2013 Townsend TN Spring Festival and Old Timers Day

This is Townsend’s week – the annual Spring Festival and Old Timers Day, May 3 and 4, 2013! It’s that time of year when bluegrass, clogging, arts and crafts, BBQ, storytelling, and wildflower walks, all come together in harmony and at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains in Townsend, Tennessee.

As always, the Townsend Spring Festival promises to be a weekend packed with events, and to everyone’s delight, great food. Check out the schedule of events including band lineup, food vendors, craft vendors, demonstrators, authors and other activities so that you don’t miss out on your favorite things that early May weekend.

SPRING FESTIVAL BAND SCHEDULE:

Friday, May 3

11am – CLOGGING LESSONS
Noon – PLEASANT VALLEY BOYS
12:40pm – BLACKBERRY JAM
1:20pm – NOTCHEY CREEK
2pm – CAROLINA BLUEGRASS
2:40pm – JAY TIPTON BAND
3:20pm – ROCKY RIVER
4pm – LARRY HOBBS
4:40pm – APPALACHIAN BLUEGRASS
5:20pm – CAROLINA BACK ROADS
5:50pm – STEVE JORDAN BAND
6:20pm – MIKE CLEMMER DULCIMER
6:30pm – SOUTH OF THE RIVER BOYS
7:05pm – BLACKBERRY JAM
7:40pm – WALKING IN TRADITION
8:15pm – CAROLINA BLUE GRASS
8:50pm – NOTCHEY CREEK
9:20pm – CLOSE OUT BAND

Saturday, May 4

11:30am – BLACKBERRY JAM
Noon – BLUE STREAKS
12:30pm – WILSON FAMILY
1pm – NOTCHEY CREEK
1:40pm – CAROLINA BLUE GRASS
2:20pm – JAY TIPTON BAND
3pm – STEVE JORDAN BAND
3:35pm – LARRY HOBBS AND COMPANY
4:05pm – THANKFUL HEART
4:35pm – CATOOSA CANYON
5:10pm – SOUTH OF THE RIVER BOYS
5:45pm – MIKE CLEMMER
5:55pm – INGRAM FAMILY
6:25pm – BLACKBERRY JAM
7pm – CAROLINA BACK ROADS
7:30pm – NOTCHEY CREEK
8:10pm – SQUARE DANCE
8:40pm – WALKING IN TRADITION
9:15pm – CLOSE OUT BAND

FOOD VENDORS:

A.J.’s Concessions – Polish sausage, funnel cakes, bloomin’ onion, cheesecake, ribbon fries, Philly cheese steak, chicken tenders, hot wings, french fries, frozen dipt’ banana

Gary Gray Shaved Ice – New Orleans style shaved ice

Foothills Smokers/Marc Horton – Pulled pork BBQ, chicken, ribs, cole slaw, chips

Hearts and Hands – Baked Goods: Homemade cookies, cakes, pies-all donated, packaged

Toby’s Kettle Corn – Kettle corn, caramel apple slices, pork rinds, cotton candy

Karns Community Club – Homemade ice cream

Nana’s Kitchen – Pucker powder candy art

Crockett Creek Muscadine Juice

Nonnie’s Fried Pies

On Site Demonstrators
Blacksmithing – Hugh Bowie
Cornmeal Making – Ronald & Angel Fowler
Beekeeping – Tony & Vernell Holt
Blount County Beekeeping Association – Howard Kerr
White Oak Shingle Making – Sam White
Weaving – Cherokee finger – Charaity Hubbard
Sorghum Molasses – Mark & Sherry Guenther
Antique Weapons Display – David Daily

Exhibit Room
Rug Hooking – Carol McBride
Woodcarving – Lendel Abbott
Quilting – Maetta Conrad, Ila Mae Morton, Marcella Emrick
Charcoal & Pencil Artist – Andy England

Other Activities
Old Harp Singers – Saturday 3:30–5 p.m. in front of Center
Black Bear Education Center & Electric Vehicle Display – Bob Harris In front of Center
Model A Club – Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in front of Center
Appalachian Bear Rescue – Kathy Sherrard
Appalachian Church Replica and children’s story telling – Sponsored by CHilhowee ARea Ministries
Children’s Area/Games – Days Gone By Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Back Field
Cades Cove Preservation – Meet descendants of Cades Cove
Picking throughout the Grounds – Dedicated tents for Jammer’s
Antique Tractors

Authors: Friday & Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Dr. Lin Stepp – “Second Hand Rose”
Roy Oliver – “The Last Man From Tremont”

Craft Vendors
Appalachian Creations — Danielle Barton
Barry Spruce Photography — Barry Spruce
Baskets & Bowls — Sally Spista
Bearly Baskets — Linda Smith
Bill’s Log Cabin Lamps — Bill Fannin
Bowls & Quilts — Leona & Dalton Jones
Carol Erikson Photography — Carol Erikson
Clay, Wood, Paper — Susan Coe, JoLynn Matthews
Common Sense Candles — Angela Casavant
Martha Crow
Danny Young Photography — Danny Young
Debbie Toney Art — Debbie Toney
Freaks, Inc. — Parker Pressnell, Stacie Huckabe
Greystone Arts — Ken Kant
In The Stix Studio — Sandra Byrne
In The Wild — Jamie Palo and Amber Prakshot
Judy’s Beaded Beauties — Judy Fritts
Lodge Cast Iron — James Lamphier
Love Lies Beading — Renee Parrott
Deborah Lundgren
Maxine Falls Art — Maxine Falls
Mountain Arts — Kevin Reed
Mountain Works — Frankie & Leo Edwards
Natural Affinity Soap — Denisea Mann
Oils by Sharon — Sharon Schoenfeld
Perry’s Woodcraft — Herbert A. Perry
Perspective Unique Photography — Sheila Floyd
Rebecca Hiatt Photography — Rebecca & Jeffrey Hiatt
Rick Kratz Photography — Rick Kratz
Rockytopbob Wood Designs — Robert Law
Sarah B. Weber Fine Art — Sarah Weber
Jean Shamblin
Sing’s Wood Crafts — Steve Sing
T.H.E. Pearl Pagoda — Hui Malkowski
The Amber Lady — Sandra Jaqua
TheLicensePlateMan — Steve Russell
Thomas Pottery Gallery — Larry & Caroline Thomas
Unique & Classy Jewelry — Bobbie Finger
Village Artworks — Corinne Coley
Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop — Mike Clemmer
WoodsbyTom — Tom Sciple

Old Timers Day, Cades Cove
Celebrate the heritage and culture of Cades Cove with the Cades Cove Preservation Association at Old Timers Day at the Cable Mill visitors center. Former residents will speak of growing up and living in this historic valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while musicians play historic mountain music around the lawn at the Mill area. The CCPA will also have historic exhibits and photographs of homesteads that populated the valley.

Take a FREE Townsend Shuttle

Buses, donated from the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, will run from the Heritage Center to Trillium Cove to Little River Railroad Museum to the Townsend Visitors Center and back to the Heritage Center. One bus will run from 10:30 am to 6 pm and a second from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, both days. Two buses will be in operation from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm each day. The last bus will leave the Townsend Visitor Center at 6 pm and return to the Heritage Center, on both Friday and Saturday.

The Spring Heritage Festival and Old Timer’s Day is the first of a few Heritage Days held each year in Townsend, TN. For a complete list of goings-on in Townsend, check out the calendar of events, as well as Townsend cabins if you’re gonna be here for the entire weekend.

Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day

This is Townsend’s week – the annual Spring Festival and Old Timers Day, May 4 and 5, 2012! It’s that time of year when bluegrass, clogging, arts and crafts, BBQ, storytelling, and wildflower walks, all come together in harmony and at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains.

On Friday, May 4 at 7:30pm join us for a free concert featuring a young bluegrass band, performing at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.

Tentative Schedule: (Subject to change.)

Friday, May 4:

9-11am: Wildflower Walk on Chestnut Top Trail with Tom Harrington; limit 15 (call 865-448-6134 to reserve a spot). Meet at the Trailhead at the “Y”.

9am-5pm: Featured Authors and Booksignings

10am: Hedgewood Gardens Tour. Meet at Hedgewood Gardens on Bethel Church Rd.

1:30-3:30pm: Wildflower Walk on Chestnut Top Trail with Tom Harrington; limit 15 (call 865-448-6134 to reserve a spot) Meet at the Trailhead at the “Y”.

2pm: Hedgewood Gardens Tour. Meet at Hedgewood Gardens on Bethel Church Rd.

6:30pm: Knoxville Pipes and Drums Concert and Parade: Highland music in celebration of Scottish heritage. Visitors Center

7:30pm Concert: Special entertainment at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.

Other festival events and goings on:
– Bluegrass Music on the stage from 12:00pm-until 10:00pm, and pickin’ on the porch and in the grove.
– Arts and Crafts Booths in the back field from 10am-6pm
– BBQ vendors, ice cream, specialty sandwiches, hot dog booths, kettle corn, and other good food.
– Cake Raffles and Bake Sale for Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund at 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm.

Artisan Demonstrations in the Exhibit Room from 9am-5pm
– Basketry: Karen Kenst and Bonny Kate Sugg
– Woodcarving: Lendel Abbott
– Quilting: Maetta Conrad and Marcella Emrick
– Rug Hooking: Carol McBride
– Spinning and Weaving: Sue Mason
– Spinning on the Great Wheel: Dale Liles
– Charcoal/Pencil Art: Andy England

Old Fashioned and Portrait Photos around the grounds with Mary Grace and Bud McCaffery.
Family Art Fair: Arts activities led by Townsend Artisan Guild from 9:00am-5:00pm. Storytelling Tent
Pottery Demonstrations: Hand building and wheel-throwing with Carol Ware. Storytelling Tent

Appalachian Demonstrations around the grounds
Mountain Berry Basket Making and Poetry: Bill Alexander
Bee Keeping and Bee Hive Observation: Tony Holt
Cornmeal Making: Ronald Fowler
Oak shingle-making: Sam White
Cades Cove Preservation Association Exhibits
Appalachian Bear Center activity Booth

 

Saturday, May 5: “Old Timers Day”

Bill Leistner, a festival favorite, dmeonstrates how to drink from a moonshine jug.

10am-5pm: Old Fashioned Kid’s Games. Behind the Visitors Center.

10am: Hedgewood Gardens Tour. Meet at Hedgewood Gardens on Bethel Church Rd.

11am-7pm: Demonstrations of Cast Iron Cooking by members of Blount County Fire Protection District. Corn bread, biscuits, beans, greens, cobbler.

9am-5pm: Featured Author and Booksigning: Roy Oliver, Last Man from Tremont

2pm: Hedgewood Gardens Tour. Meet at Hedgewood Gardens on Bethel Church Rd.

2-5pm: Young Pickers Talent Contest. Bluegrass music contest for musicians18 years of age and under. Held at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center. Call 865-448-6134 for entry forms.

1-3pm: Storytelling Program.  Lendel Abbott and Mistress of Ceremony Robin Goddard. Storytelling Tent.

3:30-5pm: Old Harp Sing: Shape note music with the East Tennessee Old Harp Singers in the Storytelling Tent.

8pm: Square Dance with caller Don Tipton and music by the Carolina Bluegrass Boys. Stage.

Other festival events and goings on:
Bluegrass Music on the stage from 12:00pm-until 10:00pm, and pickin’ on the porch and in the grove
Arts and Crafts Booths in the back field from 10am-6pm
BBQ vendors, ice cream, specialty sandwiches, hot dog booths, kettle corn, and other good food
Cake Raffles and Bake Sale for Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund

Artisan Demonstrations in the Exhibit Room from 9am-5pm
Basketry: Karen Kenst and Bonny Kate Sugg
Woodcarving: Lendel Abbott
Quilting: Maetta Conrad and Marcella Emrick
Rug Hooking: Carol McBride
Spinning and Weaving: Sue Mason
Spinning on the Great Wheel: Dale Liles
Charcoal/Pencil Art: Andy England

Old Fashioned and Portrait Photos in front of the hearth with Mary Grace and Bud McCaffery
Pottery Demonstrations: Hand building and wheel-throwing with Carol Ware. In the Storytelling Tent from 9:am-12:00noon.

Appalachian Demonstrations around the grounds
Mountain Berry Basket Making and Poetry: Bill Alexander
Bee Keeping and Bee Hive Observation: Tony Holt
Cornmeal Making: Ronald Fowler
Oak shingle-making: Sam White
Cades Cove Preservation Association Exhibits
Appalachian Bear Center activity Booth

The Young Pickers Talent Contest
Saturday afternoon May 5

New Location: Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

Young bluegrass musicians: Compete in the Young Pickers Contest May 5!
For information, call the Townsend Visitors Center at 865-448-6134.

The Spring Heritage Festival and Old Timer’s Day is the first of a few Heritage Days held each year in Townsend, TN. For a complete list of goings-on in Townsend, check out the calendar of events, as well as Townsend cabins if you’re gonna be here for the entire weekend.