Mountain State Arts and Craft Fair

I can hear autumn in the air.
I hope to soon feel it also.
It has been such a long and hot summer. I welcome the change of the season.

The Arts and  Crafts Fair at Cedar Lakes started in 1963 - the year of West Virginia's Centennial.  It has always taken place during the 4th of July.

This year it has changed.
The location is the same - Cedar Lakes, near Ripley, WV.
The date has changed to September 16, 17 and 18.

There will still be the artisans selling and demonstrating their crafts and the great food.

But this year the fair will also explore West Virginia's rich heritage with areas highlighting Celtic,German, Italian, Swiss and early American influences.

My cousin and I will be in the German section on Friday from 9am until 1pm, which is student day, crafting German Straw Stars with the kids. After a little research about German folklore, I found out the story behind the stars. It is a sweet story about a little shepherd boy presenting a fragile straw star he had made to the baby Jesus.

We will also be there on Saturday.  We will be talking about German heritage in West Virginia -  the folklore and the facts. I found out that many of the things my family and I experienced growing up, may have had its roots from early German settlers.

My mother is Scotch-Irish descent, my husband has German in his background and my cousin Carmen, who will be with me on these days, has German in her background on her mother's side of the family.

Like America, West Virginia is a melting pot of many different people. It makes our people, customs and life more rich and colorful.

I hope to see my friends and family out there on Friday and Saturday. I also hope to meet many new faces and become friends with many more.

Click here to visit the festival's site. 
They are also on Facebook.