NOLENSVILLE, Tenn. — The Nolensville Buttercup Festival will look different this year.
Long-time coordinators decided they couldn't do it anymore after asking for police help with the vendors and perimeters.
I spoke with the former director who fears the festival’s mission is now in jeopardy.
Not only that but I also found out there’s quite a bit of controversy surrounding the name.
You will get a different answer from anyone if you ask, “What is a buttercup?”
“That’s a sensitive question here in Nolensville. Is it a daffodil what not,” said Itty Bitty Donuts owner, Misty Brown.
“Those are what we called buttercups in the south,” said former Buttercup festival director, Debbie Suttmiller.
“My grandmother called them John Quill’s,” said town manager, Victor Lay.
Nonetheless, the historic district's flagship festival started to wilt.
“People saw the success of it and with success comes problems,” said Suttmiller.
Suttmiller directed the festival for about ten years. She says vendors without permits started to piggyback off the festival.
“What can the festival do for me, instead of what can I do for the festival? It was getting away from the mission,” said Suttmiller.
Without help to police the perimeters, they made the difficult decision to pluck the Buttercup festival from the calendar.
“It was really hard on me. I cried,” said Suttmiller. “It had a meaning it had a mission.”
That mission was to give back: in charity donations and scholarships to the Nolensville community.
Suttmiller says they emptied their bank accounts dedicated towards the next Buttercup Festival.
Instead, they used the money to donate to charities and give away scholarships. They are interested in giving away $2,000 scholarships to deserving applicants.
You can email heather@nolensvilletoyshop.com for more information on the scholarship applications.
With the amount of foot traffic, the Buttercup Festival also helped historic district businesses.
“It’s our busiest time of the year. It’s what it gets us through a good portion of the rest of the year,” said Brown.
“It’s just a big reunion to catch up with people.”
City leaders say they heard the resounding want to keep the festival going. In January, they voted to organize the festival themselves.
“We expect our first year out it may or may not be what it’s been in the past,” said town manager, Victor Lay.
“We have to first see that we have a festival that does break even, that does pay for itself,” he said.
With a bigger focus on the bottom line, Suttmiller worries that Buttercup's original mission is withering.
“To give back that's what the buttercup festival was all about,” said Suttmiller.
“I just want see everyone have a good successful time with it as well as give back to the community and some capacity,” said Brown.
The Buttercup Festival will take place a little later in the year.
It’s currently scheduled for May 3rd.
Nolensville is currently accepting applications for vendors for the Buttercup Festival.
If you have more information about this story, please email me at Amanda.Roberts@newschannel5.com.
