WEST SPARTA — History lovers are gearing up for the annual West Sparta Old-Fashioned Day, which takes place July 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sarah Booher, the president of West Sparta Historical Society, said the historical society organized in late 2006. In 2007, they held a “Museum Day” open house at the Town Hall, and in 2008, they held a History Day at the Town Hall.
In 2009, the historical society held and sponsored a larger community wide event with vendors and re-enactors.
“After that we knew we couldn’t do it alone,” said Booher. “We decided to take a year off while we gathered up our co-sponsors…and raised money for a community-wide event called ‘West Sparta Old-Fashioned Day 2011.’ It was quite successful with almost 400 attending. So now it is an annual event by and for the community and public.”
The event is free and jointly sponsored by the Town of West Sparta, West Sparta Fire Department, West Sparta Historical Society and West Sparta Methodist Church.
Old-Fashioned Day is located at West Sparta Town Hall, 8302 Kysorville Byersville Road.
Scheduled events include:
10:00 Connie Hamilton & Henry Robin
10:00 – 12:00 Hay Rides – Moffat & Sons Farm
10:15 Draft Horse Plowing by R&L Neu Farm
10:45 Jerry Ernst “Music of The Civil War”
11:00 Genesee Valley Mountain Dulcimer Grp
11:45 Reenactment of 19th c. Domestic Life
12:00 Dulcimer Workshop by Dulcimer Club
12:30 Ceremony Honoring Local Veterans
1:45 Elizabeth Van Lew, Civil War Spy, by Reenactor Susan Berardi
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Wagon Rides – Pratt Farm
2:00 Waylandaires, Director Rachel Hitt
3:00 Band of Brothers with Jamie Stevens and Alan Fox 3:45 Military Reenactment by 140th NYVI
The event’s all-day events include:
Arts, Crafts, Food and other Vendors
Tours of 140th New York Volunteer Infantry Civil War Military/Civilian Camp
History of West Sparta Pictorial Display
Children’s Fair: Games, Activities, Prizes
Willow Pond Farm Petting Zoo
Overland Stables Pony Rides
Antique Tractors & Cars Display
Tools of the Pioneer Woman Display by West Sparta Historian, David Palmer
Blacksmith’s Forging Demonstration by Farrier, Ed Carls.
19th C. Farm Equipment Demonstrations: Wheat Threshing, & Wood Planer Courtesy of Phelps Farm, Groveland
Livingston County Sheriff’’s Equine and/or Canine Unit