This artisan crafts festival features unique handmade crafts and gifts in the tradition of plantation and farm life. Handmade quilts, soaps, woodcraft, jewelry, jams/jellies, and more will be available from a wide array of artisan vendors and crafters. Special programs emphasizing Chippokes Plantation unique history will be going on throughout the weekend.
The Stewart Mansion will be decked out for the holidays and makes a great setting for unique holiday photos. Tour the mansion to get a firsthand account of what farm life was like in the mid-late 19th century. Food historian, Michael Twitty, returns withhis knowledge of African-American foodwayswill demonstrate hearth cooking techniques using heirloom vegetablesin the colonial Chesapeake kitchen. Michael will offer samples of his famous fried chicken and okra soup. There will be demonstrations on heirloom seeds and seed saving.
Since Chippokes Plantation is a unique place and holds the keys to the past of three distinct cultures–Native American, African American, and Colonial Settlers, Tess Bladenwill demonstrate beadworking and offer a glimpse into the rich Native American history in Virginia. The U.S. Forest Service, the Virginai Dept of Historic Resources, and the Archaeology Society of Virginia will offer a “Passport in Time” featuring information and artifacts from the Jamestown-era dig sites at the park.
For civil war history buffs, the 46th Virginia returns to muster on the hour in their live encampment on Plantation grounds. Special demonstrations on Civil War life will be ongoing throughout the day.
The Chippokes Farm & Foresty Museum will be operating the “Express”–a wagon ride to meet the new barn animals. The Museum will open for tours throughout the festival.
The Festival is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Sunday it closes at 4 p.m.) Adults are $5 per day with children under 12 free. Please visit www.virginiastateparks.gov for more information about the festival.