NEWS RELEASE: Burke's Garden, VA—You can listen and learn a lot at the 25th Annual Burke's Garden Fall Festival this Saturday, September 29th 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. According to event chairman Mike Bell, "We've grown beyond handmade crafts and delicious homemade food to make it a full festival experience for visitors."
The Community Association has scheduled a pioneer encampment calling to mind James Burke's original 1700's camp, historical interpreters portraying Molly Tynes and Letitia Preston Floyd, live old time music, storytelling, kids' activities, geocaching and lots of other features to enhance the day's core events. The "Varmint" returns to the Garden for a one-day visit, on loan from Crab Orchard Museum, along with an exhibit of Burke's Garden history.
The heart of the festival is the farm setting, the breathtaking fall mountain scenery, and the best parts of the country life: food and craft. The Community Center and Burke's Garden Methodist Church provide the hub of activity, but don't miss an opportunity to drive the loops guided by the new painted quilt squares on several barns to take in pumpkins and gourds at Wolf's Lair Farm, camels and llamas at Lost World Ranch, and a remarkable view at the historic cemetery at Burke's Garden Lutheran Church.
Scheduled at the Community Center, which is the old Burke's Garden School, are the following Burke's Garden families, organizations, exhibitors and vendors:
Burke's Garden Homemakers Club – Copper kettle cooked apple butter, fried apple pies and Burke's Garden commemoratives under the picnic shelter
Second Tuesday Quilt Guild – Quilt exhibit and demos in the gym, $1 entry donation to Relay for Life
The Rhudy Family – Fresh produce, home-cooked food, handcrafts
Little Creek Alpaca Farm – Alpaca wearables, yarn, fleece, live alpaca, kids' activities, produce, crafts, and BBQ sandwiches
GreeverGraphics – Photographs and postcards of Burke's Garden, 3-D scale model of Burke's Garden to view
Rabbit Patch – Dried flower arrangements, and fall decorations from Betty Melvin's garden
Sleepin' Dog Studio – Colorful and functional art glass, silver & bronze jewelry from Nancy Brooks
David & Mattie Schlabach – homemade ice cream made with a hit-and-miss engine
Special vendors and friends from "over the mountain" will join us too. If you're hungry look for Mayflower Restaurant, Timbo's and Backyard Heroes BBQ. Bring your cooler and ice to take home fresh produce and frozen pasture raised meats from the Tazewell Farmer's Market. There'll be tasty honey, jams and jellies sold by Dana's Honey and Woodsgift Farm. High quality sewn crafts will be available from the Levitt Family, wrought iron pieces forged by Bud Thompson, pottery from Janovec Pottery, soft sculpture and pillows from Dancing Arethusa, wooden crafts and baked goods from Donna Keen, fall and Christmas decorations from B & L Gifts, rustic wood furniture and home accessories from The Bed Post, wooden signs and handmade clocks from Willie Jacobs, needle crafts from Iris Pruett, autographed books from authors Adda Leah Davis and Linda Hoagland, pottery and handsewn hair accessories and quilts from Muddy Hound Pottery, and carved and painted figurines by Custom Woodworking.
In addition, keep an eye out for the Virginia Cooperative Extension offering a geocaching experience that will challenge your GPS explorer skills throughout the day. Other groups with interesting information to share will be on hand: Tazewell County Sheriff's Department, Braley & Thompson, Amerigroup, Black Diamond Paranormal Society, Tazewell County Historical Society, and more.
The Community Association has added a website, www.burkesgardenfallfestival.com, and a Facebook page with the schedule on-line. Printed brochures are available at many locations too, including Crab Orchard Museum and J.R.'s Convenience Store. Commemorative 25th Anniversary t-shirts will be available for sale at the festival.
Admission is free, but we encourage donations to the Burke's Garden Fire Department for directing parking near the Community Center, which is the old Burke's Garden School. For more information contact the Burke's Garden Fall Festival at 276-472-2346 or burkesgardenfallfestival@bgtco.net.
