Event: 44th Annual Heritage Weekend
Dates: Saturday-Sunday September 21-22, 10am-4pm both days
Location: Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Ridge Parkway in East Asheville, NC

The 44th Annual Heritage Day will be held over the weekend September 21-22 at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center from 10am-4pm both days. This free celebration of mountain heritage is held by the Southern Highland Craft Guild featuring demonstrations of traditional crafts accompanied by music.

A highlight of the event is the Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle competition held at 2pm. A Whimmy Diddle is an Appalachian mountain toy traditionally made from two sticks of rhododendron. Notches are carved into one stick and a propeller is attached to the end. Rubbing the notches with the second stick makes the proper spin. Can you get it to gee (spin to the right) and haw (spin to the left)?

During the World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle competition, contestants are judged on the number of rotations between gees and haw they can complete during a given time. They may be asked to switch hands or whimmy diddle behind their back. All ages may compete with trophies given for best child, adult, and professional. Winners receive a moon pie and bragging rights.

Ongoing demonstrations will include traditional woodworking with traditional tools, weaving, spinning, dyeing, broom-making, stone carving, blacksmithing, soap-making, and printmaking. Visitors will have the opportunity to try their own hand at some of the crafts at an activity table.

A music stage will provide further entertainment with bluegrass and gospel music. The band schedule can be found online at craftguild.org.

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center is the ideal place for Heritage Day! There is free parking and a grassy area for picnics and relaxation. Spend an early autumn day in WNC honoring and learning about the crafts of yesteryear. Tour the Folk Art Center and maybe take a walk through the woods. For more information, including a list of participating craftspeople and musicians, call 828-298-7928 or visit www.craftguild.org. We hope to see y’all there!

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The Southern Highland Craft Guild is a non-profit, educational organization established in 1930 to cultivate the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation. The Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Highway 70 entrance in East Asheville, NC.