SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 ISSUE
Parkway Festival Celebrates Anniversary Beginning Friday
The Blue Ridge Parkway is celebrating 75 years with various events throughout North Carolina and other states.
Bluegrass, country and folk legend Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys will help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Va.Gathering at the location where construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began September 11, 1935, the governors of North Carolina and Virginia, as well as congressional leaders from both states and representatives from the National Park Service will officially mark the occasion with a formal ceremony event at the Cumberland Knob Recreation Area (Milepost 217, near the North Carolina-Virginia border) Friday, September 10, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Around 500 attendees are expected at the event, including the Honorable Bob McDonnell, governor of Virginia, and the Honorable Bev Perdue, governor of North Carolina.
Following the formal opening ceremony, the weekend’s entertainment will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Cumberland Knob and at the Blue Ridge Music Center (Milepost 213), near Galax, Va. Friday afternoon’s performances include music from Park Ranger Tim Francis and Great Big Howdy; recognition of artists Teresa Pennington and P. Buckley Moss, who created commemorative art in honor of the Parkway; and bluegrass music from Sierra Hull & Highway 111, with special guest Ron Block, at the Music Center. The Cumberland Knob stage will feature popular storytellers Charles Maynard and Faye Wooden.
On Saturday, September 11, 2010, a special Remembrance Ceremony honoring those lives lost in the attacks on September 11, 2001, will be held at 10:00 a.m. at the Blue Ridge Music Center stage. The Rev. Dan Mathews, who was at Trinity Episcopal Church near the World Trade Center in Manhattan when the attacks occurred, will offer remembrances and remarks.
At 11:00 a.m., the Music Center stage will feature celebrated traditional music artists Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth, a Junior Appalachian Musicians Showcase, and a flatfoot workshop with expert Phil Jamison. Saturday night’s gala concert at the Music Center will begin at 7:00 p.m. and feature the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys.
Also throughout the weekend, Parkway Rangers will present interactive and take-home activities for families about the construction of the road, the natural resources and animal habitats the Parkway protects, traditional Appalachian crafts and toys and an introduction to the Cherokee written alphabet.
At Cumberland Knob, storytelling and ghost stories from Charles Maynard and Faye Wooden will be ongoing Saturday as well as a performance of a one-woman play entitled They Call Me Aunt Orlene. Portrayed by actress Phyllis Stump, the play will begin at 2:00 p.m. The Cumberland Knob venue will also be home to heritage craft demonstrations throughout the weekend, including broom making, hand spinning, chair making, quilting and ceramic arts.
Sunday’s performances at the Blue Ridge Music Center begins with a Shape Note Singing Workshop with Laura Boosinger at 11:00 a.m., followed by a concert from the bluegrass gospel group The Churchmen at noon. At the Cumberland Knob stage on Sunday, the Jack Tale Players from Ferrum College will perform traditional music and stories descending from early Scots-Irish and English settlers of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
All events are free and open to the public, and parking is available at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Complimentary shuttle service between the music center and the recreation area will be available during festival hours. Blankets and picnics are allowed, and alcohol and pets (except service animals) are prohibited.
For more information or a detailed schedule of events, click to www.blueridgeparkway75.org.
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