Few people realize it, but Berea, Kentucky, located 40 mi/65 km south of Lexington, was founded as a Utopian colony.
Today, this small college town is the state's foremost center for folk arts and crafts. There are more than 100 artists working in and around the town, and many studios welcome visitors. You can watch craftspeople build dulcimers, craft furniture, create one-of-a-kind Santa figures or observe workers at their handlooms at Churchill or Fireside Weavers. A score of galleries display Appalachian crafts (cornshuck dolls, rag rugs, quilts, baskets), and Berea is also prime territory for antiquing, with a dozen antiques malls along Chestnut Street.
Founded in 1855, Berea College was created as a model for an integrated world, and was the only such college in the South for nearly 40 years. Today the school provides a full-tuition scholarship to every student, admitting only low-income students. All those attending are required to work 10-15 hours per week to defray a portion of their educational expenses. The college has students from more than 60 countries and many faiths and is continually ranked as one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the nation.
The Kentucky Artisan Center, just off Interstate 75, is part museum and part gift shop where high-quality arts and crafts are sold. There's also a cafe serving Kentucky specialties. While you're there, pick up a copy of the brochure and map of the Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails, a series of driving tours to studios and galleries.
Don't miss the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fair if you are in Berea in May or October, or the Berea Craft Festival in mid-July. The Historic Boone Tavern restaurant and hotel is known for its fabulous regional cuisine, including some of the best southern fried chicken to be found anywhere.
South of Berea is Renfro Valley, where Kentucky's version of the Grand Ole Opry made its radio debut in 1939. The Renfro Valley Barn Dance and the Sunday Morning Gatherin' were produced and performed by local Kentuckians who touched the nation with their authentic renditions of heartland music. Today the show goes on: The Barn Dance is on Friday and Saturday nights March-November, and the Sunday Morning Gatherin' is—when else?—on Sunday morning.
Other performances take place during the week, especially in the peak season, May-October. There are also concerts by big-name country and bluegrass acts. The Daniel Boone National Forest lies just to the east of Renfro Valley.
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