Powers
Sale Special rd Ya Your 6-line ad for 3 days is only
August 28, 2013
$9
99
MyConnection Published every Wednesday and delivered free by The Newnan Times-Herald
Check Out the Classifieds on Page 7
per day!
*Deadline noon on Friday the week prior to your sale.
in The Newnan Times-Herald and on times-herald.com for FREE! Call 770-253-1576 or email classifieds@newnan.com
Labor Day Weekend
Powers Festival looking to 43rd annual for 2013 By Sarah Fay Campbell sarah@newnan.com
I
n Coweta County, for the past 42 years, Labor Day weekend has meant the Powers Festival, with arts and crafts, fun, food and entertainment. The 43rd annual festival runs Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. off Highway 34 West between Newnan and Franklin. It features high quality arts and crafts, with only handmade items allowed. The food has changed a lot over the years, and commercial food vendors were brought in a few years ago to expand the offerings. "We've upgraded the food," said Amy Lane of Powers Pavilion, the new name for the festival grounds. We've been able to try all these vendors now, so we're only inviting back the ones that are awesome." This is the second Labor Day weekend Powers Festival since operation of the festival and grounds was turned over to a management company. Coweta
Festivals, Inc., the group of five non-profits that has owned and run the festival for most of its history, still is the owner, but isn't as involved in the operations. Coweta Festivals gets a portion of the proceeds from events held at the property. Lane said they've worked hard to only have quality, handmade items at the festival. "We thoroughly go through every application" to make sure no "buy-sell" items slip in, Lane said. In addition to the arts and crafts, there will be some gourmet packaged food vendors and farm-fresh produce. There will also be a blacksmith, pony rides and a petting zoo from Jubilee Farms, and plenty of small carnival-type rides for the kids. Last year, the Powers Pavilion management group brought in some carnival style rides for the kids, and they were a big hit, so that aspect is being expanded. There will also be a zip line, water walkers, monkey bungee, moon walks and more. Entertainment has become a bigger part of the festival since
Mark Turnham of Xcessive Sound started being in charge of it. In addition to the main stage, there are smaller stages near the vendors, so there will be live music all three days. Among the performers for the 2013 Labor Day weekend festival is duo R & R — Riley and Rebecca. Riley Yeilding will be featured on a side stage throughout the entire weekend festival. He also makes custom handcrafted guitars that are for sale. Some other music lined up for the 43rd annual festival: Neil Cribbs, Kris Youmans, Paige McCauley, Sweet Grass Sally, Brushfire Bluegrass, 3 Buck Shy, Kat Lewis, George Applegate and the Saltwater Band, and Captain Stab and Maybelle. Adult admission for the Powers Festival is $7. Children 6 and under are admitted free, and tickets for seniors 55 and older are $5. Coupons will be available to turn one day’s admission into a threeday pass.
i n s i de
43rd A Powers Fnnual estival ➤
Phyllis Graham of Let them Eat Toffee in downtown Newnan will be among local vendors at the 43rd annual Powers Festival.
Powers Festival has been supplying arts, crafts, food, fun, and entertainment for 43 years. For more information, visit www.powerspavilion.com or call 770-253-2011.
Self-professed ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ brings smiles, roses and his unique style to downtown Newnan
Me e t
Mr. Personality
By Bradley Hartsell bradley@newnan.com
Y
ou’ve seen h i m da nci n g on t he cor ner of LaGrange and West Broad. Or passing out roses while strolling dow n the Cour t Square. He’s Mr. Personality, Newnan’s self-professed “Goodwill Ambassador.” Ma ny have wondered about Mr. Personality — his origins, his motives. Though he’s downtown every day, wavi ng a nd da nci ng, a nd willing to talk to anybody, Mr. Personality has remained somewhat of an enigma. So who is he? Who is the man who dances with a cane, a rose in his mouth? Mr. Personality is William Odell Crenshaw. He came to Georgia by way of Florida, where he lived for 20 years. He ser ved 14 yea rs as a n Army supply sergeant, going all over the world from Germany to Korea. The moniker “Mr. Personality” began as a wry joke in 1995. He says “Mr. Butthead” would have been more apt back then. He claims he was insensitive and conceited, prone to making jokes at others’ expense and over vices such as smoking and profanity. He had a friend he asked to make him a “Mr. Personality” button purely out of fun. Mr. Personality began to sense his off-putting ways and thought, “What if I really was Mr. Personality?” What ensued was a slow transformation from William Odell Crenshaw and into the fullon Goodwill Ambassador. He explains that the name tel ls you what you ca n expect. If he went around using profanity, he points out, that wouldn’t be “Mr. Personality.” Nor would he be “Mr. Personality” if he were to gossip. Most people
see things in shades of grey, but Mr. Personality says he now sees things in black and white, which makes it easier for him to identity the proper way to behave and present himself. “I call myself Mr. Personality, because I’ve given that name to my highest self. And I want to be my highest self 24/7,” he explains. “By putting the name tag on, I can stay focused on being Mr. Personality as opposed to being William O., because Willia m O. ca n get in trouble.” “If I do everything according to Mr. Personality, I’m a much better person.” Mr. Personality worked as a night watchman at a motel in Florida until the motel owner retired, but he kept his uniform. Inspired by his sister’s advice, he moved to Georgia in January. He first moved to Fayetteville, dressed in a dapper khaki outfit with a derby. H e m a d e t h e m ove to Newnan in April because it was closer to his VA clinic, but he soon found Newnan more of a natural home. “This place is wonderful. Everybody is nice, friendly,” he says of Newnan. “I made friends here real quick.” Since coming to Newnan, Mr. Personality, who celebrated his 64th birthday on Aug. 5, has dressed in his patented black dress clothes and top hat, red cumberbun and corsage. He’s well-spoken and can reach for twodollar words when he wants. He waxes philosophical and carries scholarly texts (this day, he’s reading “The Inner West: A n Introduction to the Hidden Wisdom of the West”). Copies of his allegorical poem “The Bus” have made their rounds around town.
PAGES 6 -8
Elegant
ENTERAINING WITH BOLD FLAVORS
i n s i de
Elegant E
ntertainin g Recipes
➤
PAGE 4
Pan Seared Rib Eye with Balsamic Glaze and Crispy Salted Potato Wedges
Goat Cheese Crostini with Grilled Peaches, Serrano Ham and Marcona Almonds
Family Features
Mr. Personality — William Odell Crenshaw — is Newnan’s selfprofessed “Goodwill Ambassador.”
“I’m on a really big, wonMr. Personality dedicates himself to ma king people derful adventure now.” He passes out a rose once a smile and brightening their week to a woman he “senses” day. “I believe it’s a calling, in a way. I’m making people MR. PERSONALITY, page 8 happy, people are smiling.”
Entertaining is easy with simple, crowd-pleasing recipes from light bites to sweet delights that require almost no time in the kitchen. Invite over a few of your closest friends, heat up the grill and set out your favorite wines for a truly memorable outdoor dinner party. Select simple recipes that can be prepared ahead of time and quickly seared on the grill once your guests have arrived. Everyone will enjoy the food and you’ll love that you’re not trapped in the kitchen. Prep, chop and marinate everything then store it all in containers. Ma ke the occasion truly spe ci a l by be g i n n i n g t he
Red Wine and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
fe st iv itie s at su ndow n to take advantage of the cooler breezes and beautiful sunset. Line the tables with a row of small candles, hang sparkling white lights from the trees and put on your favorite music. Your guests may never want to leave.