Living History Saturdays at Vance Birthplace - May Events
“Living History Saturdays” will be held Saturdays at the Vance Birthplace State Historic Site from April through June. All activities begin at 1 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Here’s the May schedule:
May 10—Appalachian Music Program
Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with an afternoon of melodic acoustic music. Primrose, a group of life-long musicians interested in preserving and sharing Appalachian and other styles of traditional music, will be performing.
May 17—Old-time Music and Dance Frolic celebrating Zeb Vance’s Birthday
Lace up your dancing shoes or bring out your lawn chair and help us celebrate Governor Zebulon Vance’s birthday with an evening of good ol’ mountain music and dance. Peter Gott will be calling dances and music be provided by legendary fiddler Roger Howell and the Carolina Old-timers. Festivities will begin around 5 p.m.
May 24—Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration
Meet Madison County Native Carolyn Rice in the kitchen of the Vance Birthplace, and learn how the Vance Family might have prepared “supper”. Rice has been demonstrating the art of cooking over the open fire for many years at the historic site and many returning visitors fondly remember her cooking!
May 31—Confederate Money and Appalachian Basketry
Join expert Larry Allison at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. in the Vance Birthplace auditorium for a glimpse into the Confederate currency system during the Civil War. Participants will be able to view some of Allison’s collection and learn about Zebulon Vance’s role in issuing Confederate money and bonds. At 2:30 p.m., local crafter Alma Lambert will present a program on Appalachian basketry. She will reflect on the Cherokee influences on basketry in this region and display several pieces of her work.
For more information, call 645-6706. The Vance Birthplace State Historic Site is located at 911 Reems Creek Road.
