Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505090046
SECTION: DISCOVER NRV PAGE: DNRV-65 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Fun time.
From the first warm days of spring to the nippy days of autumn, festivals and fairs bring folks together for country cooking, mountain music, ethnic cuisine, fine arts and other pleasures.
The community fetes take place all around the valley, so it's just a hop, skip and jump to fun.
You can walk through the world on the streets of Blacksburg at the International Street Fair. The fair is held the first weekend in April every year in downtown Blacksburg. It kicks off a whole week of festivities celebrating the rich cultural diversity within the university community.
Sponsored by Virginia Tech's Council of International Student Organizations and the Cranwell International Center, the street festival offers a colorful afternoon of cultural displays, information booths, ethnic foods and games from around the world.
For details about the street festival or any of the activities associated with International Week, call Darlene Grega at 231-6527.
Coal Miners Heritage Day, an annual celebration honoring Montgomery County coal miners and their families, is held in April at the McCoy Community Ballfield west of Blacksburg. Locally, April 18 is recognized as Coal Miners Memorial Day in observance of the anniversary of a 1946 explosion that killed 12 miners in McCoy.
The Heritage Day celebration features mining exhibits, historical programs and ceremonies. It's also a day when members of the community kick up their heels as they laud their Appalachian culture. Mountain music performances, gospel singing, down-home cooking and storytelling are part of the day's activities.
For more information, call Jimmie Lee Price, president of the Miners Heritage Association, at 951-2321.
The Barter Faire, a biannual event in Floyd County, is a country life festival bringing longtime neighbors and newcomers together to buy, sell and trade.
The first festival is held in early May; the second takes place each October in Floyd County.
In addition to yard sales, crafts and activities for children, there's always lots of good eating at the Barter Faire.
The event benefits the Blue Mountain School, a parent cooperative school in Floyd County, and the CERC Museletter, a nonprofit community journal published each month. For more information, call Katherine Delauney at 745-2708.
Summer Arts Festival '95, a joint effort of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg, begins in late May and continues into the summer. Events include theatrical productions, films, gallery shows and outdoor concerts.
The Blacksburg Community Band will kick off the festival with a concert May 26. The free concerts will be held each Friday through July 28 on the lawn at Henderson Hall. Music lovers are encouraged to bring supper and a blanket to spread out under the summer sky for a relaxing evening of picnics and melodies.
For more information, call Jane Harrison at Virginia Tech, 231-5921.
Chateau Morrisette Jazz Festivals take place the second Saturday of every month, starting June 10 and running through October. Cool jazz, wine tasting, winery tours and outdoor food vendors - that's what you'll find at this picturesque spot off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd.
The cost is $7 per person over age 21 and includes music, a winery tour, a wine glass and the wine tasting. Call 593-2865 for details.
The annual Pearisburg Festival Around Town in Giles County is June 17. Bring the whole family to the Pearisburg Municipal Field at the former King Johnston School for games, live performances, arts and crafts booths and plenty of homemade food.
The Pearisburg Business and Community Association puts on the festival each year. For more information, call Carol Lavender at 921-2955.
All aboard! Depot Day is the big new festival in Pulaski. The event got such an enthusiastic welcome when it started last year, it's back for a second run this year on June 24.
Held at the Pulaski Railway Station and Jackson Park in downtown Pulaski, Depot Day runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Railroad buffs will linger over the memorabilia and exhibits, including genuine Norfolk Southern passenger and dining cars.
Other attractions include a rubber duck race, jugglers, magicians, children's activities, a volleyball tournament, crafts, music and food.
After the excitement at the train station, you can head for Pulaski's Calfee Park. Cimmaron, a popular local country rock band, will open the show for the nationally known Bellamy Brothers, performing that evening.
The event is put on by Pulaski with help from several corporate sponsors. For more information, call Joyce Loney at 674-1349.
Looking for hot fun in the summertime? Look to the New River Valley Fair, the valley's hottest event of the season.
The 1995 fair runs from July 31 through Aug. 5 at the New River Valley Fairgrounds in Dublin. In addition to the All-American Midway with carnival rides and games, the event offers the traditional country fair exhibits. It's also a popular drawing card for some big names in country and western music.
Ricky Skaggs headlines this year's entertainment lineup. The Charlie Daniels Band and newcomer Ken Mellons ("Jukebox Junkie") will perform, too. For the first time, advance reserved chair seating will be available for the concerts.
Attractions include the Toyota Hollywood Stunt Show, the Nationwide Demolition Derby, a horse pull and a puppet show.
For more information, call Bud Walsh at 674-1548, or write c/o The New River Valley Fair, P.O. Box 595, Newbern, Va. 24126.
The annual Steppin' Out festival in downtown Blacksburg is always a popular draw. This year the activities will take place Aug. 4 and 5 on College Avenue, Jackson Street and a portion of Draper Road.
Steppin' Out features live entertainment, children's activities, local crafts, art exhibits and gourmet food booths.
The Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg, sponsor of the festival, sells an annual edition of the Steppin' Out T-shirt. The whimsical designs on the shirts are delightfully different each year.
For more information, call Mary Riley at Mainstreet Bazaar, 951-4200, or write to the Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg Inc., P.O. Box 233, Blacksburg, Va. 24063.
The Newport Agricultural Fair celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The oldest agricultural fair in the state, it's set for Aug. 11 and 12 at the recreation center in Newport, just west of Blacksburg.
The fair features one of the largest flower shows in the area, as well as livestock and produce, baked goods, arts and crafts. Special events include a horse pull and jousting contest.
For details, call Ron Holdren at Ron's Stop 'N Shop, 626-7155.
In Radford, Septemberfest begins with a community social on Sept. 8. An evening of wine tasting, food sampling and live jazz music is on tap.
The fun continues Sept. 9, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a street festival in the center of the city on Norwood Street. Musical entertainment, arts and crafts, food vendors, carnival games and more await you there.
Main Street Radford puts on the Septemberfest celebration. Students and organizations from Radford University participate in the lively event.
Call Bud Jeffries at 731-3656 for details.
When the leaves are turning red and gold, it's time for Christiansburg's Wilderness Trail Festival. The Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of the event, has set this year's festival for Sept. 16.
Colorful displays of arts and crafts, the savory aroma of spicy foods and the twang of guitars or thumping of cloggers' boots greet you at this festival. The stage shows feature local dancers and musicians playing bluegrass, country and gospel tunes.
There's a kids' activity area with games, prizes and rides and a display of race cars and antique autos, too.
The Wilderness Trail Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main, Hickok and College streets in downtown Christiansburg.
Call Kathy Mantz or Von Mills at 382-4251 for additional information.
Mountain Lake Resort in Giles County is where you'll find the traditional Oktoberfest fun. The lively celebrations are held the last two Saturdays in September and each Friday and Saturday in October.
Oktoberfest features music by the Sauerkraut Band, a German oompah band, and authentic German cuisine prepared by chefs at the resort. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 951-1819.
The Pembroke Heritage Festival, now in its sixth year, acknowledges the proud mountain heritage of the Giles County town. It will take place on Sept. 30.
Folks from all over come to see the old-timey demonstrations of mountain crafts, cooking, needlework and other skills. The festival also features music handed down through the generations. Local musicians perform tunes composed before 1945.
The event is complete with food, games, contests and a petting zoo. Brenda Williams, organizer of this year's Heritage Festival, can be reached at 626-7772.
The Narrows Business and Professional League puts on the Narrows Fall Festival each year. The seventh annual festival and street fair is set for Oct. 7 in downtown Narrows.
Each year, the organization selects a different theme for the festival. Last year's event was a tribute to Hoechst-Celanese, the community's largest industry.
Traditionally, the festival offers a day of arts, crafts, music, children's activities, sporting events and foods from vendors. Call Patti Neely at 726-3028 for more information.
The Newbern Fall Festival of Arts and Crafts in Pulaski County is a two-day treat for those who like to shop and those who like to do other things while their partners shop. More than 200 arts and crafts booths filled the village at last year's fete.
Oct. 14 and 15 are the dates to mark on your calendar this year. Along with the treasure hunting, the festival offers live entertainment, carriage rides through the historic village and demonstrations of old-fashioned crafts such as apple butter making.
The Wilderness Road Regional Museum will be open for tours so you can discover the history of Pulaski County.
A new attraction at this year's festival is a pet show featuring all kinds of domestic and exotic pets. It will be held near the Ruritan National Headquarters.
Feasting is recommended at the Newbern festival. You'll find a variety of baked and home-cooked foods, including brown beans and corn bread. The cooks dished out 68 pounds of pintos at last year's event!
Newbern is small, but don't let the size fool you. There's plenty of festival parking and lots to see in the area.
For more information, call Ann Bailey at the Wilderness Road Regional Museum, 674-4835; Irene King, 674-5848; or June Quesenberry, 674-5792.
The YMCA Crafts Fair consistently lures large crowds to Virginia Tech's Squires Student Center. High-quality crafts from more than 100 artisans keep people coming to the university for the fair. It's happening Nov. 10-12, just in time for holiday shopping.
Of course, it wouldn't be the YMCA Crafts Fair without the food and entertainment. Don't worry - it's there.
For more information, call the YMCA at Virginia Tech, 231-6860.
When Jack Frost visits the New River Valley, the festival fun moves indoors. The Gallery of Local Artists opens the first weekend after Thanksgiving each year with a celebration that includes music, refreshments and entertainment.
The gallery, sponsored by the New River Arts Council and First National Bank, features local artists displaying fine art, sculpture, pottery, stained glass and other goodies for holiday giving. Each year, the gallery is set up at various sites in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg area. It remains open through December.
For more information, call artist Barbara Capps at 382-2397.
by CNB