Kaye England, international quilt designer will be presenting three quilt turnings, "A Century of Quilts from 1840 to 1940 in the WestRock Ballroom of the Historic Masonic Theatre on Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day & C&O Railway Festival in addition to "Voices of the Past" presentation at 5:00 on June 4. Tickets for "Voices of the Past" tickets are $5.00 and may be purchased at the door.

Alleghany Highlands Fifth Annual Heritage Day & C&O Railway Festival Saturday, June 4 marks a day of honoring the heritage of the Alleghany Highlands   Clifton Forge, VA (May 5, 2016) - On Saturday, June 4 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, a special event will take place in the Alleghany Highlands, known as Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day & C&O Railway Festival. Heritage Day, celebrating its fifth anniversary, honors the diverse cultures that settled the region, and features music, food, demonstrations, exhibits and experiential activities that represent Irish, Scottish, English, German, Native American, Black American, and Alleghany Highlands Mountain heritage. Partnering with C&O Railway Festival, Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day will begin with a memorable kick-off, “Gift From A Yankee” docudrama sponsored by Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism on Friday, June 3 at 8:00 PM at the Historic Masonic Theatre. The “Gift From A Yankee” premiere is the first event in the newly restored Theatre and is part of the Theatre’s soft opening. A reception takes place from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Reception and docudrama tickets are $30 for adult; $20 for children; Tickets for docudrama only are $10 for adults, $5 for children and may be purchased online at www.historicmasonictheatre.com or at the Chamber office. To immerse yourself in Civil War history, visit the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile parked in the Town Hall parking lot open from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm prior to the docudrama. The celebration continues on Saturday, June 4 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm with over 100 artisan demonstrations, displays and presentations, train vendors and layouts, continuous music throughout the day, experiential activities, and a wide variety of food vendors including Celtic, English, Native American, Soul Food, German food complete with a German Beer and Virginia Cider Garden, a shine-tasting, home-made apple butter, pork rinds and boiled peanuts. A 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm presentation, “Voices of the Past” will take place at the Masonic Theatre. In addition to partnering with C&O Heritage Center, the day’s events have expanded so that the Historic Masonic Theatre, the Masonic Amphitheatre, sections of Church Street, the Jungle, Clifton Forge Public Library, Clifton Forge School of the Arts, Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center, the Town Hall parking lot, and C&O Heritage Center, will host demonstrations, displays, Highlands games, a Hobo Extravaganza, live animals and musical presentations. Joining Heritage Day this year is international quilt designer, Kaye England who will present the popular Quilt Bed Turnings in the 3rd floor WestRock Ballroom of the Masonic Theatre at 10:30, 2:00 and 3:30. Kaye will be sharing her vintage quilt collection, “a century of quilts from 1840 to 1940”. Quilts are a major theme of this year’s Heritage Day--a huge Americana Quilt and NeedleArt exhibit will be on display at Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts center from 10:00 to 5:00 and wool applique demonstrations will take place from noon to 2:00. The Americana exhibit showcases many Alleghany Highlands family heirlooms. The Library Quilters will display their collection of quilts in the Clifton Forge Public Library in addition to demonstrating the once popular quilting bee. An original collection of thirty hooked rugs will be displayed; this craft was essential to our ancestors, and will be demonstrated, along with knitting, doll-making and chess. Heritage Day is honored to welcome the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile which will be parked in the Town Hall parking lot and will be open from 10 to 5 on June 4. The HistoryMobile uses immersive spaces and interactive exhibits to draw together stories of the Civil War and emancipation from the viewpoints of those who experienced it across Virginia--young and old, enslaved and free, soldier and civilian. Visitors will encounter history in ways they may have never experienced before. Teams of mules and draft horses will show their strength while performing in the Jungle area in addition to transporting Heritage Day attendees in wagons that will continually travel between Church Street, to the HistoryMobile and to C&O Heritage Center and back. Also in the Jungle, the Green Hill Highlanders will perform throughout the day. The athletes challenge one another in traditional Scottish heavy athletics and strength competitions, including the Weight Throw, Scottish Hammer Throw, Stone Put and the always entertaining Caber Toss, which involves tossing a long, tapered pine log or pole end-over-end. Clifton Forge School of the Arts will host two needlepoint exhibits from local artists. Horton Beirne enjoyed needlepoint as a means of relaxation and stitched gifts for friends and family. His exhibit, “A Man of Many Talents” will be displayed along with needle artist, Joan Allen’s exhibit that showcases her work along with the work of her students in her “Passing Down the Craft” exhibit. “No Sew” Fabric Dolls will be taught to children of all ages by Judith Sivonda. Other artist demonstrations include woodworking and carving, stone carving, milk painting, pottery, and glass making. The use of herbal remedies will be explained and the Art School’s arboretum will be open to visitors. Come hungry because 20 food vendors serving Celtic, German, Native American, American, and Soul Food wait to serve attendees who may also shop for snacks including boiled peanuts, pork rinds, popcorn, home-made ice cream, pastries and breads. For the over 21 crowd, a German Beer Garden and Virginia Cidery may quench your thirst as well as an authentic shine-tasting by Appalachian Mountain Spirits. The Masonic Amphitheatre stage will come alive with bagpipers and drums, Native American dancers, the “Reborn” Gospel Choir, English and Irish music by Mary Smith and Greg Kimball, the Strum Sum Band, and Rick Garren playing the spoons. “Give me liberty or give me death” Patrick Henry, is expected to drop by for a speech or two. On the Amphitheatre lawn, find blacksmithing, coppersmithing, soap making, wood working, basket making, chair caning, flint knapping, tobacco twisting. walking stick making, natural skin care products, dough bowls and treenware, German architectural tiles, Celtic imports, children’s painting and craft projects, heritage animals including chickens and piglets. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will demonstrate and display. Area organizations will have booths—Alleghany Historical Society with a Virginia powder horn and hunting bag demonstration, Alleghany Highland Genealogical Society, CFHS Alumni, CF Woman’s Club, Olde Town Covington, Wrightsville Museum, Carpenter’s Battery, VFW Posts 4299 and 1033, and Bath and Botetourt County Historical Societies. The third floor WestRock Ballroom, the Auditorium Stage, the Lobby and the Annex Lobby, and the Underground Stage and Concession area of the Historic Masonic Theatre will host a variety of displays and entertainment. Leah Trent will play the Celtic harp while tea and scones are available for purchase. Music demonstrations include “blues”, guitar and spoons, and Gregg Kimball and Mary Smith will give a special performance of Civil War music. In the Lobby, the Fiber Arts Network will demonstrate spinning and weaving and wool felting in addition to demonstrating a 1928 sock making machine. Artist Suzanne Williams will demonstrate working with silk. In the Annex Lobby, Chuck Almarez will demonstrate the method of restoring vintage photographs, and discuss the “What’s Your Story” project with stories of the Masonic Theatre and future Alleghany Highlands’ story telling projects. Jim Lloyd, Crooked Road Banjo musician, will display his antique banjo collection. On the Auditorium Stage, Jim Lloyd will present two banjo concerts, BC Williams will present “The Role of the Black Soldier in the Civil War” and “Gift From A Yankee” can be viewed at 2:00 pm. At 5:00 pm, Kaye England will present “Voices of the Past”, stories of women who impacted history--Martha Washington, Harriet Tubman, Lucille Ball and others-- lives told through Kaye’s original collection of patchwork quilts. The presentation ticket is $5.00 and may be purchased at the door. Heritage Day festivities will begin at 9:45 as bagpipers cross the Smith Creek pedestrian bridge to the Amphitheatre Stage. Paul Linkenhoker, VP and CEO of the Alleghany Historical Society will deliver remarks to officially begin Heritage Day 2016. Brandon Caldwell will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the Amphitheatre and Jeff Stern, Executive Director of the Historic Masonic Theatre, will act as Master of Ceremonies in the Theatre. Times are approximate and subject to change. All attendees will receive an event brochure and wrist band when passing through the four Welcome Stations located at Church Street and Jefferson, Church Street and Commercial, the Smith Creek Bridge entrance and C&O Heritage Center. Admission is free of charge. New this year is a downloadable Heritage Day APP that will provide information on schedules, locations, food, restrooms, and information about the history and heritage of the Alleghany Highlands in addition to a fun way to learn about all the crafts demonstrated during Heritage Day. Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism executive director, Teresa Hammond commented, “The Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is pleased to serve as one of the sponsors for Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day again this year. This event is a great opportunity for the community, especially our children, to celebrate our history and to learn more about our heritage”. The schedule of events may be found on the Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day 2016 page on www.historicmasonictheatre.com. In addition to Boy Scouts Troop 2, and Boys Home, many community volunteers will also be helping with Heritage Day. The C&O Heritage Center will be the place to discover hobo train history. Don’t be a menace or railroad police will put you in JAIL! The Hobo Extravaganza includes entertaining hobos, face painting & tarot card readings, games and a hobo Camp. Train lovers will experience an operating Lego Layout - “Richbrick City”, C&O Railway Model N-Scale Layout, Virginia Canals and Navigations Society, and Mark Thomas, artisan engraver. All ages will enjoy the miniature train and hand car rides. VP and CEO of Alleghany Historical Society, Paul Linkenhoker issued the following invitation, “On behalf of the entire community, I would like to invite everyone to participate in the 2016 Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day. There’s something of interest to everyone and our children and grandchildren will learn much about the history of their community. We look forward to seeing you on June 4 to celebrate our heritage.” Heritage Day is sponsored by the Town of Clifton Forge the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Alleghany County, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. A Marketing Leverage Grant was awarded to the Heritage Day event for marketing. Sponsors include The Historic Masonic Theatre, Town of Clifton Forge, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, C&O Heritage Center, Clifton Forge Main Street, Clifton Forge School of the Arts, Hill Crest Bed and Breakfast, and Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center. For more information, and to view the Heritage Day Schedule of Events, visit www.historicmasonictheatre.com Crooked Road musician, Jim Lloyd, will perform on the Masonic Theatre stage at Heritage Day in addition to displaying his antique banjo collection. Train lovers will experience an operating Lego layout, Richbrick City at C&O Heritage Center on June 4, Heritage Day in addition to many other activities.

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