More than 2,000 attend festival
Stecoah – An estimated 2,140 people attended the 2022 Stecoah Harvest Festival on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15.
The event opened on Friday with a campfire and marshmallow roast, as John Toineeta of Cherokee played his lyrical flute and told about Cherokee history and folklore from 6-8 p.m.
Saturday offered a full schedule of events, including music and dancing and 41 vendor booths, featuring handmade crafts, face painting, fresh honey, wood carvings, jewelry, clothing, baked goods and more.
Several social and support groups were present, including the Red Hats Lady Dragons, the Order of the Eastern Star Robbinsville, the Partners of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest/Slickrock Wilderness, Robbinsville Community Garden, Graham County Historical Association and the Graham Cancer Support Group.
The Graham Star had a booth, with publisher/editor Kevin Hensley and office manager Diane West answering questions about the county’s newspaper.
Inside the old Stecoah School gymnasium, handmade quilts – including about 12 that were vintage – were on display. Outside, antique farm equipment and machinery was on display. The cafe inside the main building served up Frito pies with homemade chili and fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, while outside, long lines kept Chekelelee Frybread busy.
David Hyde provided the display of antique farm equipment and Thiessen Farm held a “sheep to yarn” demonstration. John Worstell demonstrated a cider press and Carl Robert Shuler demonstrated campfire cooking.
Inside in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium, Alex Denison of Otter Creek Trout Farms led Appalachian Spoons and Rhythms and visitors learned about Appalachian Dance from Charmaine Slaven, director of the John C. Campbell Folk School Junior Appalachian Musician Program.
Saturday featured perfect fall weather, sunny and breezy with temperatures in the low 70s.
Music filled the air with a variety of performances, some that allowed visitors to step up to the stage and show their dance moves.
The annual event is a fundraiser for the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center. Here is the festival, by the numbers:
* Number of performers/artists/demonstrators: 138
* Number of volunteers/staff: 69
* Number of vendor booths: 41
* Estimated number of Vendors: 111
* Quilts entered into Quilt Show: 51
* Ballots cast for People’s Choice Award, quilts: 345 ballots
* The first place winner of the People’s Choice award was Susan Roper of Bryson City for her “Chicken Scratch” quilt. There was a tie for second place between Pam Moody for her quilt, “The Dress,” and Kim Leister for her quilt, “Urban Owl.”
* Number of Vintage Quilts: 12
More photos will be uploaded to The Graham Star’s Facebook page later this week.