THE SHOALS– The Music Preservation Society, Inc. Board (MPS) is proud of the 2025 official design for
the W.C. Handy Music Festival which was created by talented artist Missy Miles! The design can already
be seen on the Festival website at www.WCHandyMusicFestival.com and will also be featured on official
Handy Festival t-shirts, posters, brochures, website, and social media.
This year’s winning design by the very talented Missy Miles. Her art depicts the Tennessee River with
wavy blue lines. It also pays homage to the Festival’s namesake, and the challenges face by W.C. Handy
himself with her use of braille to spell the word “Blues”. Missy says, “It is a high honor being able to
design something for a great man.”
The poster signing will be held on July 14 from 11am until 1pm at Keeper’s Korner Rocks and Oddities,
103 Simpson Street in Florence. Mrs. Miles will autograph a limited number of the posters that day, and
will be on hand to greet visitors who wish to request specific poster numbers.
This year’s 44 th W.C. Handy Festival design will also be featured on the 2025 brochures which will be
available at Handy Headquarters, in the Southall Moore House 215 East Tuscaloosa Street, directly across
Tuscaloosa Street from Wilson Park in Florence. Pick up brochures inside, or on the porch after closing.
The t-shirts will be printed on one color for public sale, with other options for Handy Hosts, sponsors, and
staff. Those will be on sale, along with signed and unsigned posters and other concession items at Handy
Headquarters. More information about the Handy Festival can be found at WCHandyMusicFestival.com
or by using a QR Code seen on the official posters.
Media Release/Tori Bailey, Chair/W.C. Handy Festival
