News

Variety of events beckon this weekend

The Spring Festival Saturday at Historic Johnson Farm is an event for the whole family.

By , Published: April 26, 2013

Entertainment opportunities this weekend range from festivals to plant sales to outings at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Here are a few to choose from.

Spring Festival at Historic Johnson Farm
Stroll the grounds, eat good food, and enjoy great entertainment throughout the day at the annual Spring Festival April 27 at Historic Johnson Farm. Among the performers will be the Green Valley Cloggers, a group was formed in 1978 that has performed all over the Southeast and specializes in adult freestyle moves. Also performing will be the Asheville Cloggers, two blue grass bands — Canoe Grass and Boylston Creek — and a duo of dulcimer players.
Visitors to the festival scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. can watch demonstrations of old time Appalachian crafts and wander along the isles of contemporary crafts for sale. Farm volunteers will host a bake sale featuring buttery pound cakes, some of which are based on the original Johnson family recipe. Lots of tasty food will be available including traditional festival favorites plus fried apple pies, corn dogs, snow cones and more.
After inspecting the amazing antique tractors on display, festival goers can enjoy guided tours through the 1880's farmhouse, believed to be the first brick home in Henderson County. There will be rides in an authentic farm wagon pulled over the wooded country trail.
The former boarding house, currently occupied by the Western North Carolina Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists, will be open for tours. Sheep shearing demonstrations are scheduled throughout the day. Visitors can follow the process of the sheep's wool from shearing, carding, spinning and weaving to learn how fabric is created. Spinners and weavers will work on the broad shaded porch and, as always, invite questions from visitors, especially children. Tours of the building with demonstrations of weaving, spinning, rug hooking, bobbin lace and knitting will be offered throughout the day.
Admission to the festival is $5 adults, $3 students. Preschoolers will be admitted free. All proceeds from this festival support the effort to preserve the Historic Johnson Farm Heritage Education Center and partially funding field trips for Henderson County school children. No reservations are required for the Spring Festival at the Historic Johnson Farm located at 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, across from the Rugby Middle School. For information, call 828-891-6585 or visit www.historicjohnsonfarm.org.

YouTheatre Spring FestivalYouTheatre Spring Festival
Celebrate the arts with YouTheatre at their 20th Annual Spring Festival, Saturday, April 27 beginning at 10am at the Education Center at 1885 Little River Road. At the Spring Festival, students will share performances of drama, dance, music, Claymation and movie projects. This day of family fun includes crafts, face painting, a cupcake walk, jugglers, balloon artists, a bounce house, raffle prizes and more.
The purchase of a $5 Play Pass allows children to enjoy fun-filled activities and enter a raffle for a free YouTheatre summer camp session of their choice. Children are admitted free and adults are $5. The event is sponsored by Reid and Reid Dentistry and Orthodontics.

Spring plant sale at Bullington Gardens
Bullington Gardens, a Horticultural Education Center, will hold its annual spring plant sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 26, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The sale will feature a wide variety of native and non-native perennials, including standards such as heucheras, hostas and geraniums and uncommon varieties such as aralia and echium. Also available will be annuals, including varieties of zinnias, gomphrena and lion tail; herbs such as basils, oregano and thyme; vegetable starts, including heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, squash and peppers; and small trees and shrubs such as deciduous azaleas, Japanese maples and hydrangeas.
A large selection of decorative ceramic pots will also be available for purchase.
Proceeds from the sale benefit the educational programs at Bullington Gardens.
Bullington Gardens, Hendersonville's horticultural learning center with public gardens and programs for adults and school children, is located at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail. From Highways 64, turn north on Howard Gap Road. Proceed one mile, and turn right on Zeb Corn Road. Go ⅔ mile and turn right on Upper Red Oak Trail.
For more information, call Bullington Gardens at 828-698-6104 or visit the website atwww.bullingtongardens.org.

Rotary Rockin' ResaleRotary Rockin' Resale
The Rotary Rockin' Resale is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, 2025 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. Electronics, furniture, Christmas lights and other seasonal decorations, dishes and other glassware, household and kitchen appliances, jewelry, musical instruments and office accessories are among the thousands of items offered for sale.
Proceeds go to teacher grants for special projects in the schools and other education needs.

Children's Day Festival, Business Expo
The 14th Annual Children's Day Festival and Business Expo will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at Jackson Park. It will honor the importance of children in the community with games, a youth soccer tournament, talent show, raffles, toys and cultural and educational activities for the entire family to enjoy. Additionally, the festival presents an unparalleled opportunity for businesse to attract Latino clients.
Children's Day is an international celebration whose origins come from a world conference held in Switzerland with the goal of empowering youth. The general assembly of the United Nations ratified the International Day of Children with a resolution signed in 1954, recommending that each country dedicate one day to celebrate their children.
For the last seven years the local festival has been organized by two area nonprofit organizations – Mountain BizWorks and El Centro – with plenty of support from area volunteers. The Children's Day Festival & Business Expo gives local small businesses the opportunity to promote their services and products to some 800 attending families. In addition, various agencies and community service providers will offer vital information about community resources.
For more information about the festival, or to register as a vendor or volunteer, please contact Carolina McCready at 828-693-1981.

'Live Oates: Through the Trees'
Frannie Oates will present "Live Oates: Through the Trees" at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Fountainhead Bookstore, 408 N. Main St., Hendersonville.
In her signature style of inter-weaving story and song with poetry and monologue, Oates will guide the audience on a journey through the deep forests of WNC to the mythic sea off the coast of County Donegal in Northern Ireland and back again. All this she does simply with her voice and hand hewn folk instruments (Native American flute, guitar, ukulele).
Tickets are $5 and must be purchased in advance. For information, call 828-697-1870 or visit FountainheadBookstore.com

Spring into the ParkSpring Into the Park
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site celebrates National Park Week 2013 with a free family festival, Spring Into the Park, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The day will feature performances by Asheville poetry performers, Poetry Alive!, kid-friendly house tours and hands-on activity stations. Young visitors will receive a schedule and activity guide when they arrive at the park. This festival is part of national Junior Ranger Day.
Poetry Alive! will perform at the park's amphitheater at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. These lively 45-minute performances include audience participation. Free family-friendly house tours with information and questions geared for young visitors will be offered every 30 minutes.
Activity stations will be available all day from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The stations include gardening, baby goat care, pollination processes featuring a live hive, and learning about caring for the environment.
This program is supported by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Henderson County Center. The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road, and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. For further information, call 828-693-4178, or visit www.nps.gov/carl.

Prom night
Hollywood Red Carpet Prom from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday, April 27 at 121 W. Barnwell St., Hendersonville. The event is a unique opportunity for adults to re-invent one of the most iconic milestones of adolescence, prom night, and is being presented by Lux Salon and 2 Guys Pizza & Ribs.
Hollywood Red Carpet Prom tickets are $30 for individuals, $50 for couples, and the price of admission includes a champagne or wine toast, dancing, hors d'oeuvres, and an opportunity to nab a coveted spot on the prestigious "prom court." A silent auction and cash bar will also available. Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County.
To purchase tickets or for more information, call 828-338-2468.

Wine, Dine and Design
The Inn on Church, Falderal Winery, Wickwire fine art / folk art, and Harry Deaton Interiors will present Wine, Dine and Design on April 26 and 27.
The event begins at 3 p.m. Friday at the Inn on Church, 201 Third Ave. West, moves to the Falderal Winery at 131 Third Ave. West for wine and appetizers, then to Wickwire fine art / folk art, 330 N. Main St., for another wine pairing and a talk about How Art Speaks to Us , then moves to Harry Deaton Interiors, 132 Third Ave. E., for a wine pairing and a presention regarding Selecting Fabric and then back to the Inn for dinner.
On Saturday classes will be offered at Falderal Winery, Wickwire and Harry Deaton Interiors. Special overnight rates are offered by the Inn on Church for those traveling from out of the area.
For further details and reservations, contact Inn on Church 828-696-2001 or online at innonchurch.com and wickwiregallery.com.