|
|
||
Top picks for out-of-town activities Date published: 9/17/2009
By PEGGY CARLSON This weekend you can drive north or south, and either way leave the 21st century behind and step back in time. To the north, the Mount Vernon 18th-century Craft Fair will take place Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This popular event re-creates an early American marketplace, and includes demonstrations by costumed interpreters, crafts and enter-tainment--all done 18th-century-style. More than 40 juried artisans and crafters will show off their trade and sell their work. Period amusements include "Mr. Bayly, Conjuring and Entertainments," "Signora Bella, Equilibrist," "Otto the Sword Swallower" and more. Concession stands will sell fair snacks and food items. A limited number of free Potomac River sightseeing cruises will be available. Admission to the fair is included in regular Mount Vernon tickets, which run $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and $7 for children ages 6-11 when accompanied by an adult. Children under 5 are admitted free. For details call 703/780-2000 or go to visit.mountver non.org. Heading south, to Goochland County, you will find the Field Day of the Past. The show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and has a schedule jam-packed with live entertainment, demonstrations, exhibits, festival food and more. There will be a special appearance by Grace the mule, fresh from her success winning "America's Ultimate Horse Idol" competition in Richmond last year--and not putting on airs despite her role in the upcoming movie, "Get Low," with Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray. Visitors won't want to miss Robinson's Racing Pigs, Foster's Trick Mule or the truck and tractor pulls. There will also be live musical entertainment, equestrian events, and 4-H exhibits. Several permanent structures at the field day add to the ambience and the sense of going back in time, including Springfield Baptist Church, an African-American church dating back to 1887; an old ice house; the Short Pump Grocery and Short Pump Garage, built in the 1930s; Rocketts Voting Precinct from the early 1900s; a Pullman Railroad Car and RF&P Caboose; as well as a tobacco barn, period homestead, smokehouse, fire tower, corn crib sawmill complex, water tower, cook shanty, blacksmith shop and more. The Field Day of the Past show grounds are located at the intersection of State Route 623, Ashland Road, and State Route 622 in Goochland County, off of Interstate 64, exit 173, (Rockville-Manakin) south. General admission tickets are $10 a day for adults; children 12 and younger are admitted free. Senior citizens are admitted for $8. Two and three-day passes are available. For details call 804/741-8468 or visit fielddayofthepast.net.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
|||||||||||||
