2010 Event Calendar
| Saturday,
March 6 from 10:30am - 12:00pm Spring Garden Planning. A chance to grow fresh vegetables at a fraction of the price in grocery stores, while reaping the benefits of outdoor exercise. The class will be led by Barry Robinson, Montgomery County Horticulture Extension Agent, and Don Bixby, Historic Smithfield Garden Coordinator. The empahsis will be on sustainable planning and preparing the site, getting acquainted with and choosing appropriate varieties, creating a planting schedule, pest management, and harvesting your bounty. Preregistration is required with a class fee of $15 to benefit the agricultural programs at Historic Smithfield. In the event of inclement weather, the class will be held on Saturday, March 13th. |
| Saturday,
March 6 from 1:30pm - 3:00pm Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop. This class will meet in Historic Smithfield Heirloom Orchard and Gardens. It will be led by Barry Robinson, Montgomery County Horticulture Extension Agent, and Don Bixby, Historic Smithfield Garden Coordinator. The emphasis will be on proper pruning of apple and pear trees in the Smithfield Orchard, but other topics to be covered include: variety selection, planting, mulching, maintenance and pest management. Also covered will be the pruning and care of grapevines, raspberries and currant bushes. Equipment will be reviewed (you may bring your own for evaluation). Preregistration is required with a fee of $15.00 to support the historic agriculture program at Smithfield. |
| Wednesday,
March 10 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting."The Matriarchs of Newport, Virginia." Doug Martin is a witty, entertaining, and popular speaker in the Virginia Tech community. He has done original research into the history of the community of Newport, and will be sharing his knowledge of the strong women who were the heart and soul of that town. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Saturday, March 13 2:00pm-4:00pm Tea and Social Graces. Darlene Simpson will be teaching young folks the fine art of having tea in the winter kitchen at Historic Smithfield. Your child may come in colonial dress or everyday clothes and will be learning proper etiquette that will benefit them for many years to come. Preregistration required. Class Fee of $10 includes instruction in social graces and snack, and benefits the educational programs at Smithfield. |
| Wednesday,
March 31, 7:00am - 8:45pm Spring Guild Trip. The itinerary includes the Old Salem Museum and Gardens in North Carolina. This restoration of a 1766 Moravian settlement has been called one of the most accurate living history museums in the country. Cost is $70 for Preservation Virginia members and $75 for others (includes bus fare, lunch at the famous 1816 Old Salem Tavern, admission to all Old Salem attractions (restored buildings with costumed interpreters, Toy Museum, Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts), and a tax-deductible donation to Smithfield Planta tion ($15 for members; $20 for non-members.)). Make reservations for yourself, friends and family early! The bus from Sunshine Tours holds only 52 people (so passengers will have extra leg room). Please send reservations to: Smithfield Plantation, 1000 Smithfield Plantation Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Payment in full will be required no later than Tuesday, March 16. |
| Saturday,
April 3 from 10:00am-5:00pm Opening Day. Join us as we celebrate the re-opening of Smithfield this spring with re-enactments and demonstrations of life in the 18th century, walk–through tours guided by costumed interpreters, and the Smithfield Museum Store. Admission will be $1 at the gate and includes a tour of the house. |
| Wednesday,
April 14 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting. "Wake Forest: Voices That Tell of a Faith Community." Morgan Cain is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech who spent more than a year doing research about, and interviewing residents of, Wake Forest. This local community of descendents of slaves has made a lot of important but unsung contributions to the history of our area, but most of us have never visited it or even know exactly where it is. Morgan will tell us a little about one aspect of the community’s culture. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Saturday,
May 8 from 9:00am-5:00pm Heirloom Plant Sale. Learn about colonial plant materials that were indigenous to the area, and purchase heirloom plants for your own garden. 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. Crow's Nest Greenhouses of Prices Fork, owner Jay Smith, is providing true heirloom plants. 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. Browse botanical themed gifts in the Smithfield Museum Store. The house will be open for tours at regular admission prices. |
| Wednesday,
May 12 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting. "Indigenous Culture and Ecologies in the Pre-Columbian New River Valley." How much do you know about the Preston’s Native American “neighbors”? Most interpreters mention the Shawnee, and we have James Patton’s dagger from the Draper’s Meadow attack in our Museum display, but that’s where we end our “coverage” of the topic. Jeff Kirwan and Sam Cook have a lot to tell us about the indigenous population of this area. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Thursday,
May 20, 7:30pm Historic Lecture Series. "The Fincastle Resolutions in Context" with speaker Dr. Jim Glanville. The Fincastle Resolutions, adopted in January 1775 by 13 representatives from Fincastle County in the colony of Virginia, was a list of statements addressed to the First Continental Congress. This often misunderstood document expressed many of the same sentiments as the Declaration of Independence, and is a significant local connection to the turmoil that led to the American Revolution. Dr. Glanville’s research clarifies the document and its effect on the political scene of the time period. Locals such as William Preston, William Christian, William Ingles, John Montgomery, and William Campbell were among the Resolution’s signers. In the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow in the Municipal Building lobby. The Historic Lecture Series is sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. |
| Saturday,
May 22, 9:00am to 1:00pm Storytelling Class. Taught by Joshua Gambrel. Class fee is $20. This class will provide an introduction to the art of storytelling. Through demonstration and discussion, you will learn what makes a story work and how characters can be brought to life by crafting stories effectively. Guidelines will be given for delivery skills: presence, timing, voice, posture, and gesture. Instruction will be given for content skills: choosing stories for your repertoire, introducing yourself and the story, beginnings, middles, endings, maintaining the narrative flow, and other aspects of the language of storytelling. Come join us for a fun storytelling afternoon! |
| Sunday,
June 6, 3:00pm 2nd Annual Spring Fashion Extravaganza at Smithfield. We will be partnering with Ponnie from Ponnie’s Boutique to model modern as well as vintage fashions. There will be refreshments and a silent auction featuring work from local artists. Admission is $15. The fashion show will be about 45 minutes long. Sneak peak at the auction items beginning at 2:30pm. Rain date is June 13th. |
| Saturday, June 12 from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, June 13 from 1:00 - 5:00pm Shaker Box Making Workshop. Taught by Don George. Class fee is $125. Preregistration is required. A one-and ½ day workshop showing the making of a shaker style box. Over a day and a half, participants will be learning the Shaker design aesthetic as they create a set of three or more oval Shaker boxes. Don’s approach to making shaker boxes offer an excellent introduction to hand and power tools for beginners, as well as a satisfying experience in the shop for more experienced woodworkers. Finishing techniques will also be presented. Class fee includes supplies and complete instruction for 3 oval boxes or trays. It is suggested that class participants pack a light lunch for Saturday. |
| Sunday, June 20 at 3:00pm Juneteenth: “Having our Say: The Delaney Sisters First 100 Years.” The play will be shown on the lawn at Smithfield at 3:00pm, starring Carolyn Dixon as 101 year-old Bessie and Latanya Walker as 103 year old Sadie. They share a remarkable journey through the last hundred years of our nation's history, recounting a fascinating series of events and anecdotes drawn from their rich family history and careers as pioneering African-American professionals. Admission is free. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and a picnic lunch to enjoy during the play. Afterwards, discussion of the topics intherent to this celebration will be conducted with the actresses. |
| Sunday,
July 4, 10:00am to 1:00pm Fourth of July Celebration. Celebrate where Revolutionary War patriots trod. Bring a picnic, family and friends to the grounds of Historic Smithfield Plantation, the circa 1774 home of Revolutionary War Colonel William Preston and his wife Susanna. Join us in a morning of Colonial children’s activities, soldiers’ drills, dancing, music, tours of Smithfield house, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Bring a picnic lunch or dine on delicious Log Cabin BBQ. Enjoy the fun, then attend Blacksburg’s annual July 4th parade! |
| Wednesday,
July 7, 1:00 to 3:00pm Boxwood Propagation Class. Have you ever wished that you had boxwood in your garden, especially the historic shrubs that add elegance and beauty to the Smithfield garden? Now is your chance to start a few plants of your own from cuttings from the Smithfield boxwood. The $10.00 fee includes all supplies and instructions for 2 boxwood starts. If you wish to start more plants, the fee is $3.00 per plant, but you must register in advance for additional cuttings. |
| Wednesday,
August 4, 1:00 - 3:00pm (Postponed) Soap Making Class. Taught by Lindsay Lindberg. Class fee is $25. Full instruction and materials for a bar of homemade lye soap. |
| Saturday, August 14 50th Anniversary Homecoming and Preston Family Reunion. Click here for hotel information. Click here for the schedule. Reservations will be taken until August 9th. |
| Thursday,
September 23, 7:30pm Historic Lecture Series. "Norfolk & Western Railway" with speaker L. I. “Bud” Jeffries, author of the book N&W: Giant of Steam will discuss his research of N&W’s history and its profound effect on this area. In the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow in the Municipal Building lobby. The Historic Lecture Series is sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. |
Saturday,
September 25 from 10:00am - 3:00pm Basketmaking 601. Williamsburg Small Oval basket taught
by Terry Nicholson. Come learn this timeless
art and create a beautiful and unique basket for your home or as
a gift. Terry Nicholson has carried on the tradition of basket making
from his mother and has been teaching the art for over 5 years. $50 class fee includes
supplies and complete instruction for one basket. It is suggested
that class participants pack a light lunch. |
| Saturday, October 2, 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday,
October 3, 12:00 - 5:00pm Harvest Festival. Celebrate the fledgling orchard consisting of several heirloom varieties included in Col. William Preston’s inventory. To help the community usher in autumn and the harvest season, Smithfield will have several crafts and food vendors about the lawn, many with apple themes including an Apple Pie Baking Contest! Historical demonstrators ranging from colonial to the civil war era will also provide fun interaction between our guests and the history of this region. Demonstrations of apple butter making will occur over the weekend and the end product will be on sale. Saturday features a craft beer garden with Shooting Creek and River Companyl micro-breweries on hand to talk about their brews. Enjoy acoustic music from bluegrass to jazz to rock throughout the afternoon as you check out heirloom livestock and poultry. Carriage rides to the cemetery will end with a cemetery tour of the Preston graveyard. Come one come all! Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for ages 12 - college, for $4 for children 3 - 12 and free for children under 3. Beer Garden admission is $5. |
| Sunday,
October 3 Candle Making Workshop. Come learn the history and art of beeswax candle making as well as some of its other historic uses. Class participants will be introduced to the varied uses of beeswax, then create hand-dipped candles to take home. Visit www.birdsongStore.com to see a sampling of products made by our instructor, Deano, co- owner of Birdsong Naturals with his wife, Patty. |
| Thursday,
October 21, 7:30pm Historic Lecture Series. "Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets" with Colonel Rock Roszak who will present a talk on the history of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets since the establishment of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872.In the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers, Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 South Main Street. The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow in the Municipal Building lobby. The Historic Lecture Series is sponsored by the Blacksburg Museum and Historic Smithfield Plantation. |
Friday,
December 3 - Sunday, December 5, 1:00-5:00pm |
| Saturday,
December 11, 10:00am to 1:00pm Seasonal Flower Arrangements. |
Saturday,
December 11 from 10am to 1pm |
1000 Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
