Arthurdale Heritage’s New Deal Festival is giving people of all ages a chance to step back in time and Remember 1941. The festival begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 9th and features artisan demonstrations, historic reenactments, museum tours, craft market, antique car, truck, and tractor show, supervised kids area with games and activities, and much more.
Our activities are designed not only to entertain guests, but also to teach them about life in the 1930s and ‘40s and get them interested in the history of Arthurdale,†said Jeanne Goodman, former Arthurdale Heritage Executive Director.
Check out the Fratkin Collection in Administration. This collection is on loan from Robert & Susan Fratkin and features original FDR campaign posters, Civilian Conservation Corps badges, National Recovery Act posters, and much more. The Fratkin Collection is a special opportunity for guests to see rare objects that are not often seen.
One of the most popular events at the New Deal Festival is the antique car, truck, and tractor show. Guests can check under the hood of some of Detroit’s classiest machines from the 1920s all the way to hot-rods and muscle cars from the 1960s and ‘70s. The show, hosted by the Arthurdale Tire Kickers Club, also features antique tractors, including a restored tractor manufactured at the Reedsville Co-Op Tractor Factory.
Youngsters can enjoy games and activities geared especially for them in the festival’s supervised kids area. This year, kids can get up close with wild birds saved by the Avian Conservation Center for Appalachia. The Friends of Deckers Creek has a water activity that teaches about land erosion in a fun way. Kids can also take stop by the little red barn to visit the friendly Arthurdale goats and their guard dogs.
Guests can get an up-close look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s ‘Little Village’ with specialty tour options. Climb aboard a horse-drawn wagon and travel through Arthurdale for an in-depth look at the history of the community. Or opt for an old-fashioned hay ride like your grandparents used to do for fun. Tickets for these specialty tours can be purchased near the loading area.
Gates open at 10a.m. At the gate, admission is $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 6-12. Kids 5 and under are free. Parking is free.