19th Annual Elizabethtown Festival
— The 19th annual Elizabethtown Festival is planned for Sept. 16 at the Moundsville Center, inside the walls of the former West Virginia Penitentiary. The festival celebrates the traditions and customs of the past with bread making, quilt displays, weaving, and many craft items for sale. In 1999, the Moundsville Economic Development Council (MEDC) sponsored the first Elizabethtown Festival celebrating the long-forgotten town Joseph Tomlinson, an Irish immigrant’s son, established in 1738 and named in honor of his wife, Elizabeth. Elizabethtown was the first settlement on the “Flats of Grave Creek” and the Tomlinson family built their dwelling near the site of the Moundsville Middle School. Elizabethtown merged with neighboring Moundsville to become one town in 1866 and on Feb. 23 of that year, the first city officials of the town were named with many family names still local to the area today. The Elizabethtown Festival, originally offered as an 1800s heritage festival, has grown to now include items from the past to the present. Demonstrations of historic trades, food and musical entertainment, along with a cookie and apple pie baking contest, “Anything BUT Chili Soup Contest” and historical memorabilia displays make this event perfect for the entire family. Admission is free! This year, organizers are collaborating with the Uptown Moundsville Activities Committee Fall Festival to hold a large one-day event with a car and motorcycle show. By joining together, the two groups will offer more unique shopping and demonstration opportunities, along with giving locals and travelers more reasons to visit the area. Time for the festival is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. For information or to become a vendor, contact: festival@wvpentours.com or 304-845-6200.
Augusta Folk Arts for Kids “Augusta Explorers”
Augusta Folk Arts for Kids “Augusta Explorers” will take place from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. July 31-Aug. 4 on the Davis & Elkins College campus. Artist Emily Prentice will instruct the class focusing on Appalachian culture and the great outdoors. Class activities will include nature walks, plant identification, weaving, party games, ghost stories, square dancing, printmaking, singing and much more. Augusta Explorers will earn merit badges as they take in all that Augusta has to offer. Registration is open at www.augustaheritagecenter.org. For additional information, call the Augusta Heritage Center at 304-637-1209.
Heritage Day at Adaland
Crafts Demonstrations. Heritage Day at the Barn directs the spotlight on the restored barn where a varied collection of reproductions of equipment and tools owned by Augustus Modisett, builder of the mansion house, are displayed. The Modisett farm was settled in 1807 with the Modisett family living in a double log cabin on the property until the mansion house was built in 1872. A line up of guest demonstrators will share 1800 style heritage skills including the spindle, early farming skills, weaving and spinning, and dulcimer playing. The public is invited to bring their dulcimers and psaltries and play heritage music. Open to the public. Visitors may bring lunch to eat at the barn. Lunches will also be for sale. $10.00 each plus tip.
Sheep to Shawl at Pricketts Fort
Watch how sheep are sheared and then see the various processes involved in preparing wool including carding, spinning and weaving. A shawl will be made at the fort and raffled off on WV Day School tours are welcome on Friday. School Tours: $5.00/student; $6.00/chaperone (one free chaperone admission per each 10 students).