Well here it is Tuesday – I’m going to try to recap the festival weekend. Kelly got here about 6pm Friday night – we got a pizza for supper, organized our supplies, and packed the car. In the morning we left about 8am and headed up Route 130 to Stahlstown. It was cool but not raining and we did have patches of sun. There were bails of straw scattered over the festival grounds to keep the mud down and the guests safe walking. We got there, set up, and took a few pictures. I didn’t take nearly as many photos as usual – we were ready for the kids and family when the festival opened.
Ready to open.
Honey, wildflowers, homemade goods.
The pavilion that we are adjacent to is where the demonstrations take place – the entire process from planting, harvesting, preparing and spinning the flax threads into linen threads. There is a loom that demonstrates making the cloth. This process was very important during the 18th century and into the 19th, as that and wool were the only way to have material for clothes, blankets, and even rugs. You lost the crop, you lost that year’s new clothes!
Flax plants – festival photo
demonstration area.
It took a while for the crowds to come, but they did. It wasn’t packed but it was steady. The repeat kids knew where we were, and loved our crafts, and spent the day popping in and out! They loved petting Puppers, our stuffed puppy, in order to receive a fall Hershey Kiss.
Passing out kisses – he loves to be petted!
Too many kisses???
A friend of Puppers!
Another Puppy!
We had a scavenger hunt with Tootsie Pops or glow sticks as prizes. People came looking for the cards as the kids really enjoyed the activity!
The kids had colored construction paper, bright markers, and glitter self-sticking foam leaf stickers. They also did yarn weaving on paper plates, and made bracelets on looms cut out of cardboard and woven with variegated yard. I think that was their favorite. They love Merilee’s toys, too!
Creative kids!
The day ended with the native Americans burning the settlers cabin. It’s pretty impressive if you’ve never seen it! We packed up what we had to take home with us, and stored everything else in the Flax building. We stopped on the way home to grab more Tootsie Pops and kisses, and Kelly got a bag of Oreos. The funnel cake booth promised to make her some deep fried Oreos if she brought the cookies!
Settlers (courtesy of festival)
Native American – festival photo
It was obvious that Sunday was going to be a wash – no pun intended. It was cold and windy and started out with heavy rain. Some of the vendors did not open. There was to be a church service before the festival started, but it was so damp and windy that they cancelled. The benches were soaked and the rain blew onto the equipment on the stage. So Kelly and I stopped at the Pie Shoppe in Laughlintown and grabbed a bag of Snails (A pie-dough type cinnamon roll) and passed them out to our little group as a morning treat. Everyone LOVES Snails so it was a great pick me up.
RAIN! Courtesy of festival
My friend Shirley from the Ligonier Library
Won’t be using THIS one!
The ladies at the next table offered quilt squares for the kids to draw and color. They created their own picture, then Dolores and Dorothy collected the squared and tucked them away. Throughout the winter they will have the quilt squares made into a custom quilt – they have a new one every year. These ‘young’ ladies – who are twins! – are 80-plus years old and still love being part of the festival family.
Dolores and Dorothy – the quilt ladies.
There is entertainment all day both days – but my favorite is always Cathi Rhodes, who portrays Patsy Cline. I can sing along with most of the songs, and love hearing her sing and explain some of the songs’ origins. She closed out the festival this year.
The deep fried Oreos were a hit, and after Kelly got hers, the Funnel Cake booth fried the rest of the cookies and passed them out to the other festival booths.
We finally got everything packed up and in the car, and talked to Merilee (director) about future plans and expectations for next year. She always seems very happy at with our interaction with the kids (they love it, too!), and about having us there. We got home, unloaded the car, and drove to Blairsville to meet Kelly’s sister- and brother- in law to pick up Chase (who was there for the weekend). We were pretty worn out by the time we got home and were glad to have a simple supper. The Soup Kitchen had sold their soups for half price during the last half hour, and we got fresh bread and a quart of chicken noodle soup which was probably the best homemade chicken soup I’ve every had.
Merilee
Kelly and Chase left about 10am on Monday morning – at which point I tackled all the supplies from the weekend. Sorted them out, took inventory, repacked them, labeled the boxes, make notes as to what we needed to do different or replace, and toted them down to the shed. So that’s a wrap for 2026! Now to get back to life on Wren Drive – which I will continue tomorrow.
HOME!
QUOTE of the DAY:
But tea, not coffee!
PEANUTS?
TOMORROW September 23rd is:
National Snack Stick Day; National Checkers Day; Dogs in Politics Day; National Great American Pot Pie Day; Teal Talk Day; Restless Legs Awareness Day; International Day of Sign Language; National Bakers Day.
I never met a political dog! I like pot pies – especially homemade with Thanksgiving leftovers. Kathy will celebrate sign language. Kelly will bake! God bless…
On this day in History:
Scripture:
Cool Picture:
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