Fun for the Whole Family at the Parkway's 75th Anniversary Festival

ASHEVILLE, NC, AND ROANOKE, VA – If you’re looking for the ultimate family getaway, load up the car and head to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary Festival September 10–12, 2010, at the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, VA, at Milepost 213 and Cumberland Knob, NC, at Milepost 217.5.

Beyond mountain crafts and food, great traditional Appalachian music and dance, exhibits and demonstrations, and antique cars and campers, there will be a wealth of activity for the kids.

National Park Service Rangers, with assistance from partners and other volunteers, will lead activities focusing on traditional games, the culture of the region, biology, botany, natural history, geology, Parkway design, and Appalachian crafts.

At Cumberland Knob, families will be able to participate in the following interpretive, hands-on programs:

• Building A Road – Parkway designers built a picturesque, pastoral, and sublime road when they created the Blue Ridge Parkway. Look at how the road has changed over the years and then create your own vision of a scenic parkway.

• What’s Your Name – In the 1820s, the Cherokee Indian Sequoyah developed a written alphabet for the Cherokee language. Learn how to write your name using his syllabary.

• Warm and Pretty – Try your hand at quilting, a long-time Appalachian tradition, and learn about naturally dyed yarns.

• Time Out for Toys – In the old days, children made toys from materials they had on hand. Try some old-time toys and games and make your own to take home.

• Memories of Blue Ridge Parkway at 75 – Become a Junior Ranger and keep a journal of everything you do and learn during the Anniversary Festival.

At the Blue Ridge Music Center, family activities include the following:

• Who Lives Here? Learn about the diverse environments along the Parkway and the many different animal habitats protected by this scenic byway.

• Geology Rocks – The Blue Ridge Mountains are some of the oldest in the world. Learn about how they were created, as well as the types of rocks and minerals you can find in the region.

• What Grows Here? With more species of plants growing along the Blue Ridge Parkway than in any other national park, learn about some of them and take home seeds to plant in your own backyard.

• Keeping It Clean – Many streams originate along the crest of the Parkway. Learn where water pollution comes from and what you can do to help keep our water clean.

• Memories of Blue Ridge Parkway at 75 – Become a Junior Ranger and keep a journal of everything you do and learn during the Anniversary Festival.

In addition to these programs — and for the child in all of us — there will be a variety of storytelling sessions as well as performances of traditional Jack Tales by Ferrum College students. These folk tales originated with English and Scottish immigrants who brought them to the Blue Ridge when they settled in the region.

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary Festival is free and open to the public. Parking is at the Blue Ridge Music Center and two auxiliary lots. Complimentary shuttle service between the parking areas, the Blue Ridge Music Center and Cumberland Knob Recreation Center will be available during festival hours. Please be sure to dress for the weather. Blankets and picnics are allowed. Alcohol and pets, except service animals, are prohibited.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. is the non-profit organization designated by the National Park Service to lead the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary celebration. With representation from all of the Parkway’s partner groups, the states of North Carolina and Virginia, and community leaders along the 469-mile scenic route, Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc.’s mission is to engage local communities and all visitors in an anniversary that focuses attention on a sustainable and healthy Parkway for future generations. For more information, visit www.blueridgeparkway75.org.

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