Festival of Christmas Past presented at Sugarland Visitor Center

The Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, Tennessee will be hosting its 34th Annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration. Scheduled for December 12, 2009, from 9am-4pm, this event celebrates Christmas and the traditions that surrounded a Smoky Mountain Christmas in days of yore. Those traditions included gathering in churches, homes, and schools, and many celebrated the holidays through music, storytelling and crafts. This year’s festival will include mountain music, harp singing and demonstrations of basketmaking, quiltmaking, spinning and apple butter making. This event is free to the public.

The schedule of events is as follows:

• 9:30 am - 11:00 am - Harp Singing and Old Time Hymns
• 11:15 am - 12:00 pm - Lost Mill String Band
• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Storytelling with Cuz and Jan Headrick
• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Stories of the Past From Local Residents
• 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Bill Proffitt and South of the River Boys
• 3:00 - 4:00 pm - Boogertown Gap Band

Craft Demonstrations In and Around the Visitor Center

• Berry Bark Baskets with Bill Alexander
• Spinning with Dale Lyles
• Blacksmithing with master blacksmith Clayton Sharp
• Mountain Basketweaving with Connie and Bertha Clabo
• Lye Soap Making with Sallie Swor
• Historic Toys and Games with Roy Henson
• Christmas Craft Table with Vicki Law
• Apple Butter Making with Vonda and Carrol Ogle