Two weeks till Mountain Marketplace

Living history and activities from Union County's past will be featured at the Mountain Marketplace Heritage Festival this Labor Day weekend.

Free and open to the public, this event celebrates the colorful history and culture of our area, and will be held Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3, 10am-5pm, one block south of the Old Courthouse in Blairsville. It is a community outreach event of the Union County Historical Society, kindly underwritten by United Community Bank.

Mountain music, arts and crafts, historic treasures, and living history activities are showcased at the Marketplace, in a continuing attempt to keep the area's rich mountain heritage alive. Free and open to the public, it's a fun-filled family event, with something for all ages, including:

gold-panning and other heritage activities such as oldtime cast-iron cooking over an open fire

all-day performances by talented musicians, coordinated by Sam Ensley

high quality arts and crafts including basketry, needlework, ceramics, and wood crafts

traditional items such as handmade soaps, handcrafted candles, homemade preserves, and locally produced honey

living history around the Civil War-era log cabin, including soldiers in period costume and individuals engaged in traditional activities

members of pioneer families on hand to answer questions about local history.

Significant artifacts donated to the Historical Society will be featured at the event. These artifacts help tell the story of life in this rugged county a century ago and give us a glimpse of the inventive, hardworking, and self-sufficient mountain people who made and used them.

"It's a wonderful event," says Steve Oakley, director of the Historical Society. "We invite everyone to spend the day, enjoying the music, crafts, and heritage activities."

The community and visitors are most welcome to attend and participate. Please contact the Historical Society at 706/745-5493 or history1@alltel. net for additional information. Visit www.unioncountyhistory. org.