Festival Vendors Return to Grounds of Martha Washington Inn for the Virginia Highlands Festival
ABINGDON, VA – Celebrating the town’s rich heritage, the Virginia Highlands Festival is all set to breathe new life into the historic grounds of the Martha Washington Inn. The upcoming edition of the festival marks a significant change as the arts and crafts vendors are returning to the original site after many years.
A Welcome Homecoming
Ryan Henderson, the president of the Virginia Highlands Festival, made the announcement during Monday’s meeting of the Abingdon Town Council. He stated, “Our arts and crafts show is going to be back on the Martha Washington lawn after many, many years of not being there. This allows our arts and crafts show to grow.”
There’s been an approximately 20 percent increase in the submissions for the arts and crafts show this year compared to the previous edition, according to Henderson. This change is seen as an opportunity to strengthen the event’s ties with the Martha Washington Inn while allowing the show to expand its reach.
The Festival’s Origins
Established in the late 1940s, the Virginia Highlands Festival originally happened as a summer extension of the Barter Theatre, which is situated close to the inn. However, about 15 years ago, owing to the wear and tear on the lawn due to the festival, the hotel management decided to forgo inviting artists to set up their displays beneath the hotel lawn’s tents and trees. Now, it seems that tradition is set for revival.
The Return of the Gala
In addition to the arts and crafts show’s return, another notable part of the festival returning this year is The Gala. The Martha Washington Inn will host this massively popular event in its ballroom, where a special dinner will be served to the guests. The Gala represents one of the initial traditions of the festival that many folks fondly remember.
Activities and Celebrations Galore
For the first time, Restaurant Month will replace ‘Restaurant Week’, taking place throughout April. It’s now called “Eat, Drink, Love, Virginia Highlands,” offering a month-long series of culinary events. Among the activities planned are a biscuit and cookies cooking tutorial at the Martha Washington Inn, a culinary workshop for children, a farm-to-table dinner, and a knitting and crocheting class for placemats.
Susan Mole, co-chair of the festival’s culinary committee, explained that extending the celebration to a month will help spotlight the notion of a year-long festival since summertime sees the restaurant community busily catering to the festival public.
With its well-curated mix of arts and culinary celebrations, the Virginia Highlands Festival is all set to offer an enriching experience for locals and tourists alike. Mayor Amanda Pillion expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming events, observing, “It sounds like there’s something for absolutely everyone.”
