Heritage Festival at Arboretum
Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Crosby Arboretum’s Heritage Festival will feature a number of crafts, goods and food that will be for sale.
Groups of children are invited to attend the event, either from public schools or home schooling. Senior Curator Patricia Drackett asks anyone planning to bring a large group of children Friday should pre-register by calling the arboretum at 601-799-2311.
Drackett said 20 exhibitors with 24 booths will be at the event, featuring wood carving, metal working, crocheting, fly fishing, bee keeping, yarn and twine spinning and quilting and storytelling to name a few. Also, there will be individuals there that make dolls out of corn husks.
“Talk about making something out of nothing,” Drackett said. “They are the coolest looking dolls.”
A silent auction will raise funds that will go towards construction of the long-awaited education center, which will take the place of the current visitor’s center. The silent auction will feature items from a number of the exhibitors, such as cross and BBQ utensil made from old railroad spikes, handmade wooden gumbo paddle, a handmade quilt, afghans, cookbook, duck lamp, gift basket, vase from the local arts group, a four-foot cypress swing and a crocheted hat and blanket, Drackett said.
Events for kids, such as the Piney Woods Wildlife Exhibit, will be held all day Friday. The exhibit will feature live and preserved animals. Admission that day will cost $2 per child but adult chaperones will be admitted free.
On Saturday, a number of other events will take place, such as music from local acts. Drackett said the Pearl Strings Dulcimer group will play all day while the Crossties will play at 11 a.m. and the Henleyfield Pickers are scheduled for 2 p.m.