Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410100083
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWBERN LENGTH: Medium
At the 14th Fall Festival of Arts and Crafts, you can buy some of the fine wares and the cultural and regional foods that have become standard festival fare. But you can also swap chickens, bid for cloisonne kittens and hand-carved animals, watch homing pigeons take off and check out some of the antiques for sale.
If you'd like to ride in a beautiful balloon, you can ascend with balloon pilot Dr. Dee Danner of Christiansburg. If you prefer the ground, take the stagecoach and re-live a bit of transportation history. Pony rides and hayrides will entice the young and young at heart.
The Wilderness Museum has historic walking tour maps and you can hoof it to the old buildings and historic markers in this wee burg, population around 300.
"We've received 52 nice donated items for the silent auction," reported Ann Bailey, one of the coordinators of the festival. Proceeds benefit the Wilderness Road Regional Museum. Bidders do not need to be present when the buyer is determined.
Back by popular demand will be the antique booths. Five vendors will have old wares for sale, and Bailey said this aspect of the fair will probably increase a little each year.
Foods from around the world are available at a multitude of booths, and the Wilderness Inn will be open. Volunteers for the museum will sell pinto beans (60-plus pounds of them), cornbread and chili dogs once again.
Yearling homing pigeons from around the region will be released, half a dozen or so per owner. The pigeons fly up, and like an airplane, seek out a certain altitude and head in a certain direction. When they enter their home trap, a time clock records the time of arrival. All the times are collected and miles per hour calculated, and the pigeon that flies the fastest wins.
The young pigeons can cover around 300 miles in a day; older homing pigeons will fly 500 miles or so to their home trap.
Fred Goad is in charge of the pigeon race, along with the goat show, poultry meet and swap and a first-time pumpkin carving contest.
"It's a "bring your own pumpkin contest," he explained. Kids can bring a pumpkin and carving tools, or enter a pumpkin they carved at home. Entrants will compete based on age.
A native of the Newbern area, Goad met his wife, Hazel, 20 years ago in Newbern and helps each year with the festival, particularly the children's activities.
"When I first started coming to the festival, there wasn't much for children to do," Goad said. "I saw a need and decided to help."
There will be music and dancing, lots of arts and crafts, a farm animal display and gospel singing. There's no admission fee, and parking is $1 per vehicle per day.
For more information, call 674-5094.
NEWBERN FALL FESTIVAL OF ARTS & CRAFTS
Today: Walking tour and some crafts set up, all day
Saturday: Breakfast at Newbern Church of God starts at 6:30 a.m.; Wilderness Inn, breakfast buffet opens at 7 a.m.; booths, crafts and activities start around 9 a.m.
Sunday: Festival continues noon-4:30 p.m.
by CNB