Tenth Annual Spring Planting Festival

Date: March 15, 2010
Contact: Sue Duncan, 423.569.9778

Blacksmithing demonstration at Laura Blevins Farmstead

NPS

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will host the Tenth Annual Spring Planting Day Celebration on Saturday, April 24, 2010.  The event will take place in the areas adjacent to the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and the Lora Blevins home place from 9:00 a.m. EDT until 4:00 p.m. EDT.

The festival will be held at both the open areas near the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and at the Lora Blevins homestead in order to continue to preserve the historic landscape of the homestead site.

Bandy Creek demonstrations include quilting, flint knapping, woodcarving, chair caning, soap making, basket weaving, hand spinning yarn and chicken scratch embroidery.  The Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club will perform throughout the day.  As a special attraction, antique tractors and farm equipment will be displayed in the field just across from the Visitor Center.

Demonstrations scheduled for the Blevins farmstead include blacksmithing, plowing with mule and horse teams, planting sorghum seed, and making fence palings.  Children of all ages will be delighted to see various farm animals at the barn.  Other displays at the farm include herbs and their uses and historic photographs of people who once lived in Big South Fork.

The Spring Planting Festival was begun in April of 2001 as a celebration of spring and as a cooperative effort involving our local park communities and neighbors.  Visitors have an opportunity to see a bit of our ancestors’ way of living. 

Visitors may park in the parking lots across from the Bandy Creek Visitor Center.  Transportation to the Laura Blevins homestead will be available.  Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day.  Food will also be available for sale through a vendor.  The park is seeking requests from groups or individuals to provide food for the event.  Public health requirements will be in effect for anyone serving food and drink at the event.  Only one group or individual will be selected as a food vendor for this event.  Please contact Chief Ranger Frank Graham at 423-569-2404, ext. 263, by April 2, 2010, for more details.

Join park staff and volunteers as they demonstrate traditional crafts and skills associated with farm life and chores.  The event is free of charge and open to the public, however, the festival may be canceled in the event of inclement weather.

For further information, call Bandy Creek Visitor Center at 423-286-7275 or visit the parks website.