Sorghum Festival comes to end

After 25 years of appreciating history and syrup, the Old School Sorghum Festival that took place every October in McDaniel has come to an end.

John Matthews, who along with wife Annie, began the festival in 1998, was traveling this week and was not available for comment on the festival’s end. See a more in-depth conversation with him in Wednesday’s Independent.

The Old School at McDaniel Crossroads social media page was site of the announcement of the festival ending earlier this week.

“It is with deep gratitude and affection for our Old School at McDaniel Crossroads community that The Old School Sorghum Festival founders and team member announce that we have decided that our journey as festival hosts and producers has come to an end. We will no longer be putting on The Old School Sorghum Festival each October or hosting our occasional Old School Vintage Marketplace sales events,” the post stated.

The festival began after the Matthews family bought the Old School at McDaniel Crossroads, fixed it up and used it to display the antiques that they had bought.

Throughout the years, people were able to visit the free one-day festival to tour the school, walk through the Vintage Marketplace and scour the vendor lots as they got the chance to enjoy sorghum syrup and other food and drinks provided by vendors. There was also vintage cars and farm equipment on display through the festival.

The festival seemed to grow each year, with a specific display piece featured in the school. In 2023, the festival had quilts and traditional quilt-making be on display while the year before had Allen’s Train Room as the main focus.

While it is unknown why the Old School Sorghum Festival is ending, the Facebook post noted that the founders are not only thankful for the family members and friends who helped put on the festival, but for the vendors who came out each year as well.

”Though we will not be hosting the Old School Sorghum Festival this October, or in years to come, we are forever thankful and blessed by the family members and friends, who are like family, who have faithfully pitched in each year to lend us a hand in this endeavor. Our deepest thanks to each of you for your continued support, we couldn’t have done it without you,” the post wrote. “We have been blessed over the years by amazing OSSF friends, those who have participated as vendors, exhibitors, teachers of old ways, performers and helpers. We are so thankful for your contributions that made the Sorghum Festivals such an enjoyable and educational day for others who have attended over the years.”