The Barberville Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts in Barberville, Florida is a tiny place. It’s hard to even call it a real place. It’s kind of like a tangible memory preserved in time – a complete, self-contained artistic settlement comprised of area structures dating from the late nineteenth century. Rustic, but excellently preserved buildings include a schoolhouse, a church, a post office, a train depot, a blacksmith shop, a barn, and more. Gardens, livestock, and a raucous population of peacocks also share the space. And at least twice a year, the settlement becomes the weekend home of a folk music festival. Sound Traveler has just returned from participating in the 2011 Spring Frolic at Barberville, and we’re still smiling from the memories.

One of the great things about a folk festival is that you get to see a lot of your old friends. The friends range in age from pre-teens to senior citizens, but they are all old friends just the same. Old music friends greet each other with smiles, shouts, hugs, laughs, and songs whenever they meet. Some of our friends may have only recently come to know us, but they’re still our old friends. We’ve recently met people such as Carolyn, Dell, Hank, Brian and many others whose names may not have even been exchanged – but we’re old friends. We all share some things in common – we love music, we cherish memories, and we’re willing to break away from electronic gadgets and gizmos long enough to spend some time together.

For a little while, at Barberville, you can begin to believe that the life is not primarily what we watch on TV or experience on the internet. Rather, you can embrace the notion that there are things worth thinking about, relationships worth forming and preserving, and artistic expression available to each of us.

Sound Traveler again thanks Joe and Katie Waller for sponsoring the Barberville Spring Frolic – because someone needs to have a vision and to act on that vision. We all benefit from that! – Bob Tatum

We had a great time at Gatorland yesterday. I will have to tell you more about that in a future post. Just as a teaser, we have found out where Chester went! Sound Traveler is looking forward to playing at Patty and Scott’s wedding this coming weekend.
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4 Comments to “SongTravelin’: 04.18.11 – Barberville Spring Frolic and Getting Together with New Old Friends”

• April 18, 2011 at 9:48 am
  Libby says:

  Sounds like a good weekend.
• April 19, 2011 at 11:00 am
  Art says:

  Sorry we didn’t get to join you at the Spring Frolic this year. Too many other things needed to be done last weekend to be able too get away and just enjoy life. Glad you had a good time. Joe and Katie sure do a great service for us all by sponsoring that festival.
  Can’t wait to hear about Gator Land and the further adventures of Chester.
• April 19, 2011 at 2:48 pm
  Patty says:

  Yeah, there’s something about Barberville that keeps us coming back year after year.

  Maybe it’s that Joe & Katie believed in us enough to put us on the schedule when we were not even Sound Traveler, just Bob & Patty.

  Maybe it’s the memory of the mini-Tatumpalooza the year that Bob was visiting from NC and we performed for many family members.

  Maybe it’s watching all the kids actually enjoy dancing with each other and the not-so-young kids.

  Maybe it’s remembering the times I went to Barberville alone, knowing that I wouldn’t be alone for long, because I can’t walk in that park for 10 feet before stopping to talk with friends along the way.

  Maybe it’s introducing my family to my music “family”.

  Maybe it’s laughing at the memory of the crazy peacocks who happily sing along to everything.

  Or maybe it’s just everything about it. Thanks, Barberville. Thanks, Joe & Katie, for creating this gift for everyone to enjoy. See you next time!
• April 19, 2011 at 3:03 pm
  Bob says:

  Patty, what a beautiful response! And thank you for introducing Barberville to me.