Cedarock Park  

 "Preserving Our Heritage Festival"

The Burlington Checker Club participated in the Alamance Co. Cedarock Park - "Preserving Our Heritage Festival" 
Saturday, August 24th, 2013  9am - 5pm
Good Attendance - Everyone enjoy this fun, family-friendly event.

Results:

Saturday, August 24th was a beautiful sunny 64° morning at 6:00AM. It warmed up to 72° by 8:00AM and continued to 82° by mid- day. We were set up and waiting for the crowd to start arriving at 9:00 which seemed slow but picked up about 10:00AM.  The C & J Bluegrass Band from Mebane performed at Cedarock Park - "Preserving Our Heritage Festival" and was an excellent choice as usually.  They were setting the tempo for a wonderful fun, family, friendly event with their excellent selections of great gospel / bluegrass. We were set up under shade which is provided by a good selection of hardwood on this old home farm plantation property. We enjoyed a pleasantly light breeze all day, we could not have had better weather.  I thought we had an excellent crowd of folks attending the "Preserving Our Heritage Festival" and there were more events this year.  I noticed some new event participants as The Sons of Confederate Veterans - Camp 813 and the United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter 944 both from the Mebane area. SCV.  Some 10 -12 don their Civil War enactment uniforms with their rifles. They had a nice display of memorabilia and literature. They have a Civil War Living History Encampment and Lantern Tour scheduled for October 26th & 27th. There was a Chapel Hill Historian with his musket, rifle, and musket-rifle collection, both real and replicate models. All the heritage theme events were dressed in circa clothing. Candle making, Soap making,  Basket Weaving with long leaf pine needles, grass, etc. Dairy display with antique milk, cream, & cheese making tools and equipment.  Arrowhead guy from Mebane was there with all his types of stone and completed tools and points displayed. Wooden tools, utensils, and furniture. Quilting & quilt pattern designs, Chair seat-weaving as caning, rush, splint, & cord. Arts and Crafts, picture framing, etc.

This year we had more general festival attendance and more and better vendors, exhibitors, and participants than last year. Of course there was the main exhibitors, band, food vendors, antique cars, trucks, tractors, and the "hit & miss" engine folks that show every year. The Cedarock Park Management that organizes this event try to have a variety of exhibitors and display participants for the "Preserving Our Heritage Festival" theme.

"The Grand Ole Game" which fits nicely into the "Preserving Our Heritage Festival" theme, has been a continuous exhibit participant for 6 years, since 2008.  We had our canopy tent, and banner on display advertising next year's State Checker Tournament and our local Checker Club. We think by sharing our past family entertainment it will keep this traditionally wholesome mind game alive.  Its another way to promote checkers and preserve this wonderful game.

We entertained many kids by letting them play checkers amongst themselves.  Parents would watch and let their children participate as they passed along the runway throughout the day from one event to another. I took some pictures which you may access below.  Terry Isley, park manager: call 570-6759 for more information.

The Heritage Festival was advertised as a Saturday, one day event, schedule for the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Vendors, Exhibitors, and Participants where larger and so was the general festival attendance as compared to past festivals. We had a good turn out.  I understand they keep adding buildings, items, another new disc golf course is in the planning, they already have 2 or 3. A historical farm museum building was added some years ago to the John and Polly Garrett Historical Farm grounds and the park is very nice and an ideal location for this festival.

This wrapped up checkers for the Preserving Our Heritage Festival this year.  Hopefully next year we will be there in good numbers, with canopy tents, banner, display, and the works.

2013 Tournament Dates  |  2013 Pictures  |  2011 Burlington Checker Club & Festival Pictures  |  2010 Burlington Checker Club & Festival Pictures