OCTOBER 1, 2009 ISSUE
Todd New River Festival October 10
Todd’s Cook Park is the site of the annual Todd New River Festival, taking place Saturday, October 10. Photo by Anna Oakes
The good people in Todd aren’t shy about sharing their little community with the rest of us. Throughout the year, the Todd community hosts multiple music performances, storytelling, bluegrass jams, puppet shows, athletic competitions and other recreational events for all to enjoy.
One of Todd’s biggest events of the year is the Todd New River Festival, taking place for the 16th year on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Cook Park. The Todd Ruritan Club presents the festival. The club uses all proceeds to help those in need in the community and to support ongoing Todd community projects.
“It is the main fundraiser that we have each year,” said Barry Stevens, president of the club. Stevens said he expects between 2,000 and 3,000 attendees this year.
Live music throughout the day includes performances by Surefire Bluegrass Band, the Corklickers, Amantha Mill, the Buck Haggard Band and several others. More than 30 vendors will offer arts and crafts for sale, and Mast General Store will provide toys and activities for children, Stevens said. The Ruritan Club will have plenty of barbecue for sale throughout the day.
Around noon will be the annual Key to Todd presentation, but Stevens won’t disclose this year’s lucky recipient.
“We’ve always kept that kind of a secret,” he said.
Raffle drawings for an 18-inch STIHL chainsaw, a handmade hardwood candle table and a pickup-load of firewood will take place at 4:00 p.m. after the Buck Haggard Band performance.
Admission to the festival is free. Parking and a shuttle ride to the festival are available for $5 at the field just off Railroad Grade Road from the Highway 194 entrance to Todd.
The event is supported in part by a STEP Grant from the North Carolina Rural Center and by Handmade in America.
Sponsors include Warrensville Drug Store, New River Surveyors, Skyline Telephone, Mast General Store, Watauga Building Supply, Hampton Funeral Service, Todd Community Preservation Organization, Triple T Pumping, Castle Auto Repair, Farmers Rental, Buddy Blackburn Construction Company, Hampton’s Body Shop, M-Prints, High Country Signs, Dr. Pepper Bottling Company, Miller Insurance, Blue Ridge Electric, Blue Ridge Energies, High Country Radio, Southern States Subaru and The Mountain Times.
For more information, call 828-964-1362 or click to www.toddruritan.org.
Want To Go?
Date: Saturday, October 10
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Cook Park, Todd
Cost: Free admission/$5 parking
Todd New River Fest Schedule
Give or take a few minutes, here’s the schedule of events for the 2009 Todd New River Festival at Cook Park.
9:00 to 10:00 a.m.—Corklickers
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.—Norris Family
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.—Surefire
Noonish—Key to Todd Presentation
12:00 to 1:00 p.m.—Amantha Mill
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.—Cloggers
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.—Wolfe Brothers
3:00 to 4:00 p.m.—Buck Haggard Band
Raffle Drawings
4:00 to 5:00 p.m.—Puppet Shows
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