Heritage Days will celebrate its 38th anniversary on October 13, 14, and 15, 2017, in Historic downtown Rogersville, Tennessee.
Grand Presenters of this year’s celebration include US Bank, TVA – John Sevier Combine, Wellmont – Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, The Rogersville Review, Rural Health Services Consortium, WRGS and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Please stop by the grand presenter booths on Main Street to look at the informational displays and say thanks to these contributors.
This year, Holston Electric Cooperative will sponsor the Art and Photography Show and Hawkins County Gas Utility will sponsor the Quilt Show. The Art and Photography Show offers categories for children, youth and adults. Seven categories of art will be judged, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, needlework, photographs, enhanced photographs, and other three dimensional art. The Art Show will be exhibited in the community room of U S Bank on Main Street. The Quilt Show entries will be exhibited in the Hawkins County Courthouse on Main Street.
The First Community Bank Great Chili Cook-off, will be held in conjunction with the Cruise-In on Friday evening. This tasty contest of local cooks and characters will be held in the courtyard of the Hale Springs Inn on Main Street on Friday, October 13. Cooking begins at 3p.m. with judging at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy live entertainment with a beer garden in the Gazebo beginning at 5p.m.
Entry forms for the Art and Photography Show, Quilt Show and the First Community Bank Great Chili Cook-Off is available at the following locations: RHA Depot Museum, the Hale Springs Inn, U-Save Pharmacy, the Rogersville Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce office, Mountain Star Mall, the Local Artist Gallery, The Rogersville Review, First Community Bank and online at www.rogersvilleheritage.org.
Registration for the annual children’s costume contest and parade will begin at 4:15 p.m. in the parking lot in front of First Baptist Church; judging will begin at 5p.m., followed by the parade at 5:30 p.m. This year’s theme is Windows to Our Heritage. The parade is sponsored by US Bank, the Rogersville Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce, and Wal-Mart. For information, contact the Rogersville Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce office at 423-272-2186.
Other Friday evening events:
The Heritage Days food court on South Depot Street will open at 5p.m. – visit one of the many food booths for great festival foods or local downtown restaurants for dinner until 9p.m.
Rogersville Main Street and Random Rods Car Club will host the final Cruise-In of the season with a parade of over 100 vintage automobiles (pre 1980) from 6-9 p.m. Visit the Rogersville Main Street booth to vote for “People’s Choice,” to be awarded at the close of the evening.
Enjoy the music of Ivy Road at the Main Stage on the Town Square beginning at 6 p.m. The group, self-described as a “whatcha wanna hear,” plays a variety of multigenerational music. There will definitely be something for everyone.
On Saturday, October 14, 2017, the festival’s opening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on the courthouse lawn. Uniformed representatives of the Sons of the American Revolution, accompanied by the Cherokee High School drum line, will conduct a flag ceremony followed by the singing of the National Anthem by Ella and Ava Begley and invocation by Sheldon Livesay of One Accord Ministries. The festival opens immediately after the ceremony with hosts of demonstrators highlighting heritage skills in the demonstrator’s yard including a toy maker, whittlers, blacksmiths, needlework demonstrations, basket weaving, an onsite apple butter stir, master gardeners, chair caning, handmade turkey calls, broom making, long hunting demonstration, bee keeping and others.
The Davis Grist Mill and Antique Farm Equipment exhibit will be on display on South Depot Street and Artisan Craft Booths will line four blocks of Main and Church Streets. The Young’uns Yard is sponsored by Civis Bank and Farm Bureau. It will be relocated to Town Square and offer old-fashioned games, inflatables, balloon art, and face painting. Hawkins County 4-H and the Heritage Lites will provide and lead these activites. The Heritage Train will be on Depot Street. Older young’uns can enjoy inflatables, an obstacle course and other games next to the dance stage on Washington Street.
The Dance Stage, featuring the award winning Tennessee Hoedowners, will offer non-stop entertainment throughout the festival. It is located on the corner of Washington Street and Depot. The Main Stage, sponsored by Eastman Credit Union, will host a variety of music from new exciting groups and repeat favorites. Saturday’s music highlights bluegrass, country and pop, while Sunday will showcase gospel music. It is located on Town Square. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the entire day.
Heritage Days’ is excited to host returning Civil War reenactors of the B Company of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion. B Company will set up an encampment on Friday evening. Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. they will perform War skirmishes, Cavalry and artillery demonstrations, saber drills, and practice maneuvers at Crockett Springs Park, located on South Rogers Street. Guests are asked to bring folding chairs to this and all other outdoor exhibitions and shows. This event is sponsored by TRW.
Visit the food court for a variety of festival food or visit downtown restaurants for your dining pleasure. The beautifully renovated Hale Springs Inn, circa 1824, features McKinney’s Tavern for lunch, dinner or drinks. While visiting, take a tour of the historic inn.
Visit historic downtown Rogersville, Tennessee, for free family entertainment as we celebrate our heritage, October 13, 14, and 15, 2017. There is something for everyone!
The Heritage Days 2017 Schedule is as follows:
Friday, October 13
3 p.m.– 6 p.m. – “The First Community Bank Great Chili Cook-off” Hale Springs Inn Courtyard
4 p.m. -7 p.m. – Mary’s Spirit and Fine Wines moonshine tasting at 212 Washington Street
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Live music in the Gazebo at the Hale Springs Inn
5 p.m.-8 p.m. Swift Museum Soul Food Dinner. Reservations required. 423-921-3888
4:15 p.m. – Registration Heritage Day’s Children Parade
Theme: “Windows to Our Heritage” – First Baptist Church parking lot, West Main Street
5:00 p.m. – Costume Judging
5:30 p.m. – Heritage Days Children Parade – Main Street
6 p.m. – Cruise-In on the Square -Cruise through the historic district
6 p.m.-9 p.m. – Ivy Road to perform on The Main Stage beside Hale Spring Inn
Saturday, October 14
10 a.m. – Opening ceremony – Tennessee Sons of the American Revolution Color
Guard, CHS Drum Corps, National Anthem and Invocation
10 a.m.- 6p.m.- Craft Booths, Food Court, Demonstrators Yard, and Young’uns’ Yard, Quilt Show, Antique Farm Equipment Show, Mixed Media Art Show, Dance Stage, and Music on the Main Stage
12 p.m. –7:00 p.m. – Mary’s Spirit and Fine Wines moonshine tasting at 212 Washington St
12:00 p.m. – Antique Tractor Parade
9a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Performance by the 12th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion-
Crockett Spring Park- South Rogers Street
Sunday, October 15
12:00 p.m.-6 p.m.- Craft Booths, Food Court, Demonstrators Yard, and Young’uns Yard, Quilt Show, Antique Farm Equipment Show, Mixed Media Art Show, Dance Stage, and Music on the Main Stage
2 p.m. – Antique Tractor Parade
Civil War Reenactment and Demonstrators Return to Heritage Days
Celebrating our heritage has been the main focus for 38 years during the annual Heritage Days festival. Once again, in downtown Rogersville, crafters, food vendors, and entertainers will converge on October 13-15, 2017. In addition to all the activities, there will be a Civil War Reenactment sponsored by TRW and Demonstrators Yard, sponsored by East Tennessee Iron & Metal.
The 12th Tennessee Calvary Battalion, B Company, Civil War Demonstration will return to Crockett Spring Park again on Saturday only this year.
The camp will open at 9:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM. The re-enactors will set up camp authentic to the early 1860s. They will present infantry, calvary and skirmish re-enactments throughout the day as scheduled below. This you will not want to miss!
“The Bluebirds of Battle”
Crockett Spring Park
Saturday Only – October 14th
9:00 – Camp Opens
9:00 – Weapons Demo
10:00 – Infantry Drill
11:00 – Cavalry Drill
12:00 – Skirmish
1:00 – Medical Demo
2:00 – Infantry Drill
3:00 – Cavalry Drill
4:00 – Skirmish
4:30 – Weapons Demo
5:00 – Camp Closes.
Directions: from South Depot and food Court take Washington Street behind the Hale Springs Inn turn left on S. Rogers Street. Driving from West Main Street, turn right on South Rogers Street
One of the most popular aspects of Heritage Days is the Demonstrators’ Yard, located on the Town Square. This year, demonstrators will fill the yard in front of Occasions on the Square, the Masonic Lodge and the Courthouse lawn. Heritage Days attendees can watch and even work with craft artists as they create their handiwork.
Basket Weaving with Patsy and Larry Mauk – Over thirty years ago, Ezekiel Davis taught his daughter, Patsy, the traditional craft of basket weaving. Since then, Patsy and her husband, Larry have made countless baskets in a variety of styles. They have demonstrated this traditional craft at numerous festivals in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Patsy prefers to weave traditional baskets and Larry’s favorite form is the Nantucket Lightship basket.
These natives of Hawkins County have been a part of Heritage Days for more than 25 years. In addition to presenting in our demonstration yard, Patsy teaches beginner and advance basket weaving classes at the Local Artist Gallery in Rogersville. Patsy truly loves sharing the traditional craft of basket weaving as it was “passed on” to her by her father.
Blacksmith, Jeff Stoltz – Jeff has been an artist metal smith for over 25 years. He works with numerous metals including steel, bronze, cooper and aluminum.
He specializes in forged leaves, vines, birds, and trees. The vast majority of his art is decorative iron works for homes, including stairs, gates, railings and pot racks. He makes custom and reproductions works and sells them all over the USA through www.ornamentalgateworksetc.com.
Visit Jeff in the Demonstrators Yard during Heritage Days. It’s such a treat watching him create special pieces.
Wooden Toys – The late Barry Campbell (the oldest) and Bruce Campbell (the other twin) (B&B) loved making old fashion wooden toys, the kind they use to play with when they were younguns. B&B started out when they were about 10 years old making plaster of Paris ashtrays and using seashells from the beach then selling them. They even made and sold potholders and other projects.
When they got older they made toys for their children and now, following Bruce’s passing earlier this year, Barry continues to make toys and such for children and adults today.
B&B wanted children to have toys made in the USA, of wood and not plastic and that enabled children to use their imagination.
Barry makes many kinds of toys. To name a few there are the marionette puppets (ducks, dinos, dragons, elephants), spinners, tops (rustic and finished), magic wallets, acrobats, banks, bubble gum machines, and many more.
Several of the items he makes are made from hardwoods like oak, walnut, and cherry. He also does custom projects, high end Litho panes and the game center piece for domino’s Mexican train game and many other projects..
The young and the young-at-heart enjoy the toys from firing the marshmallow catapult to trying to figure out how a gee-haw whimmy diddle works. Bruce made his first Whimmy diddle in 1963.
The company is officially called Toyables, so make sure to check out the web site ‘toyables.com’ often.
Embroiders Guild of America – The Embroiders’ Guild promotes any work done with needle and thread. It may be work done on fabric, paper, canvas or plastic using a huge variety of fibers made from cotton, silk, wool, or synthetics. Cross stitch is a favorite technique of many but there are many variations. Canvas work and samplers with lots of specialty stitches add a whole new area of interest to the art. Stump work results in 3 dimensional elements and pulled thread creates interesting holes in the work. Drawn thread involves removal of threads to create open areas decorated in specialty stitches.
Stitchers who participate will be working on a variety of projects to show what can be done with needle and thread. They will have some small kits available and are eager to teach anyone who is interested in learning to stitch the pieces. One will be cross stitch and the other is a darning pattern bookmark. The Guild’s goal is to foster interest in needlework. Anyone with a love of the art is invited to join EGA and meet with the Morristown Interest Group who does a variety of needlework techniques or meet with any of the other Knoxville Chapter groups, some of who devote their time to a single type of work such as canvas, freestyle, beading or other special interest.
For information, contact member Elizabeth Smith, at smithe@charter.net.
Turkey Calls – Tommy Hepler will present his beautifully made and fascinating wooden turkey calls. In 1992, Tommy began making his wild turkey calls as a hobby. His Turkey Calls are numbered and personalized with the owners name, signed and dated. Tommy maintains a record of each turkey call he designs. His Turkey Calls have reached every state except Alaska and Hawaii. No turkey is safe when hunters venture out with Tommy’s call. Stop by and visit with Tommy, you will have no problem finding his booth; just listen for the turkey gobble!
The State of Franklin Chapter, SAR – The Sons of the American Revolution is the leading male lineage society that perpetuates the ideals of the war for independence. As a historical, educational, and patriotic, non-profit organization, they seek to maintain and expand the meaning of patriotism, respect for our national symbols and the value of American citizenship.
The State of Franklin chapter was granted a charter from the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution 23 July 2011. They are always looking for individuals who would like to find out about their Revolutionary War ancestors and are interested in preserving the memory and actions of those who preceded them and created the United States of America. You can find out more information about the State of Franklin chapter and how to become a member at their web site www.sofsar.com. Please feel free to contact them.
Apple Butter Stir – Tony Mowdy, a native of Rogersville, will cook apple butter just like his grandmother, Della Fain made. Gather around the kettle, smell the aroma of apples and spices as Tony demonstrates the tradition of the old fashion apple butter stir handed down through three generations.
Long Hunter Camp Storyteller (mid 1700s) – Gerald Mustin has been a storyteller for 10 years, with the last 5 years focusing on the Long Hunter Camp. He will tell stories and have on display items that a long hunter would take with him to deer hunt for their skins. Those items include rifle, knives, ax, rope, compass, cooking pots, bed roll, fire making kits, sewing kits, hunting bag, water canteen and powder horn. Come visit Gerald to see him bring the past back to life. Children will love him.
The Hawkins County Master Gardener Association – Established in 2015, the purpose of the group is to serve the community by providing sound, practical, research-based information in the area of residential and consumer horticulture.
They share a love of gardening and a passion for serving their community. Tennessee Extension Master Gardeners are volunteers who perform a variety of tasks including answering horticultural questions from the public, establishing and maintaining demonstration gardens, establishing and maintaining public gardens, educating and training the youth to be Junior Master Gardeners, running plant clinics, and supporting Master Gardener training programs. In Hawkins County, the volunteers participate in a variety of gardening and educational projects.
Last year, they assumed the responsibility for the care and maintenance of the flower gardens at Price Public Community Center. They also maintain a small flower garden behind the University of Tennessee/Tennessee State University Extension Office. They started a Junior Master Gardener Program at Rogersville City School.
This spring they planted a demonstration garden on East Main Street with nine raised beds and two field plots. The vegetables produced in the raised beds were donated to the Shepherd’s Center to feed disadvantaged members of the community.
To date, they have donated over 436 pounds of fresh produce! In one of the field plots, they raised several varieties of grafted tomatoes provided by the University of Tennessee as part of a field study. They also raised corn, pole beans and bush beans that were sold to local restaurants and families to raise money to support their new organization. In the fall, they will be assisting with the next Master Gardener Course at the extension office.
For 2017, they are planning a spring plant sale and fruit tree grafting clinic that will be open to the public. They plan to expand the demonstration garden area to include more raised beds, several varieties of fruit and increase the size of the field plots. They will also assist with selecting and planting trees, shrubs and flowers for the planned park area on Main Street. For Heritage Days, they would like to demonstrate how to propagate plants through stem cuttings. Taking cuttings from existing plants provides the opportunity to cheaply, effectively and quickly expand the landscape. This method allows homeowners to propagate plants that are already known to be successful in their landscape. Plants started from cuttings, reach maturity more quickly than if raised from seeds. Participants will be able to choose a cutting that suits their landscape, learn how to propagate it, take it home, plant it and enjoy!
Heritage Beekeepers Club of Hawkins County – meets the 2nd Thursday night of every month at Sheperd’s Center in downtown Rogersville at 6:00 pm.
If you are interested in honeybees or Beekeeping, please come and join us.
Our club’s mission is to educate and teach the community about honeybees and share our love for this tiny little insect.
We are a new club, only one year old but, we are growing fast, due to the interest of honeybees.
Without the honeybee our food supply would diminish, so we all must do what we can to save this little creature, by planting wildflowers and bee friendly plants, but most of all refrain from using harmful insecticides as much as possible.
