Cooleemee ó They will be coming back home from all over the country to see old friends, neighbors and classmates. They will share memories and fellowship at Cooleemee’s 17th Annual Textile Heritage Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27 on the grounds of the Zachary House.
Music will be provided by the Little Brook Band, many of whom worked in textiles for years. The Yorks from just across the river in Woodleaf will be joined by Marie Waller to also provide traditional music.
Peggy Hellard has already solicited nearly 30 homemade cakes that will serve as old-time cake-walk prizes beginning at noon. Hungry festival-goers can get their fill of Civitan hot dogs and hamburgers at the cook shack.
Both of Cooleemee’s museums will be open during the festival. A quilting frame and a smokehouse are new additions to the 1934-era Mill House Museum a block from the Zachary House.
A horseshoe tournament organized by former postmaster Judy Phillips will begin at 1 pm (please check in at the pits beforehand) and the local Girl Scouts will be face painting kids who attend free.
Gates for the event will open at 11 a.m. and the event will end about 3 p.m. The Cooleemee Womens Civitan Club will be serving breakfast that morning between 6 a.m. until 11 a.m.
This year’s festival is being organized by the Cooleemee Historical Association that originated the event in 1992. The Cooleemee Civitan Club, principal sponsor for the previous five years, is supporting this year’s event with logistical support and feeding the hungry crowd.
Next year, the Cooleemee Historical Association will celebrate its 20th year of working to preserve the former mill town’s history and heritage. It operates Davie County’s only museums that attract thousands of visitors each year.
Local youngsters have been schooled about their hometown roots with special history lessons through the group’s Discovering Our Heritage project.
“We are determined to continue our work for the next 20 years,” says CHA president Tony Steele. “We have a generation gap that we have to overcome,” he noted. “Over 200 of our members are now over 80 years old. Carrying out our mission will depend on recruiting a new generation of heritage volunteers for youth programs, festivals and touring visitors.”