Independence Day at Pioneer Park

The Crab Orchard Museum and Pioneer Park in Tazewell, Virginia, sponsors a July 4 festival every year, filling the Park area with displays, demonstrations, and re-enactors. (Larger versions of the images are available at my Web site, Backcountry Notes.)

Period costumes (center) and displays (background):

Antique car slow-riding through the Park:

Carriage barn:

Interior of carriage barn has displays of old tools, equipment, saddles, ironwork . . .

. . . and carriages:

Games demonstrated include lawn bowling:

Making apple butter - - Virginia law permits this to be done using a traditional copper kettle:

Blacksmithing demonstration:

Carpentry demonstration - - cutting stool legs with traditional hand tools:

Bunting decks out the Pickin' Porch where traditional music is performed:

Scene set for Revolutionary War re-enactment:

Re-enactor discussing brass cannon with visitor:

And now we've strolled around the Pioneer Park to where we began:

And of course there was Southern Gourmet food available - - barbecue, beans, cole slaw, blooming onions and deep-fried pickles!

For a closer look at the vintage log buildings of Pioneer Park, see the picture gallery at Crab Orchard Museum.