Heritage Explorers Fest

Heritage Explorers Fest

The Pioneer Era is the focus time period for the event this year.

Friday October 25

10 am to 5 pm at the Vinton County Fairgrounds Fern Kruger Building and outdoor areas

Download the Pioneer America homeschool unit file after ticket purchase for use before or after attending Heritage Explorers Fest

All children age 4 and up will need a ticket to attend and participate in the event. Adult supervision of all children is required, but a ticket to attend with them is not.

Heritage Explorers Fair

Think science fair but with a history focus. Children will bring a diorama to depict a scene, event, or person from the year's chosen period of American history: the Pioneer Era. Displays will be set up at the beginning of the event inside of the Fern Kruger Building and judging conducted with the children based upon age categories throughout the day. Children will earn either a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place ranking based upon their presentation and knowledge of their project matter during a brief interview by our panels of judges. The awards ceremony will occur as the final event of the day.

Your receipt will serve as your admission ticket to the event and also class registration. Class registration opens August 26 after the event schedule is finalized.

Classes and Activities - subject to change based upon weather or instructor emergency

• Costumed historical interpreters
• Foraging and Tree Identification Hike
• Corn Husk Doll Making
• Clay Marble Making and Painting ($2 materials fee)
• Period Game Playing: sack races, jacks, cup and ball, Blind Man's Bluff, etc.
• Animal Tracks and Tracking
• Chicken Husbandry and farm fresh egg tasting
• Paper Making
• Make and bake biscuits over an open flame and butter make and eat ($2 per person)
• Rabbit Husbandry and Goat Husbandry with hands-on goat milking
• Pioneer Storytime with craft take home project: Little House On The Prairie Family Felt Doll Making ($3 materials fee) optional add-on: color your own felt pioneer house kit or color your own barn with felt animals and farmer kit $10 ea.
• Pioneer Storytime with craft take home project: Covered Wagon and Log Cabin Making - with wood peg family ($5 materials fee)
• Knife history and wooden slingshot course optional add-on: wooden slingshot (to take home, slingshots provided for class use) $4 ea.
• Primitive Fishing pole make and take and fishing on the pond ($1.50 bait and materials fee)
• Fiber arts handicrafts class: needle felt "painting" learn how to use wool and a special needle to create a work of art on a piece of painter's drop cloth canvas for mounting in a frame or on a wooden canvas. This class is for ages 8 and up only. Adults may purchase a ticket for the make and take class if they too would like to create a project - $5 each.
• Wool dying and needle felt animal make and take project $5 Materials fee.

Lunch

You may bring a picnic lunch or enjoy pioneer era food and treats from our instructors during the live demos of pioneer recipes and cooking techniques.

Lunchtime fare will include:

• Pioneer biscuits cooked over and open flame - churn your own butter
• Rabbit Stew made cooked on an open flame from locally sourced ingredients
• Kettle Corn
• Churned Ice Cream
• Jam from foraged edibles and locally grown produce
• Sourdough muffins or bread by the slice
• Freshly made before your eyes mozzarella cheese
• Locally raised ham slices
• Baked beans cooked over and open flame.
• Complimentary condiments table

By purchasing a ticket you agree to our terms of service. If you do not understand or agree with our terms of service, please do not purchase a ticket to attend. No refunds will be given. Tickets are transferrable, meaning you can sell them to anyone you wish if you are ultimately unable to attend. The terms of service still apply, regardless of who purchases, holds, or uses the ticket. Some of the classes are indoors and some are outside. Rain will not cancel the event - dress appropriately. In the case of lightening or other severe weather, only the indoor activities will continue, with as many outdoor activities moved indoors as possible. If the inclement weather passes before the end of the event, outdoor activities will resume as scheduled.

There are approximately 20 handicap parking spaces adjacent to the Fern Kruger Building. The grounds are at least fairly handicap accessible and stroller accessible. The rest rooms inside of the Fern Kruger Building are handicap accessible and have a baby changing area.

Follow the Heritage Skills USA blog for event updates and notices.