The 50th Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts is set to kick off in person next Saturday and Sunday. In order to keep patrons safe, Kentuck is taking several precautions to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Due to health concerns, last year's festival was reorganized as an online marketplace that extended throughout the rest of the year. However, now Kentuck is excited to be able to welcome guests back to the arts showcase, albeit with some new safety requirements.

First and foremost, masks will be required for entry and must be worn on Kentuck Festival grounds unless someone is actively eating and drinking. If a guest forgets their mask, a limited supply will be available for free at the front gate.

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Masks will also be required on all shuttle busses. These busses are being used from Tuscaloosa County Schools and due to a federal rule, TCSS requires masks on all school busses.

To promote better social distancing, artists' booths will be further spread out throughout Kentuck Park. Guests are asked to be mindful of crowding and to be respectful around artists' booths.

"The safety of our artists, volunteers, staff, and guests is of the utmost importance,” said Amy Echols, Executive Director of Kentuck.

Additionally, Kentuck is improving its sanitation routines. The festival will see portable toilets upgraded to portable restroom trailers, which include sinks for guests to wash their hands with soap and water. Regular hand-washing stations and hand sanitizer will be stationed at various points throughout the park. To view a full map of the area, click here.

Lastly, Kentuck is proud to partner with The University of Alabama's College of Community Health Sciences and University Medical Center to provide free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations on-site.

"Kentuck is doing our part to make modifications to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and it’s up to our community to take some personal responsibility, mask up, and be considerate of others," Echols said. "We are so excited to be able to celebrate Kentuck’s 50th anniversary with everyone this year!"

Keep these guidelines in mind and get ready to welcome thousands of art lovers to the area next weekend when the historic festival celebrates five decades of promoting painters, photographers, potters and more from all around the world.

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