Courtesy of Yellow Leaf Festival
Like most good things, the Yellow Leaf Festival started from modest beginnings, with around a dozen vendors selling their art in the gravel parking lot of the 3V Tourist Court outside of the original location of Birdman Coffee. “We had music and people selling their work,” recalled Lynn Wood, Yellow Leaf founder and founder/longtime owner of Birdman. “And it just kept growing until we had to move over to the park.”
In the decades since, it's blossomed into a full-blown art and music festival held in Parker Park, without having lost any of the small town charm and whimsy that delighted attendees in the first place.
“It's got its own flavor...and it's got a sort of a peaceful atmosphere. And that's why the artists really enjoy coming to it." —Lynn Wood
The music always includes staples like The Fugitive Poets, plus many others, over the course of the two days. And live painters are also favorite fixtures of the fest: this year, Ellen Langford from Jackson, Mississippi will be painting on-site. "She paints with gusto, and it's kind of broad strokes," Wood said. "I think it'll be so much fun to watch." Kim Boone and Anne Butler will also be present signing copies of their new book Deep Into the Forrest.
Though the musicians and artists may change, Yellow Leaf's small town appeal remains. “It's got its own flavor,” Wood said. “And it's got a sort of a peaceful atmosphere. And that's why the artists really enjoy coming to it."
Yellow Leaf is held in Parker Park in St. Francisville on October 28–29.
