Culture

Music From the Front Porch co-host Mike Gowen organizes the "Turn of the Century Social" at Murray’s Central Park this Saturday from 10 to 2 with reenactors in period costumes reenacting scenarios at the old schoolhouse, courthouse, and train depot. Mike stopped by Sounds Good to talk with Todd Hatton about the weekend festivities. PS: Todd will be there handing out some WKMS News CDs (technology from the future).

Kentucky's new poet laureate being inducted today in Frankfort as the state recognizes Kentucky Writers' Day.

Frank X. Walker and several of the state's past poet laureates will conduct poetry readings at the ceremony in the Capitol.

Walker is a Danville native who is known for coining the term "Affrilachia" to describe black culture in the multi-state Appalachian region. The Kentucky Arts Council says Walker at age 51 is both the youngest person to be named poet laureate in Kentucky and the first African-American.

We've met Jenny Bowker, wife of the former Australian Ambassador to Egypt, who initiated introducing Egyptian craftsmen's quilts to the world. We've spoken with Meredith Schroeder who co-founded the American Quilters Society and this year is being inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame. Today, Kate Lochte brings an interview with the person who directs and organizes the American Quilters Society Show and Contest, which starts Wednesday at the Convention Center in Paducah. She opened by asking Bonnie Browning how many "hats" she actually wears in her work. 

The 2013 LowerTown Arts and Music Festival is just around the corner and Amy Sanders of the Paducah Symphony Orchestra's staff shares the rundown on the music line-up during Sounds Good. The festival runs from May 17-19 on 7th and Madison in Paducah. WKMS will be broadcasting live on the evening of Friday, May 17th. More information about that coming soon! Click here to see festival news and the complete schedule.

An Idaho-based company, along with Advanced Process Technology Systems of Paducah, has expressed interest in taking over operations of the U.S. Department of Energy's Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant if current lessee, the United States Enrichment Corporation, is unable to extend operations past next month.

The Market House Museum in downtown Paducah opened new exhibits this past weekend and its director, Penny Baucum Fields, describes them on Sounds Good. The Market House Museum is located at 121 South 2nd Street in Market House Square, downtown Paducah. Their new hours are Tuesday through Saturday from Noon to 4 p.m. Click here for more on the Market House Museum website.