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.)
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”
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.