Whats new at the Wilkes Chamber: Blue Ridge Parkway's 75th Anniversary Celebration Festival (Sept. 10-12, 2010)

On September 11, 2010, we celebrated the Blue Ridge Parkway's 75th Anniversary since the official start of work began 1935 by having storytelling, craft demonstrators, art exhibits, a jamming tent for musicians, "meadow walks," family activities for children of all ages, a community showcase, and more. This three day event was filled will many sights, sounds, and smells for the visitors to enjoy while being apart of History. Originally started by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s using private contractors, less than a year later Congress authorized the project, renaming it the Blue Ridge Parkway and putting it in the hands of the National Park Service. Many of the New Deal public works agencies helped with building the 469 mile piece of the Appalachian Mountains, and it took 52 years to complete.

The festival started with a formal ceremony at Cumberland Knob around 11am with the opening of the festival also at the Blue Ridge Music Center at 1pm. People were arriving early to get apart of the festival actions. The Cumberland Knob Recreation Area Stage offered storytelling the entire day after the formal ceremony that welcomed visitors, sponsors, neighbors, speakers, and honored guests. The Blue Ridge Music Center Stage offered the visitors music from Park Ranger Tim Francis & Great Big Howdy and Sierra Hull & Highway 111. BRMC's small auditorium offered the film's "America's Favorite Journey" and "The Blue Ridge Parkway: 75," as well as The Parkway Idea & Construction panel.

As a part of the "Parkway Village," the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce was given a booth to showcase what we have to offer, which included a moonshine still, a painting, some pottery, a information board, and more.

Wilkes County Booth

There were booths from Yancey, Watauga, Alleghany, Haywood, McDowell, Ashe, Surry, and Transylvania Counties (NC), as well as Patrick, Botetourt, Bedford, Roanoke, Carroll, Galax, Floyd, Lynchburg, and Franklin Counties (VA). Also there were booths for Waste Management, Department of Transportation, NC Tourism, VA Tourism, and several representing many divisions from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Food offered ranged from hot dogs to hamburgers, funnel cakes to apple cobbler, and even fresh bar-ba-que with sweet tea, blueberry smoothies, and other beverages. The jamming tent roared with bluegrass and folk music with songs telling of the love, nature, and family. Activites for the children ranged from determining wild animal prints to types of soil and even a junior ranger program for them to earn a badge when they completed their mission. Two local artist even had art exhibits inside the music center with beautiful paints that reflected snow covered farms, and house renderings.

Jamming Tent

On Saturday, it was an all day event running from 10am to 10pm! The Blue Ridge Music Center stage kicked off the day of celebration with a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony with music to follow throughout the day. The entire festival was a great enjoyment not only to the members of the Chamber Staff who manned the booth but also the people who visited the locations to take part in this momentus celebration.