Aug. 25, 2006

Looking for an old-fashioned, fun way to celebrate the Labor Day holiday?  Come to Walker Frontier Fest at the Walker Tavern Historic Site on Saturday, Sept. 2 and celebrate like the pioneers who settled Cambridge Junction.  This day full of fun family activities starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.  Admission is free.

Frontier craftsmen will demonstrate everything from weaving and jewelry making to chair caning and rock carving.  Visitors can learn to make a cornhusk doll, drive a stagecoach while an artist draws their picture, or try their hand at hoop racing.  The event will feature a variety of American traditional music, and those who sing or play a musical instrument are welcome to join fellow musicians in an acoustical jam session in the backyard. 

Other activities include an exhibit of antique tractors and a quilt display.  Vendors will sell hand-crafted articles, flea market treasures and food.

Entertainment schedule:

10 a.m. to noon – Bridgewater (folk duo)

Noon to 2 p.m. – Jammin’ Grandmas (dulcimer music)

Noon to 4 p.m. – Acoustical Jam Session

Walker Frontier Fest is made possible by the generous support of OSB Community Bank and the Friends of Michigan History. 

Walker Tavern Historic Site is located next to the Michigan International Speedway in the Irish Hills. Situated at the Cambridge Junction crossroads of M-50 and the U.S. 12 Heritage Trail, Walker Tavern is just 35 miles west of Ann Arbor. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sept. 2.  Fall tours are by appointment only.  For more information, call (517) 467-4401 or visit our Web site at www.michigan.gov/walkertavern.

Walker Tavern is administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).  HAL is dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy and by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan’s heritage and fostering cultural creativity.  In addition to the Michigan Historical Center, it includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Film Office.  To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).