39th Historical Crafts & Farmskills Festival

The Malcolm Blue Historical Crafts and Farmskills Festival is held annually the last weekend of September. Approximately 1,800 school children visit the farm on Friday during School Children’s Day to learn what daily life and work was like in the 19th century. Some of the crafts and skills demonstrated are pottery, basket making, woodworking, blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, soap and candle making and fringe tying.

Farm animals fill the stable; pony and wagon rides are available for the young and young at heart. Folk and country musicians and dancers entertain during the three-day event. In the meadow, Civil War reenactment troops are encamped and steam engines are demonstrated. The festival has become one of the finest intergenerational events in North Carolina.

Attention: Traditional Crafters/Demonstrators

Crafts must be handmade in traditional fabrics, color and other materials. Crafts must depict the country life in the late 1800s. Crafters/demonstrators who are willing to share their expertise and are not selling crafts are given free entry into the festival. Your booth is placed in a highly visible area and makes the festival complete.

Crafters/Demonstrators who will be selling their crafts have found that demonstrations sell more merchandise. Please bring someone to help while you are demonstrating.

If you are new to the festival

Please provide a photo showing your booth and at least three different items. You may also include a photo of you working your booth or demonstrating your craft. Also please include a brief biography about your crafter/demonstrator training. This information may be used for newspaper publicity.

Please remember that this is not a street festival. The Historical Crafts and Farmskills Festival was established to maintain the farm and educate. Our goal is the recreate a farm atmosphere for our visitors.

The registration fee is kept to a minimum. Please honor the guidelines of traditional dress and booth preparation. School-age children or grandchildren are welcome to join you.

Returning your application as soon as possible will help to insure a desired location. Space provided is approximately 10 feet x 12 feet and most of the crafts are in the shade. Spaces will be assigned where requested (if available). Please note on the application any special requests, i.e. handicap accessibility. Only white, tan or beige tents allowed—no exceptions.

Dress in traditional, farm life costumes. Long dresses or skirts made of calico, gingham, denim or solid fabric are suggested. For men, we suggest jeans, overall jeans, and plaid long sleeve shirts.

Motor homes and campers are allowed on property overnight. However, we ask that they be moved off the grounds at daylight and during festival hours. Restrooms and hot water are available. Off-duty police officers in uniform will secure the farm Thursday , Friday and Saturday nights (Security begins Thursday at dusk if you would like to set up Thursday afternoon).

Farmskills Festival Schedule of Events

Friday, September 26
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
School Children’s Day
Saturday, September 27
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Crafters and Demonstrators, continuous music, storytelling, gas and steam engine demos, Civil War camp, hay rides, pony rides and farm animals.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Supper on the Grounds
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 28
12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m.
More entertainment

Malcolm Blue Farm Museum and farmhouse will be open Wednesday through Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or other times by special appointment.

1177 Bethesda Road, P.O. Box 603, Aberdeen, NC 28315

Telephone/fax 910-944-7558 for directions or Email Us

MalcolmBlueFarm.com developed by Internet Photojournalist John W. Myers