Christmas in July

Civil War actor

Saturday was the 25th annual Christmas in July festival.  The festival started as a way to highlight the Christmas tree industry in the mountains.  There were two stages set up, one for music (bluegrass, gospel, country and steel drums) and one for dancing and clogging.  Every year there is a civil war reenactment and I don't think they know the south lost the war.  We got an early start and headed over to the Hillbilly Cafe for breakfast.  The fair was in full swing by 9 AM.

My favorite are the booths filled with hand-made goodies such as pottery, paintings, bird houses, jewelry and clothing.  Hubby bought a dirt shirt, which is a white t-shirt dyed with red Carolina clay.  I got a pottery  bowl and a collage of painted birds set into an old window frame.

Blue grass band

There were food booths too.  You could get anything from homemade ice cream, and kettle corn to tacos.

There were free goodies as well.  Copies of the New Testament, water bottles, and face painting.  All day long they had contests for wreath making and baling.

Several organizations, such as the Humane Society and the school band, charged $5.00 for parking.  One industrious fellow decided he was going to save a few bucks and parked in a bank parking lot.  What he didn't know was the bank needed the drive-thru for its customers.  I'm sure he spent more than $5.00 to get his car back.

Food vendors

My great find

Pottery Bowl

What a crowd