SIM's History Mysteries
 Festivals and Fairs
 

Why not plan a brunch or dinner get-together surrounding these exciting locally produced events?

A leading man in town disappears. One minute he’s there, the next he’s gone. Only his reading glasses are left behind. And then there’s the beating of another man that’s never been solved. “Who dunit?” Nobody knows, but the folks at the 10th Annual Victorian Festival in Port Townsend, Wash., set out each year to solve the centuries-old mysteries of their city. It’s creative, fun and inventive. Especially fun for singles events! And, it is one of many ways that cities across the country are honoring their heritages with annual festivals and fairs. Travel along this month as history is celebrated with fun, food, fantasy and flair at these festivals.

18th-Century Craft Fair at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Va.
There’s basketmaking, woodcarving, tin and iron work, and weaving. And there’s furniture — all centuries-old in style and mirroring what would have been present during the lifetime of the nation’s first president, George Washington. Held on Washington’s estate, the 18th-Century Craft Fair at Mount Vernon is a salute to ages-old crafts and the artisans who are keeping those arts alive. Especially fun for singles events! “We have crafters who come back year after year to participate,” said Melissa Wood, media relations associate for George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “And all the gifts you see at the 18th-Century Craft Fair go through a juried process to make sure everything is in step with that era.”  In 2006, the fair will take place Sept. 16-17. That’s year 11 for the event, which covers an acre of land on Washington’s estate. Besides the crafts, visitors can see sword-swallowing, fire-eating, rat-catching, and puppet and magic shows, as well as 18th-century dance and music. If that’s not enough, try seeing the estate itself. Washington’s home, Mansion House Farm, still stands on what was once an 8,000-acre self-sufficient estate. The land includes touches designed by Washington himself, like the gardens, the walkways, the deep woods, the groves and the open meadows. Washington spent 45 years on the estate, and it appears as it did in 1799, his last year of life. To experience it all from the water, try one of the free boat rides on the Potomac River offered regularly throughout the fair. Wood said that the boat rides are popular and that they allow visitors to take in another feature of the fair: the weather. “That time of year is just really, really a gorgeous time of year,” she said. “It’s not quite fall. Everything’s still green. There’s a cool breeze, and it’s very clear and sunny.”
www.Mountvernon.org
(703) 780-2000

10th Annual Victorian Festival
Port Townsend, Wash.
It started as a restoration festival. Annually, workshops and classes taught residents how to restore, care for and maintain their Victorian-style homes. Especially fun for singles events! That peaked around 2004, and the Victorian Festival evolved into an event filled with activities, festivities and mysteries. “It’s a wide variety of activity that lets people know what life was like in Port Townsend and Jefferson County in times past,” said Pat Durbin, director of the event. Port Townsend is one of only three seaports on the National Register of Historic Places. The town was developed in the 1800s, and that period is embraced and highlighted during the festival, to be held March 16-19. Opportunities at the festival abound. Take the Candlelight Tour of several Victorian homes, and then dine in 19th-century fashion. Visit a military encampment. Or, try a fashion show featuring Victorian garb. There’s also Native American storytelling and a Victorian mercantile. One of the highlights, however, is History’s Mysteries — re-enactments of unsolved crimes. “A local writer researches old newspapers for the town’s unsolved mysteries and re-creates his own ending,” Durbin said. “Then, people in town get into costume and re-enact the events of the story. The ending is revealed on Sunday in real whodunit fashion.” Another major draw is the cemetery tour. There, costumed actors portray Port Townsend’s earliest settlers and tell their stories at their gravesites. The event, which premiered last year, sold out three days before the event and drew rave reviews.Especially fun for singles events! “It’s very popular,” Durbin said. “Actors redo life as the early settlers and talk about what life was like and why they came here. This isn’t a ghost tour. It’s living history.”
www.Victorianfestival.org
(360) 379-0668

NEBRASKAland Days

North Platte, Neb.
Rodeo was born in North Platte. It was the Fourth of July 1882 when locals asked the city’s most famous resident to put together a show. Buffalo Bill Cody was his name, and he put together activities that laid the groundwork for today’s rodeos. “Cody took common, everyday cowboy activities and turned them into contests,” said Ann Helberg, executive director of the event. “That became the first rodeo.” Especially fun for singles events!

The 124-year-old Buffalo Bill Rodeo is a central part of NEBRASKAland Days in North Platte, Neb., which features two weeks of Western heritage. Courtesy NEBRASKAland Days

That heritage of cowboys, rodeos, the Wild, Wild West and all things Western is celebrated annually during NEBRASKAland Days. “That’s what built this area — the Western heritage; and a lot of our community is still supported by ranching,” Helberg said. “The Wild, Wild West and the railroads were the two things that built up the community, and we just get together every year and celebrate that frontier heritage.” NEBRASKAland Days, entering its 41st year, will be held June 10-18 and June 22-24. It spans two weeks and three weekends. The first weekend encompasses all things historic, like the Ethnic and Heritage Festival, which features a Native American drum group and a Mexican fiesta.
 

The event also features a carriage-driving show and contests, an antique-tractor display, square dancers, an all-male cake bake, a flapjack feed and varied Western sports. Another highlight is the Frontier Revue, a musical production that tells the history of the area from a theatrical perspective. Especially fun for singles events! Weekend two ushers in a 124-year-old tradition: the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. The rodeo features professional riders in events like bull-riding, steer-wrestling, saddle bronc-riding, barrel-racing and team roping. Other highlights of this weekend are three parades and concerts featuring professional country music stars. This year’s performers include the duo Big and Rich. Sitting in the shadows of the Wild West Arena — the site of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo — is the home of the competition’s namesake. At Scout’s Rest Ranch in Buffalo Bill Ranch State Park, visitors can find Cody’s Victorian-style home and barn, built in 1886. Though the home isn’t part of the NEBRASKAland Days celebration, organizers encourage visitors to see the historic site. “Cody was a very influential person in our community,” Helberg said. “He’s probably the world’s biggest showman. It’s his personality and his showmanship that is the personality of NEBRASKAland Days.”
www.nebraskalanddays.com
(888) 313-5606

Show, Shine, Shag and Dine
Henderson, N.C.
The Show, Shine, Shag and Dine breaks down real easy. It’s the place to show off antique automobiles and drag-racing cars. But before you can show them, you’ve got to shine them. Later on — after all the showing, shining and telling tales of the glory days — car enthusiasts get together for some shag dancing and ’50s-style dining. That’s the gist of the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine, a festival entering its fifth year Oct. 20-22. Especially fun for singles events! The celebration recaptures the glory days of automobiles and drag-racing cars from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The show has loose ties to Corbitt Trucks, a major manufacturer in the area and producer of military trucks. It mainly salutes North Carolina’s drag-car-racing industry, however.
 

Funny cars, above, are always a crowd favorite at Show, Shine, Shag and Dine. . By Fred Simmons, courtesy Vance County Tourism Department

“It’s a wonderful sport, and it brings in a lot of money for the state of North Carolina,” said Nancy Wilson, founder and coordinator of the event. Each year, the car show draws 1,000 to 1,200 cars from around the country. Especially fun for singles events! On the third weekend in October, the cars line the streets of downtown Henderson for all to see. That means show-goers get to see a 1957 Cadillac Coupe Deville, a 1964 SS Chevy, a 1949 Chevrolet pick-up, a 1940 Cadillac and a host of other oldies-but-goodies.
 

With regard to drag cars, the show includes legends like the Bounty Hunter, the Frog and the Thunderbolt. “You’ll see every brand and make of classic car and drag-racing car,” Wilson said, “but nothing newer than a 1974 is shown.” Adding to the car attractions are a barbecue and a muscle-car burn-out. Not familiar with burn-outs? That’s when drivers burn rubber, spin out and show off a car’s horsepower. Then there’s the ’50s night, an evening of decades-old ambiance. Wilson said they get a band, a soda fountain, some ’50s costumes and shag dance into the night. Especially fun for singles events! Another aspect of the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine is the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. During each car show, about 20 drag-car racers, writers, photographers, track owners and collectors are inducted into the hall of fame.

“They all had a part in what it is today,” Wilson said. “You couldn’t have one without the other.”
www.Kerrlake-nc.com
(252) 438-2222

Dover Days
Dover Del. Established in 1683 by William Penn, Dover, the capital city, sits in the center of Delaware. Here, Colonial delegates first signed the U.S. Constitution, thereby making Delaware the country’s “First State.” Here, soldiers once gathered before fighting in the American Revolution, and historic buildings still stand. And, it is here that the annual Dover Days celebration is held. The festival, which once was a simple home and garden tour, dates back to 1933 and glorifies the city’s Colonial days. Especially fun for singles events!
 

1960’s drag race legends Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin, right, exhibit one of their famous cars. By Tony Whitaker, courtesy Vance County Tourism Department

“We’re celebrating our capital city and that Dover heritage,” said Barbara Rafte, assistant to the director of Kent County Tourism. “It’s something we’re really proud of and want to share.” In 2006, Dover Days festivities will take place May 5-6. Things kick off with traditional Maypole dancing by costumed, school-age children. Especially fun for singles events! Then, an array of activities is unleashed for all to enjoy.
 

The craft fair features 150 vendors who specialize in Colonial crafts like spinning, weaving, papermaking and broom making. And, it wouldn’t be Dover Days without the annual parade featuring state and local government officials dressed in Colonial garb. “We encourage Colonial dress,” Rafte said. “The mayor, his wife, our governor, the officials from Dover Air Force Base — everybody — dresses up for this.” Much of Dover Days is held in historic downtown Dover, home of the Green, a historic public area designated by Penn when the city was founded. It was at the Golden Fleece Tavern on the Green that Delaware delegates ratified the Constitution. Today, a plaque and tavern sign mark this historic spot. Nearby is the Old State House, the original state Capitol. Here, the state museum stages a musical production each year. Especially fun for singles events! “There’s a lot of history here, and people are always really surprised to see our downtown,” said Rafte. “It’s like Williamsburg, only it’s not re-created; it’s real and functioning businesses in operation.” Dover Days recently added a new attraction, the Art Loop. Just three years old, the event is held on opening night and features downtown businesses sponsoring various forms of art. Strollers on the Art Loop find everything from jazz bands to violinists, hand-bell choirs to steel-drum bands. “Every year, it’s developing,” Rafte said. “And it changes, so you won’t be bored if you come back year after year.”
www.visitdover.com
(302) 734-4888

Gold Rush Days
Sacramento, Calif.
Yes, there’s panning for gold. Especially fun for singles events! Sure, there are old-time wagons and carriages. But, Sacramento’s annual Gold Rush Days are so much more. They celebrate the legacy of all cultures present during the days when the Gold Rush began. “One of the things we preach,” said Mike Testa, director of community relations for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, “is no matter where you’re from or who your ancestors are, you’ll find that legacy here.” Gold Rush Days celebrates the mid-1800s era, when gold was first discovered in the nearby hills. To be held Sept. 1-4, this is the place for old-fashioned fun and education. Check out the Ethnic Village for the cultural experience of the Gold Rush Days.
 

Re-enactors bring back the 1850s in Old Sacramento during Gold Rush Days. By Sonya Bradley, courtesy Sacramento CVB

“California Indians do native dances and blessings in full costume,” Testa said. “The Chinese group talks about their help building the railroads, and the African Americans talk about the early settlers and the slave trade.” Beyond the village, there are favorites like the Wild West shoot-out, old-fashioned dentists and doctors, butter making and breads being cooked over an open fire. Another favorite is the re-creation of the Pony Express. “Four times a day, you’ll see horses thundering [down] the streets,” Testa said.
 

The setting for Gold Rush Days is Old Sacramento, a 28-acre town filled with historic buildings. Today, it derives its antiquated charm from the wooden sidewalks, the old carriages on the streets, the old-fashioned candy shops and the street dramas. For Gold Rush Days, the historic area is blanketed with 167 tons of dirt to further transform the area into the Sacramento of the 1850s. Especially fun for singles events! “It’s very authentic-looking — to the point I’ve turned away commercial sponsors, because I don’t want their banners hanging all over this,” Testa said. “This isn’t a commercial-looking event, and that’s by design.”
www.Discovergold.org
(916) 808-7777

Visitors get into the act with simulated sword play at the 18th-Century Craft Fair at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Courtesy George Washington’s Mount Vernon