Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

|| High Country Press Newswire

May 29, 2008 issue

New Celebration

American Heritage River Day at New River State Park June 7

Story by Sam Calhoun

Before the Potomac, Hudson and even the Rio Grande, the New River was selected in 1998 as the first American Heritage River in the nation.

One hundred and twenty river communities applied to be American Heritage Rivers, 14 made the cut and the New River was the first to be recognized.

Ten years ago, President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore traveled to Ashe County to celebrate the signing of an executive order that created the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, a program designed to help communities alongside designated rivers revitalize their waterfronts and clean up pollution in the rivers—protecting the environment at the same time as growing the economy.

New River Community Partners—an organization formed after the executive order was signed—is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative with the inaugural American Heritage River Day on Saturday, June 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at New River State Park in Ashe County at the Highway 221 access.

“Everything is open to the public and is completely free thanks to our sponsors,” said Ken McFadyen, executive director of New River Community Partners.
“[American Heritage River Day] will be an enjoyable day at the park—a family day at the park. It’s an opportunity to celebrate local heritage and culture. It’s a chance to spend a day recognizing the New River as the asset it is to our local communities.”

American Heritage River Day features events for all ages, including arts and crafts, educational activities, live music and a free raffle.

Local arts and handcrafts will be available for purchase, and artisans will provide demonstrations throughout the day. Gardiner Pottery, Baskets and Bows, Lazy Branch Creations, Michelle’s Handcrafted Jewelry, Blue Ridge Woodcrafters, Quilts by Delta, One Good Turn, Reeves Woodcrafts, John Harmon Gallery and Highland Country Crafts are all planning to attend.

National park rangers and ASU students will lead many educational programs throughout the festival, including programs on conservation and aquatic sampling.

The festival also features guided hikes, lectures, storytelling, videos and children’s activities, such as nature crafts from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the New River State Park Visitors’ Center.

And because the festival celebrates the culture of the New River, it wouldn’t be complete without some regional bluegrass music. Bands scheduled to appear include Wayne Henderson and Helen White at 11:00 a.m., Amantha Mill at 12:00 p.m. and two sets by Rock Bottom in the afternoon. Local storyteller Orville Hicks takes the stage from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Everyone attending the festival will receive free raffle tickets for a chance to win two prints from local artist Steven Shoemaker.

In addition, New River Community Partners will give out free National Geographic New River Blueway maps to each family in attendance.
The festival also features a food vendor.

New River Community Partners is a nonprofit organization that strives to serve the people and communities of the New River through natural resource protection, education, culture and historic preservation, agriculture, transportation, trails and economic revitalization.

Many concerned citizens’ groups and organizations help in the protection of the New River, but the goal of New River Community Partners differs from the goals of all others in that it seeks protection of the entire watershed.

“We work with the watershed, not just along the river itself,” said McFadyen.
New River Community Partners not only protects the 337 miles that the New River travels, but it also covers 7,000 square miles of land and 21 counties within the watershed.

“One of the objectives of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative is to celebrate a watershed’s natural resources and how our heritage is shaped by our rivers,” said McFadyen. “The lineup of offerings for the kickoff celebration on June 7 will provide the public with a sampling of some of the truly unique assets of the New River.”

Festivalgoers can park for free at the Highway 221 access to New River State Park. When those spaces are filled, patrons can park at two locations along Highway 221 North. The festival is providing free shuttles to the park from the additional lots.

Nation’s Inn, the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, Ashe County government, Ashe Custom Framing, Ashe High Country Realty, AF Bank, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Dr. Pepper, Mast General Store, Skyline Telephone, Stephen Shoemaker and Vannoy Construction sponsor the event.

For more information on American Heritage River Day, New River Community Partners or the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, click to www.nrcp-ahri.org.