The Web site is being updated weekly, the children’s activities are being fine-tuned and the vendors are being lined up in anticipation of the third annual Uwharrie Mountain Festival scheduled for Oct. 11 at King’s Mountain Point in the Uwharrie National Forest.
Heather Wallace said the plans are coming along for an expanded field of children’s events with a focus on the environment. Early plans call for hula hoop contest, a crafts area, potato on a spoon race and drawing contest focused on forest objects. Wallace, Communities in Schools coordinator, has teamed with the Partnership for Children to bring a new focus to the children’s events.
Nathan Davis of God’s Country Outfitters plans on bringing a large number of canoes and kayaks to the event for people to try out as well as for use in the scheduled paddling events planned for that day.
Gordon Knowles is overseeing the activities and as usual there is an array of events planned including a trail run, a nature walk, geocaching, orienteering and disc golf.
Kasey Cook of N.C. Wildlife is contacting the N.C. Zoo about a return visit with some of their animals, an event that children found interesting the first year. Cook is also providing a wildlife area from the Wildlife Commission and other interesting items related to wildlife and their habitats.
Riley Beaman is lining up the music for the day and promises that Blue Horizon, a crowd favorite, will be on about midday.
The Lumber Jack competition will be held in the afternoon. That event proved to be very popular last year, and even included some students from Montgomery Community College’s forestry program.
Crystal Cockman of the N.C. LandTrust has the Web site up and going again with listings of events, vendors, directions and contact information. Check out the Web site at uwharriefestival.com or through a link with Montgomery Herald’s Web site.
New to the event this year is a wine tasting tent. Ron Franklin is heading up that area of the festival and already has two vineyards, Rocky River Vineyards out of Midland and Stony Mountain Vineyards out of Albemarle. Tastings will be held and bottles will be available for purchase.
Festival organizers are still searching for volunteers, noting it takes a lot of people to make an event like this happen. Additional vendors are needed as well, said Chris Cagle who is heading up that portion of the festival. Cagle is currently contacting some past vendors and others that will be a good match for the festival. Anyone interested in being a vendor can check the information on the Web site. Vendor spots are $25.
Back again this year is the Mud Club. The Mud Club is for individuals wanting to give the festival a hand and with a donation of $50 they receive a Mud Club tee shirt and an invitation to the night before barbecue and party at Kings Mountain Point. Mud Club members are limited to 100. For more information on volunteering or being a sponsor contact Travis Stewart, Chris Cagle or Marla Coulthard.
