MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—The America the Beautiful Festival brought people from Orange County and its neighbors to the Port Jervis area on June 13 and 14 to celebrate the semiquincentennial of our nation.
This was the fourth annual America the Beautiful festival, which aims to honor the heroes that protect the United States, such as veterans, people in the military, and first responders, as well as celebrate the nation’s heritage.
The event was sponsored by the U.S. Army, and featured many musicians and artists in a range of performances from folk music to chainsaw carving.
The event was opened by the West Point Military Police Color Guard presenting the colors, and Sgt. Maj. MaryKay Messenger singing the national anthem. She then joined the Little Lotus Academy Children’s Choir to sing “God Bless America.”
Some of the performances on stage at the festival included singer Tayla Rees, The Poor Horsemen band, and the Hillbilly Parade band.
Period arts performer Linda Russell and her group used traditional instruments like the mountain and hammered dulcimers, penny whistle, and even a limberjack to play historic tunes and medleys.
The performances included some local talents like Matt Tullar singing on the guitar and Ziyang Lin on the violin.
Multi-time world champion chainsaw carver Dennis Beach brought his trailer to the festival and gave several live performances of him carving statues of wood while narrating the process to the audience.
Jason and Tony Thatcher from the town of Pine Bush said that they appreciated the music, the crowd, and the good weather at the festival. Tony said that she especially enjoyed the funnel cake fries she got from the food vendor Hooked.
The two met in the Navy during the 90s, and Jason is currently a firefighter for the Bloomingburg Fire Company, and Tony is a licensed massage therapist.
Jason Thatcher told The Epoch Times that he thinks America is beautiful both visually and because of the diversity of its people. “It’s really an amazing thing to go to Texas and be with Texans, and then New Yorkers, and then meeting people from California. And then all across the Midwest. I’m from Iowa, and it’s just the different people, the different cultures, and how they get along.”
“You hear a lot of bad things in the news, but most of the world’s pretty peaceful,“ he said. ”Most of the United States, they get along like this festival here.”
Tony believes that America is beautiful because of its freedom—especially the freedom of religion.
“We’re free to worship our God,” Tony said. “A lot of people here could not do that in their own countries. If they choose to follow Christianity or Jesus, they wouldn’t be able to read a Bible in public.”
Robert Alvarez ran a food stall for his establishment, Hooked, a seafood-focused catering business and restaurant. The restaurant is in Long Island, while the commissary kitchen is located in the Hudson Valley. Alvarez told The Epoch Times that his company is focused on bringing quality food to festivals like this one.
Alvarez said he likes serving at the event, and that, being in its fourth year, it still has room to grow.
“I love everything about it,” Alvarez said. “I do events all over, so you know, to judge one event to another, I think this one, in the early stages, is doing everything that it needs it to do.”
Hooked got involved in the America the Beautiful festival several years ago after Alvarez saw the event while camping in the region. Since then, he has developed a closer partnership with the organizer, James White.
