Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 15, 1990 TAG: 9006180187
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: Around town.
If you get out to the Pearisburg Festival Around Town this Saturday, you're sure to enjoy the sights, the games, the entertainment and the food you'll find in the Giles County seat.
Sponsored by the Pearisburg Merchants Association, this is the sixth annual festival, and they seem to get better each year.
Organizers of this year's event are calling the fete "a celebration of mountain living past and present," with many of the activities saluting the history of Giles County.
There's a "Giles County History Hunt," old-fashioned sack races and even an old-time swimsuit fashion show.
An antique and classic car show at King Johnston Elementary School is expected to draw 125 participants competing in 20 classes. The show is sponsored by the Pearisburg Lions Club and proceeds from admission will go to the club's eyeglass and eye examination projects.
Local storyteller Sherry Vaughn will weave tales of the Appalachians and Mountain Kidds, a group of fifth-graders from Dublin Elementary School, will do some clogging. They'll spin some mountain yarns, as well.
Music, music, music will keep the good times rolling along throughout the day.
Country and rock tunes by the Good Time Express and Southern Country, bluegrass by Sugar Run and the gospel songs of Glory Bound are some of the featured numbers. In addition, Giles High School's Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Chorale will perform.
The Giles Little Theatre will present "The Golden Bird," a one-act play for children, and magician Bobby Lilly will amaze little folks and big folks alike with his lively legerdemain. START JUMP TYPE HERE START JUMP TYPE HERE
The list of activities goes on and on with such highlights as a baby crawling contest, a frog trouncing competition (fake frogs, fortunately), a lemon dropping contest, a cake walk and a volleyball tournament.
The Pearisburg Merchants Association is offering everything - except a dull moment.
The Giles County Sheriff's Department will have a grip on the situation, of course. Officers are challenging visitors to compete with them in a tug-o-war.
Events will get underway at 7 a.m. Saturday when registration begins at the Pearisburg Baptist Church for the traditional 5-K and Fun Run.
Booths will be set up along Wenonah Avenue and in Court House Square, and the main stage will be in the center of town at Wenonah Avenue and Tazewell Street. Festivities will continue into the evening, concluding with a dance for the young folks.
"Festival Around Town is a really big event - and a lot of fun for everyone," said Sharon Cecil, a director of the celebration.
Cecil said that dozens of organizers have planned and worked very hard to make this a day to remember.
One reminder: Don't forget to bring your camera to record the memories.
\ TWO GUYS, TWO GUITARS: Stacy Hobbs and Eddie Lynn Snodderly have some things in common. They're both natives of Tennessee, they both do magical things with guitars and they're both performing at Gabriel's Psaltery Sunday night.
Hobbs, whose specialty is the steel string guitar, plays a variety of styles, including ragtime, country blues and Celtic. Hobbs also will perform a few original songs from his new cassette album, "Six String Solos," at Sunday's concert.
"New Hillbilly" is what Eddie Lynn Snodderly calls his brand of music.
Born and raised in the eastern tip of Tennessee, Snodderly says his music is forged from the attitudes and beliefs, both old and new, of the Appalachians. Snodderly has been recorded on three albums - "Sidewalk Shoes," "Sweet Light" and "The Brother Boys."
Hobbs and Snodderly will play from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in a benefit performance for New River Valley Hospice.
Gabriel's Psaltery is a coffee house at Christ Episcopal Church, Church and Jackson streets in Blacksburg.
Admission is $3.50 and coffee, tea and pastries will be sold.
\ A PUZZLING QUESTION: Do fleas do dirty dancing?
Maybe we'll find out the answer to this and other head-scratchers at the New River Shrine Club's third annual Musical Flea Market on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the New River Valley Fairgrounds.
What? A "Musical Flea Market" doesn't involve dancing, singing or banjo-picking fleas?
No, it's a chance for musicians to buy and sell anything pertaining to music, according to the Shriners.
Instruments, sheet music, stereo and recording equipment, records and tapes, strings, picks - if it makes, plays or advertises music, it will be up for grabs at this event.
You might even find that T-shirt displaying a favorite musician or group.
The flea market will be held rain or shine. Spaces are $7 for an outside booth and $10 for an inside spot. The gates open to vendors Saturday at 6:30 a.m.
Admission is $1 and children under 9 are admitted free.
The Shriners will sell refreshments to raise money for the Shriner's Hospitals for Crippled Children.
For information, call Dennis Ritter at 639-3923, 9 a.m. to noon, or 639-5106, 7 to 10 p.m.
\ FIELD & SCREAM: Some of the events the Virginia Tech Union has planned for Sunday's field day should be "a scream."
1G There's a hula-hoop contest where everyone can get the wiggles out!
Other activities include volleyball, tug-o-war, badminton and croquet.
Relays, games and contests especially for children are planned throughout the day, as well.
The field day will be held at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. All activities will be free.
by CNB