacked my first pieces of a quilt and I met some of the most precious people on this planet.

Creative writing workshop class hosted by Amanda Jo Slone at #mountaingrrlexperience

in Pikeville, KY helped me put into words a childhood memory. (AI produced the photo)

Maw and Paw's Chestnut Tree: 

The spikes that pierce my skin,

as I scrape off the burr with my shoe—to uncover the hidden gem inside, brown flesh waiting to be freed.

Daddy’s pocket knife gleams sharp in hand, peeling back the roughened shell, while remnants of worms wriggle and dance - as I lean in close to see.

My knees bend and give away as I climb, finding the steady arm of the tree. The bark rough under my bare legs as I feel the heartbeat of the tree and sunbeams sizzle across my skin.

Green turns to gold then fades to fire, and the cooling wind whispers soft, the smell of evening dew closing in like a warm, weighted blanket of night.

The Bob White's call across the fields— Who? Bob White? echoes again, as I wait for darkness to tell me it’s time to go home.

Down below, the bones of the home place stand, walls caved, yet the heart still strong. The people are gone - or are they?

The tree is gone too,

cut down by the smallest invader.

The mower hums, not knowing

that just beneath the surface,

the roots still linger.

The chestnut is in danger of fading, but as long as I breathe,

it lives - and so do they.”

“Thank you all for making it easy for young kids to participate”

“It’s not females only, we’re just celebrating women. bek”

“I really, really, REALLY

enjoyed myself. Thank you all for all the hard work you put into this.”

“Well it’s official now… I’m one of the cool kids

Thank you Jessica Salyer for the t-shirt cutting class at The Mountain Grrl Experience! I love learning new things ”

“So grateful for this event! Me & My son love it. You ladies are incredible.”

In fact, you all inspired me….you've been proving how NOT HARD it is to get high-quality acts onstage and also include and even feature women! Carla Gover


Grrrrrrrrrrrrrl! If you were not in Pikeville, KY for the Mountain Grrl Experience this weekend, you truly missed a blessing!

Our calves got a work out from all of the A MAZ ING toe tapping music! We shopped, talked about our Mamaws and our Grannies, ate good stuff, made new friends, shared recipes, and then there were all the free workshops!

We cut up t-shirts like we did at camp when we were kids, learned some flat footing dance steps, learned to play a dulcimer, made quilt squares, tie dyed, screen printed, assembled some jewelry for our flower pots, ... and I kid you not, we learned to play spoons, got on the stage with Coaltown Dixie for our first jam session, and earned a Certificate of Completion from Coaltown College!

We will be thinking about all of the wonderful women who came together this past weekend to raise money for survivors of domestic violence, and all of the women in our own lives who passed down their traditions through music, crafts, story telling, art, and food to all of us, until we get to gather again for the next Mountain Grrl Experience next year.




Circular design for the 2024 Great Mountain Girl Experience event, with a silhouette of a woman and mountain, surrounded by event details and floral accents.
Event poster for Bluegrass Music Night at the Mountain Girl Experience, featuring performances by Mia Lequire and the Appalachian Aires, and Sarah Kate Morgan, taking place on Thursday, June 20, from 7:30 PM to 9 PM, with a reception at 6 PM and an awards ceremony at 6:30 PM. The event is at the Appalachian Center for the Arts, Pikeville, Kentucky, with a suggested donation of $10.
Poster advertising a square dance event called Mountain Top Media Stage at Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville, Kentucky, featuring a drawing of a man and woman dancing, with a circular logo of a woman with a guitar and stars, and a worker wearing a hat and working at a desk in a hat.
Poster announcing a ballet performance by Kingsport Ballet featuring Rand and Ava, presented by Pike County Natives and Company Dancers. The duo performs a pas de deux depicting internal conflict of a woman fighting life's trials, at The Mountain Top Media Stage at the Arena, Saturday at 9:00 pm. The poster includes an image of two ballet dancers and the logo of The Mountain Girl Experience, a guitar with flowing hair and stars.
Event poster for Mountain Grrl Experience Women in the Arts Exhibition featuring artwork of two women, mountains, and trees, scheduled for June 20th, 2024 at 6 PM at the Appalachian Center for the Arts in Pikeville, Kentucky.
Advertisement for Holler Critters trading cards featuring a blue, yellow, and white cartoon critter with wings, standing next to a red pitcher labeled "KEWL AID."
Poster promoting a concert event called 'One Night Only,' featuring tribute to Taylor Swift with Mountain Grrl Version. The event is scheduled for February 9th at 7 pm at The Appalachian Center for the Arts. It includes performances by various female artists such as Chelsea Nolan, Emily Jamerson, Jen Tackett, Bek Smallwood, Kris Preston, Austin Collins, Johnny Pop Day, Waylon Nelson, Zoe Howard, and Brittany Avery Mullins. The poster displays photographs of several musicians, some with instruments, and art illustrations of women’s profiles.
Concert poster with a mountain landscape background. Features logos for The Mountain Girl Experience and Pit House. Promotes MOUNTAIN MEN event supporting mountain women, with performers Tim Goodin, Sean Whiting & The Big Badness, and Brett Noland. Scheduled for March 23, 2024, with doors at 6 PM and music at 7 PM. Tickets are $15 at the door.
Group of women and men performing on stage, singing and playing guitars at a live music event with colorful lights and audience in the background. Promotional graphic for The Mountain Girl Experience event, June 20-22, streaming on Mountain Top TV, s
Schedule for Mountain Top Media Stage at the 2024 Mountain Girl Experience Festival in Pikeville, KY, with performances on June 21st and 22nd.
Schedule of workshops and musical performances at Pikeville City Park and other locations on June 21 and 22, 2024, including activities such as music, workshops, tree planting, and craft making, with designated times and locations listed.
Event poster for The Appalachian Theatre, located at 218 2nd Street, Pikeville, KY. The event is on Thursday, June 20th, 2024, with the Women in the Arts Reception & Exhibition Awards from 6 to 7:30 pm, and Bluegrass Night from 7:30 to 9 pm, featurin

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