Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990 TAG: 9006080709
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It was a time of wholesome entertainment, of singing hymns and ballads around the hearth, of strumming dulcimers and banjos and dancing reels in the moonlight.
It was, of course, the good old days.
You can celebrate the past Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Montgomery County Historical Festival at Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg. Coordinator Stephanie Thomas said organizers have planned a festival that's educational and entertaining.
"There are very few real, authentic historic festivals anywhere in the country," Thomas said. "We've worked very hard to keep this one true to the way life actually was in the 1700s and 1800s."
"Self-reliance" was the motto of the age and that's what you will see in demonstrations throughout the day.
You'll see how old-timers made their own instruments, herbal medicines, shingles, quilts, baskets and butter. Most of these are hands-on activities and festival goers may participate.
There will be pony-wagon rides for children, noon-4 p.m., and puppet shows at noon and 2 p.m. "Puppet shows are one of the oldest forms of entertainment," Thomas said. Performances will be given by Puppets by Pizzazz.
Storyteller Sam Leary will be there to spin yarns at 1 p.m. and Trillium, a trio of Blacksburg women, will sing shape-note hymns, lullabies, ballads and spirituals at 3 p.m.
Festival admission is $6 for adults and free for kids under 12.
In conjunction with the festival, two tours of historical sites in picturesque Ellett Valley will be offered at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Stops will include Yellow Sulfur Springs, once used as a spa, and Trinity United Methodist Church, organized in 1856. The Crose-Henderson house, built in 1850, will be featured, along with the 14-sided Blankenship Barn, built around 1930. A tour of the 19th century Solitude house at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond also is planned.
Tickets for the morning tour may be purchased at the bus in the Smithfield Plantation parking lot starting at 8:30 a.m. Tickets for the afternoon tour will be available at Smithfield. For information, call 961-1135.
\ THE COLOR OF ART: In case it matters, Bob Wilder is black.
It matters to Bob Wilder, the artist.
"I remember walking through a museum in Richmond as a high school student," Wilder remembers, "amazed that the only paintings of black people were demeaning . . . from that moment I determined within myself to portray blacks as any other race of people, trying to make a decent living for themselves and making life better for the next generation."
Wilder has accomplished what he set out to do in paintings - paintings he describes as "mostly moods."
While Wilder's paintings have a photographic quality, he uses rich, vibrant colors to prevent them from looking overworked. "I just try to capture certain moods and use figures to express what I want to say," he explains. "I am finding a freedom of expression in the subject matter and techniques I choose."
Wilder's paintings are on display at the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley. The exhibit, called "Mood Images of Bob Wilder," will continue through June 30. Hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays and 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturdays.
A public reception for Wilder will be held Sunday at the center, 21 W. Main St. in Pulaski, 2-4 p.m.
\ GUESS WHO? It's Rumplestiltskin, that pesky little imp from the Brothers Grimm.
ArtReach Touring Theatre, a troupe from Cincinnati, will bring the classic fairy tale to life on the Blacksburg High School's sage Thursday evening at 7 p.m. The production is sponsored by the Humane Society of Montgomery County.
The ArtReach production features Scottish music and dance, large masks and extraordinary costumes. The company, now in its 14th season, has received numerous awards for its work in children's theater and has performed in such distinguished events as the National Showcase at the Kennedy Center.
Humane Society spokeswoman Alice Loftin said those attending the play won't need to spin straw into gold, but donations of money or kitten and puppy food will be appreciated.
"At this time of year, we really need the chow," Loftin said. "There are lots of puppies and kittens that need care."
by CNB