Trade Days returns
By Scott Nicholson
 
The 21st annual Trade Days festival is coming this weekend, combining the best of history with entertainment and attractions.

The event takes place Thursday through Sunday just over the Watauga County line in Trade, Tenn.
The event is billed as “Celebrating Appalachian Culture,” and the festival features Native American ceremonies, craft demonstrations, music and food.

Demonstrations on the grounds include the making of apple butter and lye soap, tobacco twisting, a blacksmith exhibit and the operation of hit-and-miss engines and antique saws.

The Historic Trade Mill is open and operating, with gift shop items available consisting of crafts made by people in the Trade community, Amish-made jams, jelly and canned goods, hot sauce and salsa and old-fashioned wooden toys.

Donnie Freeman and his intertribal pow-wow is an educational event with native dress, drumming and dancing com petitions, The Kountry K-9 Show will feature dog tricks, and T.J. the Clown will be prowling the grounds.

A National Guard Climbing Wall and Tennessee Wildlife Exhibit will be part of the festival this year, along with demonstrations on making lye soap, apple butter, weaving, crocheting, butter churning and scratch biscuits.

New this year are renowned magician Jimmy Dixon and the Puppetone Rockers.

The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show is back this year.

The kickoff celebration takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday with Earl Humphreys and the Music Memories Band. Admission is $3 for the show.

Live entertainment will be held on various stages throughout the weekend.

The Trade Days Parade will take place on Saturday morning and a worship service on Sunday.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6 to 12, and a special senior citizens’ price of $5 on Friday only.

Three-day passes are $20 for adults and $10 for children.

For more information, call the Johnson County Welcome Center at (423) 727-5800 or Trade Days at (423) 727-3007. The event Web site is www.tradedaysfestivaltn.com.