It’s that time of year again! The annual Germantown Festival is right around the corner, returning for its 46th year. The festival includes live entertainment, food, shopping, and much more! The Germantown High School Creative and Performing Arts Program (CAPA) is gearing up for the festival as well; between hosting game areas and preparing for its live three-hour television coverage of the festival, students are working hard to put the finishing touches on what is sure to be another successful Germantown Festival.
Since 1987, GHS-TV has produced a three-hour live tv show from the Germantown Festival grounds. The show is directed and hosted by GHS-TV students. This year is the 35th anniversary of Germantown High School Television. "The students and staff of Germantown High School Television, GHS-TV, are thrilled to bring the Live Coverage of the Germantown Festival every year to our viewers. Through this endeavor, our students get training in all aspects of live television and media; our viewers get a chance to see all of the goings on at the festival and the people in the community who make it happen”, says Allison Rogers Long, CAPA Coordinator. Student hosts, Alan Toney and Scarlett Simpson, will interview special guests from the Mid-South community over the course of the show. The show will also highlight the talents of a variety of people who will perform live on the GHS-TV entertainment stage. In addition, student reporters will be the eyes and ears for the events that are going on throughout the festival grounds.
While GHS-TV students play a big part in getting the show together, the GHS CAPA students work hard to get the festival activities together. GHS students operate several different festival tents which include: games and crafts, balloon animals, and face painting. “Germantown Festival is one of the events that the CAPA program looks forward to each year. We set up our a game area for children to enjoy and we provide toys, attractions, and other festivities; this is one of the ways we raise money to help support our program”, says Alan Toney, GHS Chair of Festival Involvement. The students also operate a concession station one block west of the Festival grounds, which provides iced tea, lemonade, and ice cold water.
Visitors can look for the Game Land area to support the CAPA program at GHS, but another way to support the program is by buying a Best Book in Town coupon book. CAPA students will be selling the latest edition of the “Best Book in Town” around the festival grounds. For just $22, the books can save individuals much more throughout the year. The coupons include a variety of savings at your favorite restaurants, theatres, and other local attractions all around Memphis. The proceeds not only go to the programs within the fine arts department, but also to the Seth Matthew Rowan Memorial Fund which is used for scholarships and other financial opportunities for students.
The 2017 Germantown Festival Overall Chairmen are Alan Toney, Kyle Bowers, and Rachel Christopherson. For GHS-TV, the Overall Live Coverage Producers are AJ Cocroft and Rodney McKinner. Santeria Pratt and Reyna Katko are the Guest Producers and Meredith Drown and Mackenzie Kuykendoll are this year’s Talent Producers. Live coverage of the 46th Annual Germantown Festival is Sunday, September 10th from 2-5 PM on ghstv.org and Channel 19 in Memphis. For further information, contact the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901) 755-7775 or call GHS-TV at (901) 754-4788.
