2006 Event Calendar
| Wednesday,
February 8 at 9:30am Smithfield Guild Meeting. Featured speaker is Roy W. Kanode, author of "Christiansburg, Virginia: Small Town America at its Finest". Mr. Kanode has created a beautiful coffee table-style book with wonderful old photographs from Christiansburg's past. This will be a great talk whether you're a native or a newcomer. There's lots to learn! Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Wednesday,
February 15 from 9am to 1pm Learn to Weave a Chair Seat. Smithfield is offering this class taught by Gene Peyton. Bring that old wooden chair in your garage that you've been meaning to get fixed, or there will be a few chairs available for purchase if you don't have one. Chairs must be tight and wooden framed (not the type with woven cane in the middle). Class fee is $25 and includes the natural jute material (but not the chair!) Call 540.231.3947 to register or e-mail director@smithfieldplantation.org to sign up. Hurry! Class size is limited. |
Thursday, February 16 at 7:30pm |
| Thursday, February 23
from 9am to 1pm Learn to Weave a Chair Seat. Smithfield is offering this class taught by Gene Peyton. Bring that old wooden chair in your garage that you've been meaning to get fixed, or there will be a few chairs available for purchase if you don't have one. Chairs must be tight and wooden framed (not the type with woven cane in the middle). Class fee is $25 and includes the natural jute material (but not the chair!) Call 540.231.3947 to register or e-mail director@smithfieldplantation.org to sign up. Hurry! Class size is limited. |
| Saturday,
February 25 from 9am to 12pm Volunteer Training. We need volunteers of historic proportions! Smithfield Plantation is our community's connection to the 18th century and you can be part of it. Preserve the history of Southwest Virginia. Be a tour guide to the past. Garden like the early settlers and much more! This training session will introduce all of the volunteer opportunities available at Smithfield Plantation. Please call 540.231.3947 or email director@smithfieldplantation.org to reserve your space. |
| Wednesday, March 6
at 9:30am Smithfield Guild Meeting. Featured program is Virginia Tech professor, Dr. Anita Puckett's Appalachian Studies Class presenting "German Heritage in Montgomery County", a study funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
Wednesday, March 15
or Saturday, March 18 from 9am to 12pm |
| Saturday,
April 1 from 10am to 5pm Opening Celebration. Smithfield opens for our 42nd season. Join us for a celebration on our Opening Weekend including colonial demonstrators and reenactors. Admission is only $1. |
Saturday, April 1 from 8:30am to 11am Please reply by email if you are planning to
attend so that we know how many to expect. |
| Thursday, April 6 at 7:30pm "To Counterfeit the Soul:" Portraiture at Historic Smithfield. A lecture in the series sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. Jessica Wirgau, Museum Coordinator, Town of Blacksburg, will lecture in the Blacksburg Town Council Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. |
Friday, April 7 from 7pm to Midnight
at Blacksburg Country Club |
| Wednesday, April 12 Drawing Techniques 1: Contours and Negative Space. Taught by artist and Smithfield Staff Interpreter, Christie Mackie. Class fee is $20. Please call 540.231.3947 or email cmackie@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
| Monday,
April 17 Drawing Techniques 2: Perspective, Proportion, and Shading. Taught by artist and Smithfield Staff Interpreter, Christie Mackie. Class fee is $20. If you took Drawing Techniques 1, the cost is $30 for the two classes. Please call 540.231.3947 or email cmackie@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
Wednesday, April 19, 7am to 7:30pm |
| Friday, April 21, 8:30pm Smithfield Plantation: Southwest Virginia's Frontier Home and Doorway to the West. Showing at the O. Winston Link Museum Theater in Roanoke as part of the Vision Film Festival. The film is a production of Chris Valluzzo TV Media Specialist for Montgomery County with the 4-Him 4-H Seniors. Portions of this video will be used in the comprehensive video history of Montgomery County, which is being produced for the 2007 Celebration of Virginia's 400 years of History. The Coal Mining Heritage of Montgomery County will be prior to that at 7:15pm in the same theater. Day Passes: April 20, 21, 22, 2006 ~ $10.00 (Good for ALL events during each day at all venues!) Single Event Ticket: $7.50. |
| Saturday, April 22, between 11am and 1pm Ashford House. Showing at the Progeny Film Festival at Blacksburg's Lyric Theater. This is a short Civil War movie filmed at Smithfield, directed by Mel Harris (of Thirtysomething fame) and starring Mel's son Byron Kennerly (who also wrote the screenplay.) Admission is free. |
| Wednesday,
April 26 Still Lifes and Interior Landscapes. Taught by artist and Smithfield Staff Interpreter, Christie Mackie. Class fee is $20. If you took Drawing Techniques 1 and/or 2, the cost is $30 for two classes, or $40 for three. Please call 540.231.3947 or email cmackie@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
| Wednesday,
May 3 from 1 to 3pm Wattle Fence Construction and Gourd Demonstration. Delbert Jones will be showing us various uses of goards (nature's Tupperware). If you have a gourd and would like to make something, bring it along! Then, llandscape architect and Smithfield Garden Coordinator, Lori Tolliver-Jones, will be demonstrating the construction of a small wattle fence used to keep small animals out of the vegetable garden. The fence is woven from stripped saplings. You will participate in weaving a fence in the garden here at Smithfield. Cost is $12. Please call 540.231.3947 or email director@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
Wednesday, May 10 at 9:30am |
Friday, May 12 at 7:30pm |
| Thursday,
May 18 at 7:30pm The Coal Mining Heritage of the New River Valley. A lecture in the series sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. Jimmie Price of the Montgomery Coal Mining Heritage Association, will lecture in the Blacksburg Town Council Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. |
 Saturday,
May 20 from 9am to 5pmHeirloom Plant Sale. Learn about colonial plant materials that were indigenous to the area, and purchase heirloom plants for your own garden. This year, Crow's Nest Farm of Blacksburg, horticulturist Jay Smith, is providing true heirloom plants. Old favorites, bursting with color, texture and interesting form, are very appropriate for today’s gardeners, who want a touch of history for their home gardens. The Smithfield Gardeners are also supplying several varieties of plants from the Historic Smithfield garden. Knowledgeable volunteers from the Smithfield garden will be on hand for assistance and to answer questions. Container planting demonstrations at 11am and 2pm. Raffle of a Thomas Jefferson pot. Browse botanical themed gifts in the Smithfield Museum Store. The house will be open for tours at regular admission prices. |
Sunday, June 4, from 2 to 5pm |
Wednesday, June 7, at 9:30am |
June 12 - 23, 9 - 11am WEEK 2: Jenny Pollard will be conducting these classes and holds a Bachelor
of Science degree in Art Education. She has taught for over 15
years and currently teaches elementary art for Montgomery County
Public Schools. The multi-media, project-oriented art classes
are a joy for both Jenny and her students, who create works that
teach them about art, themselves, and the world around them.
Jenny has received awards for teaching, including Teacher of
the Year 2002/2003. Many of her students have also won awards
attesting to the development of individual talents under the
expert guidance of Jenny in the classroom. |
| June
15-18, regular hours Antique Quilt Display. In conjunction with the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival being held at the new Blacksburg Middle School, Smithfield will have antique quilts on display in the manor house. A $1 discount to admission is available to anyone presenting their Blue Ridge Quilt Festival ticket. |
| Thursday,
June 22, 6:30pm The Grove: Lecture and Tour. A lecture in the series sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. The stately President's House on the Virginia Tech campus, known as the Grove, was built in 1902 to serve as the residence for Virginia Tech presidents and their families. The Grove is a colonial revival structure and sits on a hill above the western end of the Drillfield and above the Duck Pond. Today, besides fulfilling its original function, it also serves to house visiting dignitaries and as a reception facility. |
Water and Color Play: Plein Air Water-based Art Techniques. Taught by artist and Smithfield Staff Interpreter, Christie Mackie. Please call 540.231.3947 or email cmackie@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
Tuesday,
July 4 from 11am to 2pm |
July 5-7 |
| Saturday, July 8, 10am to 6pm Friends of the Library Garden Tour. Smithfield's garden is one of the stops on this year's garden tour sponsored by the Friends of the Montgomery County Library. More information is on their website. |
 July
10 through August 4, 9am to noonSmithfield History Camps are offered in 4, one week sessions, Monday through Friday. The curriculum for this year is all-new, and students can enroll in two consecutive sessions without repeating material. The themes this year are Boys and Girls: Today and Yesteryear (Weeks 1 and 3) and Culture Crafts (Weeks 2 and 4). Weeks 1 through 3 are for rising 3rd through 6th graders and Week 4 is designed for rising 7th through 12th graders. Children will participate in history, art, and science activities that are hands-on with children making several items that they will keep. The registration forms for Rising 3rd through 6th Graders and Rising 7th through 12th Graders are available as Adobe PDF files. |
Sunday,
August 13, 1 to 4:30pm Conceptualist Derek Parks has produced a group of portraits of Historic Smithfield Plantation's furniture collection. These works, executed in watercolor pencil on paper layered with acrylic and latex, are the fifth cycle of Furniture Portraits Parks has produced of various furniture collections. Derek founded PARKSWORKS Artworks in 1994, producing two major collections per year. Craftsman Trev Smith has been turning bowls since 2000. He learned
his skill from Al Warren and uses a Bowl Lathe, which is not
a very common tool. He uses a variety of wood available in the
area. The Museum Store is featuring bowls he created from part
of a sycamore tree that was once a part of Historic Smithfield
Plantation. The tree was thought to be over 350 years old. |
| Wednesday,
August 30,
10am Natural Cleaning Methods. Taught by Pat Atchison of Clean & Green Technologies. Participants will be introduced to a variety of cleaning processes, all using natural products. Each participant will receive a collection of products to take home. Class fee is $10. Class size is limited. Call 540.231.3947 or email director@smithfieldplantation.org to register. |
| Wednesday,
September 13, at 9:30am Smithfield Guild Meeting. Featured speaker is Smithfield volunteer and Smithfield Review editor, Hugh Campbell discussing "James Patton and His World Class Real Estate Venture." Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
Thursday,
September 21, 6pm Directions to Fotheringay: Follow US 460 East/US 11 North (Roanoke St.) through Shawsville toward Elliston. An historic highway marker for Fotheringay is located in the median as you follow Rt. 460/Rt. 11. Immediately following this marker, turn right into the second driveway marked #8339. Continue up the paved driveway to the large brick home. The lecture will begin on the front porch. Please note: Parking next to the house is limited. Those who are able to walk up the hill to the house are encouraged to park on the grass on either side of the driveway. Volunteers and signs will be out to direct you to parking areas. Carpooling to the site is also encouraged. |
| September
22, 10:30-11:30am Introduction to Knitting. An instructor from Mosaic Yarns in Blacksburg will teach a knitting class where you will learn how to knit a scarf. You will take home a set of knitting needles and enough yarn to make a scarf for the cold winter months in Blacksburg! Cost is $30. Class size is limited to 12 people and will be held in Smithfield's board room. Please call Historic Smithfield Plantation at 540-231-3947 to reserve a spot! |
| Wednesday,
October 11, at 9:30am Smithfield Guild Meeting. Featured speaker is Smithfield volunteer and Smithfield Review editor, Hugh Campbell discussing "Samuel Black, His Two Sons, John and William, And Their New Town (1794-1800)." By popular demand, Hugh is continuing with another segment of his talk on Early Blacksburg history. Don't worry if you missed last month's talk, Hugh has broken this talk into segments that can be used independently. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Thursday,
October 19 POSTPONED What to Look for When "Antiquing". Taught by Ken Farmer of Ken Farmer Auctions and Appraisals, LLC. Please call 540.231.3947 or email director@smithfieldplantation.org for more information. |
| Thursday,
October 19 at 7:30pm Rediscovering the Sixteen Squares. A lecture in the series sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. Donna Dunay, Professor of Architecture, Virginia Tech, will lecture in the Blacksburg Town Council Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. |
| Wednesday,
October 25, 9am until we're done Cleaning Day. Smithfield hereby announces its annual, in this case pre-Holidays, Cleaning Day. Lunch will be provided, and the various tasks will include dismantling and cleaning the double-layered windows, maybe polishing silver, some repair of a curtain, maybe waxing furniture--general spiffing up. If you have extra paper towels at your house that you'd like to contribute to the cause, that would be great--otherwise we'll have everything here. Please contact cmackie@smithfieldplantation.org, or 231-3947 if you would like to participate. |
| Saturday, October 28,
8:30am to 12:00pm Smithfield Garden and Grounds Workday. We are getting ready to do a little fall clean-up in the garden and are extending an "invitation" to anyone who may want to help. Come anytime during that time to help cleaning up beds, maintain the walkways, work on the orchard area, and various other garden and grounds chores. |
November
8, at 9:30am |
| Through Friday,
November 17th Holiday Greenery Sale. Support Historic Smithfield Plantation while decorating your home for the holidays! Order poinsettias, pine roping, and wreaths from Smithfield through November 17 for pick up at Smithfield on November 28th and 29th from 12-5pm. For more information, download the Holiday Greenery Sale Order Form as an Adobe PDF file or contact Susanna Kibler at 540.951.4504. |
| Tuesday,
November 28 from 6:30 to 8 pm at Mosaic Learn to Crochet. Come join us for a crocheting class and learn to make a winter hat! Class will be taught by a Mosaic instructor at Mosaic (880 University City Boulevard, Blacksburg). Cost of the class is $32 and includes instruction, crochet hook, and enough yarn to complete your hat! To sign up call 540.231.3947 or aalbright@smithfieldplantation.org. |
At
the end of the day December 3, the
house and museum store will be closed for the regular season
until March 30, 2007. |
|
1000 Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
