Annual National Road Festival rolling into town
The 36th annual National Road Festival, which is being held Friday through Sunday, once again celebrates the history and culture of America’s first federal highway with events scheduled throughout 90 miles of Somerset, Fayette and Washington counties. “It’s family entertainment,” said Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road Heritage Corridor. “There’s something for everyone. If you like music, if you like re-enactors, if you like good food and crafters, it’s there. We have old-fashioned baseball in Hopwood. There’s trout fishing and parades. Just get on the road and drive.” She pointed out there is a car show from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion on Gallatin Avenue in Uniontown, sponsored by the Gallatin Avenue Concerned Citizens Association, as well as ghost tours at Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, sponsored by the Brownsville Historical Society.
The National Road Festival consists of individual events hosted by communities along the National Road – much of it running along present-day Route 40.
Holdorf said, “These communities plan all the events themselves and raise their own money. It’s important we support them. They do this because they love the National Road. It’s an important piece of history. For people to realize this is important to us and we want to see them come out and support the road.”
This year, festival organizers are expecting a large contingent of Boy Scouts from the Old Trails District to follow behind the National Pike Wagon Train Association, which travels from Grantsville, Md., to Mount St. Macrina, just west of Uniontown.
The Boys Scouts are expected to join the wagon train at its camp at the polo field at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington. Some of the Boy Scouts will camp there Friday night and the rest will join the wagon train Saturday morning as it pulls out of Nemacolin and journeys to Hopwood for a lunch break and then on to Mount St. Macrina for camp Saturday night.
Holdorf reported the Boy Scouts will conduct an ecumenical service at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Mount St. Macrina and a campfire that consists of entertainment at 8 p.m. The Boy Scouts are working on the National Heritage patch, which requires them to hike a national venue, do a service project and host a campfire. This is leading up to their centennial in 2010.
The National Pike is one of two wagon trains that take place during the festival. The other is the Wagoniers, which travels across Washington County from Claysville to Malden. Both wagon trains attract a following and the public is always invited to join them during the camps Friday and Saturday at the end of day’s ride.
Wooden nickels are a new way to commemorate the National Road Festival.
Holdorf said, “We’re trying to chain the pearls on the thread together. People will be able to get wooden nickels at Addison, Fort Necessity, Hopwood, Mount St. Macrina, Searights Tollhouse, Brownsville and Scenery Hill. We’re hoping to have historical figures give out the coins. The coins are free to visitors but there are a limited supply.”
The nickels will have a design for the festival and then markings for different places.
Holdorf also noted that festivalgoers should remember that part of the authentic National Road is closed between Malden and West Brownsville and by the Brownsville Drive-in. Detours are posted.
For more information, visit online at www.nationalroadpa.org.