Numerous weekend events planned

Several events are on tap for the weekend, including the annual Blue Ridge Mountain Fair, as well as a car show, quilt show, and a bowling benefit.

Blue Ridge Mountain Fair

The Blue Ridge Mountain Fair will be held Friday and Saturday at Crouse Park, Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. It is free to the public.

As of Friday morning, 35 craft vendors and five food vendors had signed up to participate, with items ranging from handmade jewelry and quilts, photography, handmade dog treats and blue jean totes and purses to handmade wooden toys, painted saw blades and wind chimes. Food vendors include barbecue, funnel cakes, chicken on a stick and shaved ice.

Sandy Kent, a member of the committee of the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts and Crafts Fair encourages everyone to attend. "It's a high quality show," she said. "We hope everybody comes to support (us). Think of it as your beginning Christmas shopping." "Crouse Park is one of the most complete public parks for such a small town and a great location for such an activity," Bob Bamberg, Chamber of Commerce Director said earlier. "It has lots of shade so that fair-goers can browse vendors' booths all day with little concern for the July sun."

The annual event is being sponsored by Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountain Fair in and around Alleghany.

During the two-day event, the new stage at the park will be utilized with performances by line dancers, clogging teams and musical entertainment. Friday night, The Drones will perform from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, the Crouse House Pickers will perform at 10 a.m., with the Jubilee Line Dancers performing at 11 a.m., followed by the ‘N Step clogging team at 11:30 a.m. Borderline is slated to perform at noon Saturday, followed at 1 p.m. by Dr. Mark Handy and the Mountain Park Band. Winding down the musical performances, Nate Blevins and the Cranberry Creek Band will take the stage at 2 p.m., followed by Talk of the Town at 3 p.m. Entertainment will continue, with "Hillbilly Wes" Brinegar offering comedy relief from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Crouse Park is located two blocks north of the Courthouse in Sparta and is bordered by East Whitehead (N.C.18 north), and Grayson and Cherry streets. Parking is available on East Whitehead Street in the lot east of the Park. In addition to that lot, free shuttles run between the Park, the Quilters and Car shows and designated parking at the County Administration Building, First Baptist Church, Alleghany Inn, and the Alleghany (Higgins Agricultural) Fairgrounds.

Quilt Show

The 14th annual quilt show will be held Friday and Saturday, both days from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., at the Emerson Black Exhibition Buildings at the Alleghany Fairgrounds. While admission is free of charge, entrance fee donations will be accepted.

Some quilts will be on display, while others will be on sale. Over the course of the two days, the public will be given the opportunity to vote for viewer's choice awards for first, second and third-place winners and best of show. The feature artist is Jo Seagle.

Car Show

The Annual VFW car show will be held Saturday-with enteries being taken as early as 7:30 a.m.-at the Napco parking lot in Sparta.

Entries are $20 at the gate or $15 for pre-registration. Spectators will be charged $5 starting at 10 a.m. The presentation of colors by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7034 will take place at 10 a.m.

Events during the show include a ‘60s era dancing by Bobbie and Gary Parlier, performance by the Alleghany Jubilee Dancers. Door prizes will be given over the course of the show. The best of show for cars and motorcycles will be selected by the attendees and will receive trophies, as will winners for the sponsors choice.

According to Postmaster Doug Blevins, 25 classes of cars and motorcycles will participate in the show. The classes include stock and modified cars, trucks, Jeeps and motorcycles. The first, second and third winners in the classes will be awarded around 3 p.m.

Parking and Service

Of the events at Crouse Park and the fairgrounds, a shuttle service will be offered, according to earlier reports. Crouse Park is located two blocks north of the courthouse in Sparta and is bordered by East Whitehead (N.C. 18 north), and Grayson and Cherry streets.

Parking is available on East Whitehead in the lot east of the park. In addition to the lot, free shuttles will run between the park, the quilters and car shows and designated parking at the county administration building, First Baptist Church, Alleghany Inn and the county fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.Sparta-NC.com or call the Chamber of Commerce and visitor's center at 372-5473 or (800) 372-5473.

Benefit

The Sparta Family Fun Center, formerly Trojan Family Bowl, will be hosting a benefit for Landon Joines on Saturday, July 24 beginning with a youth bowl-a-rama for those 12 and under.

A previously published ad stated the youth bowl-a-rama will be held at 11 a.m., with the adults' being held at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Door prizes will be awarded, raffles will be held, as well as a silent and live auction at 8 p.m.

Youth that turn in a pledge sheet with any amount of money will bowl one game individually, with prizes being given to the top scorer and top fund-raiser.

Adults-bowling in teams of four bowlers-will begin bowling at 1 p.m. and again at 5 p.m. The entry fee is $25 per bowler or $100 per team. The entry fee can be paid by a sponsor, be it a business, civic club, church, individual, etc.

The event is a fund-raiser for Landon Joines, a youngster born in April of 2009 who is need of an intestinal transplant.

Bowlers will ask friends and family to make cash donations to the cause which will be directly contributed to the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA) organization in Landon's name. One hundred percent of funds raised will be available for Landon's transplant-related expenses. The top fund-raisers will be awarded special prizes, with the top prize being a two-night stay for a family of four at a popular area resort.

Along with the bowling, auctions will be held as well, with all funds being contributed to COTA in honor of Landon Joines. Grandfather Eldon Joines encourages the community to help his grandson by "coming out for a fun day of bowling, food, raffles, door prizes, a silent auction and a live auction."

For more information, call 372-6602 or visit the Web site at www.COTAforLandonJ.com.

Grandfather Eldon recently commented of the event, "We are currently looking for items to be donated for the auction, especially cakes.