NEW HARMONY, IN (WFIE) -
The cloudy skies didn't keep thousands of people away from the 30th annual Kunstfest on Sunday.
The ordinarily quiet streets of New Harmony were lined with booths this week, highlighting the town's German heritage.
Main Street featured arts and crafts, homemade baked goods, and smoked pulled pork sandwiches. The festival has grown immensely over the years and this year visitors could even pan for their own gold.
14 News spoke with the self-proclaimed 'Goulash Lady' about the turnout at this weekend's fest.
"Business was booming yesterday. We were so busy, the streets were just crowded with people. We sold out of goulash and we had to replenish all of our baked goods. We probably sold 400 or 500 lemon shake-ups yesterday," Sherri Allen, with Friends of New Harmony Park, said.
14 News also spoke with the man behind the famous sandwiches that take more than 18 hours to make.
"We're cooking pulled pork right now. We use the whole pork butt bone in. We smoke them for about 18 hours and then we pull it and make barbeque sandwiches. We make barbeque nacho grandes. We also have smoked pork loin inside there," said Marty Cooper with Smokey Bandits BBQ.
Smokey Bandits Barbeque has been serving up pulled pork sandwiches at the Kunstfest in New Harmony for three years. Arguably the busiest booth of the weekend, Cooper smoked more than 700 pounds of meat to keep up with the demand.
"Yesterday, we managed to empty it in about 5 and a half hours," Cooper said.
Other local food vendors offered traditional favorites like German potatoes and sauerkraut balls.
Sherri Allen, the self-proclaimed 'Goulash Lady' also noticed a larger crowd this year.
"Business was booming yesterday. We were so busy, the streets were just crowded with people. We sold out of goulash and we had to replenish all of our baked goods. We probably sold 400 or 500 lemon shake-ups yesterday," Sherri Allen, with Friends of New Harmony Park, said.
But there was more than just food.
"Kunstfest means art festival. A lot of crafts, a lot of art. We have a lot of ward workers," said Kunstfest organizer, Robin Wrye.
Visitors experienced broom and rope making, basket weaving and pottery demonstrations, as well as being able to tour the six art galleries in New Harmony.
"It's definitely growing. As a matter of fact, we've had several people come wanting to book booths for next year," Wrye said.
If you missed the festival this weekend, a few vendors told me they would have booths at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival coming up during the first week in October.
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The ordinarily quiet streets of New Harmony were lined with booths this week, highlighting the town's German heritage.
