The 2009 installment of Shelby Iron Works
History and Homestead Day
is slated for Saturday, May 16th.
Come on out to our exciting Spring Festival! We have a great mix of music, food, exhibits, vendors, and more lined up for this one!
While there will be vendors of all sorts, we are expanding the Spring Festival to include living history exhibits, demonstrations, and rides! Come hear some great Gospel and country music! Enjoy hearing the dulcimers and harmonicas, as well as the various singers! We haven’t had such a full line up like this in a while, so you won’t want to miss it! Bring your favorite chair and stay a while!
Our brand new Industrial Museum will be opened to the public for the first time! Large machinery and engines from yesteryear are displayed in a rustic setting, complete with educational signs. Also in the same building is our brand new Education Workshop which is also being unveiled for the first time. This area now allows the Historic Shelby Association to host school, civic, and private groups for educational presentations, tours, or private functions.
Of course, if you weren’t able to make it to the Fall Festival, then you are in for a real treat as you see our recently renovated Iron Works museum! Complete with themed exhibits, our new Museum presents history, science, trains, and even some backwoods history which the revenuers won’t let us tell you about (well, ok, maybe we can)!
Also see our work-in-progress: the Furnace Pavilion. We are in the process of building an iron furnace to demonstrate various parts of refining and casting! Come learn about how iron was made into train wheels and kettles many years ago right here at Shelby Iron Works!
Come see the plans to rebuild the Shelby Train Depot! Right behind our current museum, you will be able to see the outline of the depot as well as the original foundation! Several plans for the rebuilding will also be on display.
Vintage vehicles! While the main tractor show is in the Fall, we still have a small army of tractors, vintage cars, and even antique fire trucks coming!
Vendors! Every Iron Park festival brings a wide selection of vendors presenting everything from crafts to western wear and antiques! (If you are interested in a vending spot, contact us at festival@shelbyironworks.com .)
Living History! Since our Association is all about history, what better presentation than living history! We will have demonstrations on hominy making, corn shucking, colonial medicine, grist mill, blacksmith, and even an exhibit of authentic Civil War weapons! (If you are interested in presenting some living history, feel free to contact us at festival@shelbyironworks.com .)
There is also just plain ‘ol fun stuff for the family and kids! Take a journey around the park on the hay ride, or zip up and down the rail line with the motor car!
Food! Don’t forget the food! We’re still working on the details, but right now all I’m allowed to tell you is that it starts with B and ends with BQ. More details coming as we get the Ps and Qs straight.
With so much going on, it’s almost a shame it is one day, but since that is the case, you don’t want to miss it! Also, keep in mind that we’ve moved the festival day! It is now the third Saturday in May! So mark your calendar – May 16th , 2009. 9am – 5pm. Check back for more details! We’ll be looking for you!
Dan Valles, Festival Coordinator festival@shelbyironworks.com
