If you’re out and about tomorrow (Saturday, August 14, 2010) and looking for something to do, here’s a few Weaverville events to check out/help with:

Yard Sale
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 8 a.m.-Noon
Located at 11 Salem Acres located in downtown Weaverville (Church Street to Highland Avenue to Salem Road to Salem Acres).  Items for sale include household items, books, cassette tapes, movies, video games, airsoft guns, scooter, sewing machine, bicycle, microwave/range hood combo, jewelry, clothes, and more.

North Buncombe High School Stadium Clean-Up Day
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 8 a.m.
Please stop by the stadium at North Buncombe High School (890 Clark’s Chapel Road) for a little while and help us get ready for our fall season. Bring a weed eater if you have one. We will also be cleaning the guest side concession stand.

Main Street Nature Park Work Session
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 9:30 a.m.
The Friends of the Main Street Nature Park invite all Weaverville area nature lovers to join us for a work session at the park beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Volunteers will meet at the nature park sign in the east end of the parking lot.

Back to School Clinic
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
A free back-to-school clinic will be held at Christ United Methodist Church (81 Garrison Branch Road).  Free school supplies and gently used clothes will be available.  Free haircuts will be given nearby at Outer Beauty Salon (76 Garrison Branch Road).

2nd Saturday at Vance Birthplace
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Authentic North Carolina arts and history are featured at the 2nd Saturdays programs, and visitors from far and wide enjoy paintings, photography, woodworking and other crafts at these two historic sites. It’s an opportunity to buy great holiday gifts and also support local crafters too.  At Vance Birthplace (911 Reems Creek Road) starting at 10 am, the Ashgrove Garland Dancers and the Asheville Morris Men will be performing and teaching English folk dances.  In addition to the dancers, Primrose, a traditional music group will be performing different styles of folk music from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The final 2nd Saturdays event at Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (911 Reems Creek Road) is this Saturday, August 14, 2010. Info:

The past is present and old-fashioned fun will be waiting for families at the Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace State Historic Site and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial on Saturday, August 14, 2010.  The museums and state historic sites within N.C. Department of Cultural Resources will conclude the summer of 2nd Saturdays programs that day with a down-home good time.

Authentic North Carolina arts and history are featured at the 2nd Saturdays programs, and visitors from far and wide enjoy paintings, photography, woodworking and other crafts at these two historic sites. It’s an opportunity to buy great holiday gifts and also support local crafters too.

At Vance Birthplace starting at 10 am, the Ashgrove Garland Dancers and the Asheville Morris Men will be performing and teaching English folk dances.  In addition to the dancers, Primrose, a traditional music group will be performing different styles of folk music from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Asheville Morris Men

Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (911 Reems Creek Road) is one of the historical sites participating in North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources 2nd Saturdays. 2nd Saturdays combine arts and heritage with food and fun on June 12, July 10, and August 14 at all 37 museums and Historic Sites in North Carolina.  The theme for the June 12 program at Vance Birthplace is “Recycle, Reuse, Re-purpose”.  More info:

2nd Saturdays at Vance Birthplace
June 12, 2010:  “Recycle, Reuse, Re-purpose”
10 a.m.-4 p.m.

A look at how, in the 19th century, many items were saved and reused for new purposes. This includes using what would commonly be considered waste items. Featured artists for this event have an element of recycling in their work by reusing items in the development of their product, such as rug weaving, quilting, soap making, jewelry and more. Admission is free. Vendors will have items available for purchase.

Participating artists/vendors:

• Annette Burgess – soap and kitchen bunnies
• Bob Bradley – wood turning
• Annelinde Metzner – pottery
• Susan Brooks – jewelry
• Phil Atwood – metal birdhouses
• Victoria Mobberly – dressmaking
• Kathy Fefer – botanical art
• Pamela Shook – puppet/dolls
• Fredereen Bernatovicz – watercolor
• Janice Sean – watercolor

The Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (911 Reems Creek Road) presents the Annual Fall Militia Encampment on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. Admission is free both days. Here’s the info about the weekend’s events:

Once again, history will come alive on the weekend of September 26.  Vance Birthplace State Historic Site will be hosting the annual Fall Militia Encampment, Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m .and Sunday, Sept. 27, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Admission is free.

This event will highlight the early years of our country’s history, when citizens banded together to form local militias to protect their lives and property.  Periodically, the militia’s officers would call a muster (a gathering of the members) for training, such as small arms drills.  The Catawba Militia, a group that portrays an early American citizens’ militia, will be encamped at Vance Birthplace throughout the weekend.  The group will demonstrate common camplife activities, drill routines and tell visitors what it was like to serve in the militia.  Members of the group will also provide some hands-on activities for children.

In addition to the Catawba Militia, the site will be receiving volunteer assistance for the two day event from the members of the site’s newly organized Tar Heel Jr. Historian Club. The club members will be providing assistance with the hands-on activities and with site tours and demonstrations.

Also, for 2009, the event will be highlighted as one of the events included in the Smithsonian magazine’s 5th annual Museum Day. On September 26th, the Fall Militia Encampment will be participating in a national program sponsored by Smithsonian magazine.  Details on the program are available at www.Smithsonian.com/museumday.

Vance Birthplace State Historic Site, the childhood home of Zebulon B. Vance, North Carolina’s Civil War governor, was settled in 1795 by David Vance, a Revolutionary war veteran.  The farm was the family’s home until the early 1830s.  Both David Vance and his son were officers in the Buncombe Militia during the early 1800s.  The site includes a visitor center, a reconstructed log house and six outbuildings.

Vance Birthplace State Historic Site, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, is located 12 miles northeast of Asheville on Reems Creek Road.  For more information call (828) 645-6706.

I recently stopped by the Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (911 Reems Creek Road ) and learned they have a Picnic Pavilion which is free for public use. For information or to reserve the shelter, stop by the Vance Birthplace or call them at 645-6706. Here’s some info from the Picnic Shelter Request application:

Equitable Use
Facility reservations are accepted as equitably as possible on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure all lawful groups have access to the picnic area. Department of Cultural Resources and the Vance Birthplace will have priority in scheduling the use of the picnic facilities.

Reservations
The picnic area may be reserved up to three months in advance. Facilities are not intended to be used as a regular meeting place or base of operation. Facilities may not be used for an activity which will result in monetary gain for an individual or private group.

One other note about reserving the picnic shelter – it can only be used during the regular operating hours of the Vance Birthplace, which are currently Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m – 5 p.m.

The Asheville Citizen-Times‘ Steve Dixon was on hand Sunday at Vance Birthplace for their Annual Candlelight Christmas Tour.  You can view his photo slideshow here.

Special events scheduled for June 2008 at the Vance Birthplace on 911 Reems Creek Road.  For more information about any event, call  645-6706.

Saturday, June 7, 1-4 p.m.
Quilting Program
Learn all about quilting from local Artisan Nancy Baker. Baker is an experienced quilter with extensive knowledge of quilting traditions in antebellum and post antebellum Western North Carolina.

Saturday, June 14, 1-4 p.m.
Weaving Demonstration
Explore the world of late 18th and early 19th century textile production, with Buncombe County Native Mandy Maude. Mandy will be demonstrating the art of weaving using a 200 year old foot-powered loom from the Watauga Region of the state.

Saturday, June 21, 1-4 p.m.
Lye Soap Making
Join tradition bearer Carolyn Rice, a native of Madison County, to learn the art of Lye Soap Making. This unique demonstration will show folks how to make soap, the old- fashioned way, using a cast iron pot over the open fire. (*In the event of rain the demonstration will be moved to the porch of the main house).

Mountain Music Program
Join Tony Thomas, a legendary old-time/mountain bluegrass musician from Tennessee, for an afternoon of pickin’ and grinin’! Thomas plays a traditional style of music he learned growing up in the coal mining towns of the Cumberland Mountains. In addition to performing, Thomas will give a short history describing the traditional instruments and songs he will be performing.

Vance Birthplace will be hosting Christmas Candlelight Tours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 9. The tours provide visitors with a look at how Christmas may have been celebrated in the southern Appalachian mountains in the 1800s.

The two-story reconstructed log house, decorated in the style of the 1830’s, will be opened for guided tours. Throughout the house, decorations made of native greenery such as holly, boxwood, pine boughs, galax and rhododendron will be on display.

Vance Birthplace is located at 911 Reems Creek Road. For more information call 645-6706.

If you want to see what life was like in the early 19th century on a mountain farm, visit the Fall Militia Encampment 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, September 22 or 1-3 p.m. Sunday, September 23, at the Vance Birthplace State Historic Site. Admission is free both days.

The Catawba Militia, a group that portrays an early American citizens’ militia, will be encamped at Vance Birthplace throughout the weekend. The group will demonstrate common camp life activities, drill routines and tell visitors what it was like to serve in the militia.

Vance Birthplace State Historic Site is located at 911 Reems Creek Road.  For more information, call 645-6706.