Arthurdale Heritage’s New Deal Festival gives every member of the family something to enjoy. The festival begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 14th and features artisan demonstrations, historic reenactments, museum tours, craft market, antique car, truck, and tractor show, quilt show, supervised kids area with games and activities, and much more.
“We want to show how fascinating history can be. Oftentimes when kids think history, they think of dusty books. At the festival they can learn about Arthurdale, the Great Depression, and World War II as living history,†said Jeanne Goodman, Arthurdale Heritage Executive Director.
Youngsters can enjoy games and activities geared especially for them in the festival’s supervised kids’ area. This year, they can get up close with hawks, eagles, and owls from the West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center. Kids can also take part in old fashioned games like marbles and stop by the little red barn to visit Turbo the “toy†pig, horses, goats, calves, and other livestock. Kids have the opportunity to get hands-on by visiting the World War II military encampment and by talking with descendants of original Arthurdale homesteaders.
One of the most popular events at the New Deal Festival is the antique car, truck, and tractor show. Guests can check under the hood of some of Detroit’s classiest machines from the 1920s all the way to hot-rods and muscle cars from the 1960s and ‘70s. The show, hosted by the Arthurdale Tire Kickers Club, also features antique tractors, including a restored tractor manufactured at the Reedsville Co-Op Tractor Factory.
Tour options allow a closer look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Little Village. Climb aboard a horse-drawn wagon and explore the Arthurdale community. Or opt for an old-fashioned hay ride. Tickets for these specialty tours can be purchased at the information booth the day of the event.
Be sure to bring your appetite. As always, the festival features Arthurdale’s famous home-cooked, grilled chicken dinners. The recipe, kept secret by the descendants of homesteaders is an Arthurdale tradition. Each dinner includes sides and homemade dessert. Also are available are more traditional festival fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and more.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. Purchase your festival tickets in advance and save. Online tickets are $5.00 per adult, $3.00 per child 6-11. At the gate, admission is $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 6-12. Kids 5 and under are free. Parking is free. Advance tickets can be purchased online at: http://www.newdealfestival.org
