Vinton was bustling on July 14
VINTON–The Town of Vinton was recently the recipient of a $700,000 downtown revitalization grant, but on July 14, the Farmer’s Market area in downtown was already looking very energetic.
An Art Market and Food Tasting event, sponsored by the Town’s Special Programs department, started at 9:00 a.m. Activities continued throughout the day and evening up until 10:00 p.m. when Seven Mile Ford band concluded their performance at the summer’s second “Mingle at the Market”. That event was sponsored by the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Angie LeNoir of Good Ground Farm demonstrated spinning yarn from the wool of Jacob and Shetland sheep, Angora bunnies, and Angora goats that she and her family raise in the Camp Bethel area. The animals, including the bunnies, are sheared for their wool. Their venture started when her son asked for a lamb for his birthday one year.
During the day, local artists displayed their creations, while food vendors offered free samples of local food products and produce. Angie Lenoir from Good Ground Farm in Botetourt County demonstrated her skills on a spinning wheel using wool from the sheep, goats, and rabbits she and her family raise in the Camp Bethel area.
Six year old Madeline Shropshire created a tie dyed butterfly with Kool Aid paint at the Vinton Farmer's Market craft show.
There was a tie dye art project for the children. A local gypsy jazz band, Another Roadside Attraction, entertained from the Farmer’s Market Stage, playing over 25 instruments, including guitars, ukulele, cello, viola, banjo, fiddle, musical saw, “the clockworks”, spoons, kazoos, paint cans, and wrenches.
Another Roadside Attraction, a local band, entertained on the Farmer's Market stage throughout the day. They played music described as "gypsy jazz" on a variety of 25 different instruments, some handmade.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the gates opened for “Mingle at the Market”, the second in a series of four concerts scheduled on the second Saturday of each month through September. IDK restaurant, located just up Lee Street, sold hot dogs, wings, and BBQ from their concession stand throughout the evening.
IDK restaurant, located in downtown Vinton, again sold concessions for Mingle at the Market, which is sponsored by the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce.
There was an adult beverage garden, and even though there were some intermittent showers early on, there was dancing in the street for most of the evening.
Despite intermittent showers, a crowd of about 300 attended the summer's second Mingle at the Market and spent the evening dancing to the music of Seven Mile Ford, including Al and Melissa Cook( couple on right).
Despite the storms, the Vinton Needy Family Program earned about $300.00 for their charity selling 50/50 tickets. Their organization works at fundraising year round to raise money to distribute food and gifts to Vinton area children at Christmas time.
During the course of the day, a quick ten minute drive to nearby Explore Park allowed visitors to see a Civil War living history demonstration by the 60th Virginia Infantry Company K reenactors on the lawn of Brugh Tavern, accompanied by several showings of the “Hunter’s Raid: The Lynchburg Campaign” documentary in the Blue Ridge Visitor Center.
The 60th Virginia Infantry Company K Civil War reenactors presented a living history demonstration at nearby Explore Park. Doug Camper, (on left in foreground) is the commander of the group. His nephew, Nathan Jennings (on right) is the youngest reenactor in the group at age 12. "I love doing this," said Jennings, who finds reenacting a much more enjoyable way to learn history first hand than by simply reading about it in the classroom.
Reenactors, ages 12 to 78, from Vinton, Franklin County, and Roanoke, braved the heat in wool uniforms to present drills, rifle volleys, and a court martial from the year 1864, when Confederate General Jubal Early pursued the federal forces led by General David Hunter into Salem.
The 60th Virginia Infantry Company K Civil War reenactors fired a rifle volley on the lawn of Brugh Tavern at Virginia's Explore Park on July 14 during a living history demonstration. Shown left to right are: Doug Camper of Roanoke, Joseph Owens of Roanoke, Zachary Garrett of Vinton, Curtis Anderson from Florida, Daniel Young and Nathan Jennings from Franklin County. Daniel Young, the oldest participant at age 78, was Explore Park's blacksmith for many years.
The next Farmer’s Market event will be “Shake, Bake, and Sprout” on July 28. “Mingle at the Market” will return on August 11 with Side Show Band.
