Christmas in July Festival to Begin Friday Night

By Joel Frady

Thousands of people will venture in downtown West Jefferson this weekend as the town prepares for the 23rd

annual Christmas in July Festival. Food vendors, craft vendors and non-profit groups will set up on Back Street while bands keep music in the air.

Jane Lonon, secretary of the Christmas in July festival's board of directors, said that the festival is held to celebrate the area's mountain heritage of traditional music along with handcrafted and homegrown items.

The festival will begin setting up on Friday, July 3, and food vendors are expected to be up-and-running by 6 p.m. The opening ceremony will be held on the main stage at 7 p.m. and will feature an introduction by West Jefferson Mayor Dale Hudler and presentation of the colors.

Music will begin at 7 p.m. on both stages, with traditional music on the main stage and, new to this year's festival, four groups specializing in Christian music on the dance stage. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for the evening.

The festival will pick up again at 9 a.m. on Saturday, when all crafts vendors will be open for business, and run until 8 p.m. that evening.

Lonon said that the food vendors will offer everything from traditional carnival food, such as funnel cakes and blooming onions, while other vendors will offer "full meal selections" such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausages and ethnic cuisine like Greek and Mediterranean.

"It's what you think about eating when you're walking down the street at a festival," said Lonon. "You can expect to be well-fed."

The crafts vendors also supply what Lonon calls "one of the most important parts of the festivals." Each vendor is pre-screened to insure that all goods offered are "originals, not commercial in nature," because the idea is to "showcase the fine quality and nature of what hand-crafted is all about." She noted that there will be a "nice mix" of potters, wood workers, painters, metal workers and quilters, among others.

There will be more than just food and crafts, however, as a variety of activities are planned. Civil War Re-enactors will camp out at Bowie-Seagraves Park, offering various demonstrations and the occasional parade through the festival. A children's area featuring activities such as the moon walk and a climbing wall will also be available, along with the Creation Station offered free by the Ashe County Arts Council that will offer such activities as face painting.

Organizers expect between 10,000 and 20,000 visitors for the festival, which has typically averaged approximately 15,000 in recent years (based on figures provided by food vendors). Lonon noted that the attendance will hinge on good weather.

For organizers, Friday will mark the end of a year of planning.

"It takes a tremendous number of volunteers," Lonon said. She added, "the reality and the comprehension of what it takes to get to that point is pretty amazing. The planning process for Christmas in July is pretty much year-round. When this festival closes on Saturday, we'll have a meeting within two weeks to evaluate that and start planning for the following year. It takes that long to get everything in place." Organizers are still looking for volunteers to help run the festival.

In addition to all the events, the Ashe County Farmer's Market will also be open on Saturday morning.

For more information on the Christmas in July Festival, including a list of performing musicians, click to www.christmasinjuly.info, call (336) 846-9196 or refer to the Christmas in July guide distributed by your Ashe Mountain Times.