19th Century Trades Festival
Historic Travellers Rest and the Tennessee Arts Commission are hosting the annual Trades Festival which allows participants to go back in time 200 years. The event will take place on Tuesday, Sept 22 and Wednesday, Sept 23, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Historic Travellers Rest Plantation. “We look forward to welcoming many students and patrons at the Trades Festival every year,” said Education Director at Travellers Rest, Tonya Staggs. “We are excited to provide visitors with the chance to experience life in the 19th century.”
Visitors will have the opportunity to watch history come alive with more than thirty artisans and re-enactors. Artisans for the event will include a blacksmith, basket weaver, hat maker, 19th century seamstress and many more. Re-enactors such as a civil war surgeon, a potter, a spinner, and more will bring 19th century authenticity to the festival. There are numerous hands-on activities including, candle dipping, corn grinding, quill pen writing, the opportunity to make corn husk or hanky dolls among other various activities. Visitors can stop by the Historic Travellers Rest Gift Shop for shopping. Picnic lunches are welcome.
Reservations are required and tickets are $5.50 per person. For more information about the festival or registration, contact Tonya Staggs by phone 615-832-8197 or by email tonya@travellersrestplantation.org.
About Historic Travellers Rest
For more than fifty years, Historic Travellers Rest has been an integral part of the Nashville community. The historic house, built originally in 1799, was restored by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in Tennessee to interpret the early 19th century life of Judge John Overton, one of the state’s first Supreme Court Justices, the founder of Memphis and a close personal friend of Andrew Jackson. The property serves as a gateway for learners of all ages to explore Nashville’s historic past. For more information, please visit www.travellersrestplantation.org.
