Festival of the Bells commemorative throw rugs on sale

While the 2012 Festival of the Bells will not feature a commemorative bell, after the Fenton glass manufacturer in West Virginia went out of business, this year's festival will feature a keepsake throw rug with the former Hillsboro Town Hall building.

The old town hall was located on South High Street at the West Walnut Street intersection. The building was in city service from 1875-1949. This is the same building featured on this year's Festival of the Bells painting by area artist Stacia Burke.

The throws, produced by Mill Street Design of Bridgeport, Pa., will be sold for $50 each. There are 50 available at the festival, but additional coverlets may be ordered by stopping by the information booth during the festival or by contacting any committee member.

This year's festival will be held July 5-7 in Uptown Hillsboro. Cool zones will be set up around the uptown area for festival-goers, should the temperatures remain high later this week.

* * *

• The city will welcome country acts Kip Moore, James Wesley and Hunter Hayes to the 2012 Festival of the Bells.

Moore and Wesley will perform Friday night of the festival, on June 6. Hayes will perform Saturday, July 7.

Wesley, who is originally from southeastern Kansas, with a voice his website describes as "whiskey smooth," released his first album in 1999. His second studio album features the love song "Jackson Hole" and his breakout hit, "Didn't I."

"Kip Moore's big song is 'Somethin' 'Bout a Truck," Rick Williams, chair of the Festival of the Bells entertainment committee, said. "He has another one coming out that's really good, too."

Last month, Moore, who is scheduled to perform during the festival's Friday night concert, had the number one single with "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck," according to the Billboard Hot Country Song Chart and the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart.

Sanctus Real will perform on Thursday, July 5.

For more information, go to www.festivalofthebells.com.