Visitors will find a mix of new features and old favorites when the Craig County Fall Festival returns for the 41st year to downtown New Castle.
A long time tradition is country breakfast served in the Hotel dining room starting at 7 a.m., followed by pinto beans and cornbread for lunch.
The Genealogy Library, restored cabins, and the 1840s Old Brick Hotel will all be open for guests to explore Craig County’s history. Antique cars to admire, food to taste-test, and a variety of raffles are long-time staples, but they are never the same from year to year.
For several years, the Craig County High School Choir has led off the entertainment schedule after providing their rendition of the National Anthem. This year they will be singing delightful and goul-ish Halloween selections. In the middle of the day, crowd favorite Blue Connection will take the stage and provide background for the Flatfoot Contest, adult and youth categories at 1 p.m.
New comers to this year’s festival include native Jimmy McDaniel, preforming with his wife and son as the Early Family. Their gospel and country music will begin around 10 a.m.
The other new face is Ella Folk, who sings originals and covers of western and country. She is joined by musical prodigy Cole Winebarger and they will finish off the day before the traditional Raffle Drawings at 4:30.
Students from Craig County High School FFA are returning with a new slate of activities. Their Pumpkin Carving Contest for children under 6 begins at 1 p.m. and for children 7 and older at 2 p.m. The entry fee is $3. An unlimited Game Pass for $10 includes a bouncy house, pumpkin tic-tac-toe, feed sack races, face painting, and bull roping. The FFA lot behind the Hotel will also feature a petting zoo and raffles.
Also for children, traditional games will be offered in the courthouse yard and educational crafts are planned for the 4-H booth.
For the first time, festival attendees will have the opportunity to donate blood. The Blood Connection mobile unit is an independently managed, non-profit community blood center and will be parked on Main Street near the Old Brick Hotel. All blood donations stay local. For every person who donates during the festival, The Blood Connection will donate $10 to the Craig County Historical Society and each donor will receive $30 in donor rewards. Visit TheBloodConnection.org.
With great excitement, the Historical Society invites the community to the Grand Opening of Clifton’s Cash Store Museum during the afternoon of the Festival. Free cheese slices and matchbooks will be given away in memory of the last store owners, Clifton and Esther Elmore. It is expected family members will be present. For almost two years, restoration work has progressed next door to the Old Brick Hotel. While not finished, the once vacant eye-sore on Main Street has been repaired, painted and modernized.
-Submitted by Craig County Historical Society
