Troutville fun night
The Town of Troutville invites families to come to the Town Park for a free fun night, “Prince and the Greats” remembrance celebration, from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, April 21.
A DJ will be on the stage playing Prince, David Bowie, Tom Petty and more. Bring your own chairs, supper and snacks. Music and dancing starts at 6 p.m. Troutville Sunshine Girls is hosting this “Let’s Go Crazy” event.
For more information, call 819-6335. Rain cancels.
Library having program on backyard chickens
Blue Ridge Library will be offering a free program about backyard chicken keeping on Tuesday, April 24. The program is free and will begin at 7 p.m.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram of Botetourt County are the presenters. Topics will include determining the time and resources needed to keep chickens, choosing the best breeds for beginners, building safe and predator-proof shelters and much more.
The Ingrams are widely published writers in hunting, fishing, raising chickens, growing fruit and vegetables, and foraging the outdoors for edible food. They are the co-authors of “Living the Locavore Lifestyle,” published in 2016, that gives their account of leading a healthy, sustainable life.
Blue Ridge Library is located at 28 Avery Row, Roanoke, on US 460 East about a half-mile east of the Bonsack Walmart. For directions, call 928-2900.
Botetourt County Chorus concert dates
The Botetourt County Chorus will present its spring concert, “Precious Memories Gospel Sing,” on at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at Troutville Church of the Brethren, Lee Highway, Troutville, at and 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at Buchanan Baptist Church, Main Street, Buchanan.
In 1978, the Botetourt County Chorus performed its first concert and has continued for 40 years. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy an evening or afternoon of beautiful gospel music.
For more information, call Faye at 540-798-4049.
Buchanan Dates To Remember
- Garden Festival Vendors Wanted – Be part of Buchanan’s fifth annual Buchanan Garden Festival scheduled for Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Garden-themed vendors are wanted for this year’s festival. Organizers are looking for vendors who wish to sell plants, flowers, outdoor living items and services, art, handmade crafts and other items with a garden and outdoor living theme. Spaces are 12’x12’ each at a price of $25. To get an application go to the town’s website at www.townofbuchanan.com or call the Buchanan Town Hall at 254-1212.
- Special Events Committee Meeting – The committee meets Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Buchanan Town Hall.
Third Fridays Cruise-Ins begin this week in downtown Buchanan
Buchanan’s spring season kicks off Friday, April 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. when antique auto owners are invited to cruise Main Street and then park, and for visitors to explore Main Street and meet the owners of the antique autos on display. Visitors can also shop, stroll and dine in downtown Buchanan. The Buchanan Special Events Committee booth will be set up in front of Town Hall for visitors to learn about upcoming events.
Buchanan Spring Clean Up
Town of Buchanan residents may bring household items to dispose of during the town’s annual Spring Clean Up this Saturday, April 21 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
C&S Disposal will provide a dumpster in the town parking lot on Lowe Street next to the Town Park. Be sure to bring proof of town residency.
Appliances, furniture, and other household items are allowed.
The following items are not allowed: brush, leaves, tires, construction debris, and toxic items such as oil, paint, batteries, pesticides or any other chemicals. To check on what you have to dump before the date call the Buchanan Town Hall at 254 – 1212.
Buchanan Civil War History Weekend
More than 120 re-enactors from 16 units will trickle into Buchanan late next week in anticipation of the Buchanan Civil War History Weekend Friday-Sunday, April 27, 28 and 29.
Individuals traveling from towns and cities throughout the Virginia as well as others from New York, Maryland. Indiana, Pennsylvania and North Carolina will relive the 1860s when they will enter the world of a Civil War soldier, civilian or sutler.
The public is invited to explore one of the lesser known sites of the Civil War, Buchanan, where visitors will discover the town’s role as the terminus of the James River & Kanawha Canal during the war.
As people explore the community, they will find enlisted soldiers, participants in the weekend’s activities donning uniforms, shouldering their muskets, and marching off to a much different time. Re-enactors will dress in Union and Confederate uniforms, drill in the way soldiers fought, portray the hardships soldiers endured and participate in a number of specifically designed programs that transform history into reality.
Activities on Friday, April 27 provide a behind-the-scenes peek to the public and school field trips where they will explore the Living History Camps set up along the bank of the James River as it winds its way through the Town Park on Lowe Street.
The bulk of activities takes place on Saturday and Sunday as camps open to the public at 10 a.m. followed by scheduled events throughout the day. A schedule of events may be found on the town’s website at http://www.townofbuchanan.com/event/buchanan-civil-war-history-weekend-2/. Check next week’s edition of The Fincastle Herald for additional information.
Buchanan Garden Festival May 5
Buchanan’s fifth annual Garden Festival will be held on the grounds of the historic Wilson Warehouse/Community House and Town Park Saturday, May 5.
There is a little bit of something for everyone at this year’s event. Activities include vendors offering plants, flowers and trees; home improvement goods and services; hand crafts, art, food; a wine garden featuring Blue Ridge Vineyard of Eagle Rock; guest speakers from the Roanoke Master Gardeners and the Virginia Western Community College Arboretum, as well as kids’ activities including “Touch A Tractor” sponsored by James River Equipment.
Volunteers from the Buchanan Special Events Committee will be offering festival T-shirts for sale as well as tickets for an opportunity to own garden spinners from Plow & Hearth.
Entertainment for the day includes music and sound by DJ Frank Arnold as well as live performances by Rebecca Bryant, “The Singing Cowgirl,” and lead singers and songwriters of Acoustic Endeavors, Warren Amberson and Kelly Green.
“Join us for a day of relaxing in the garden of the Community House on Lowe Street in Buchanan from 10-4. It is the perfect place to find a gift formMother’s Day,” Festival Chairperson Peggy Ramsey said, noting a new feature during the opening ceremony at 10 a.m. will be a presentation of the May Pole Dance.
Kite craft classes at the libraries
The Blue Ridge, Buchanan, and Fincastle libraries will offer afternoon craft classes in April to make Five-Minute Paper Kites that actually fly.
Class schedules are: Monday, April 23 at 4, Blue Ridge; Tuesday, April 24 at 4:30, Buchanan; and Wednesday, April 25 at 4, Fincastle.
The free classes are for everyone who is at least 6 years old.
For more information, see the Botetourt County Libraries Facebook page or call the libraries at 928-2900 (Blue Ridge), 928-3005 (Buchanan) or 928-2700 (Fincastle).
The libraries will show free movies in April
A newly released family film will show on Thursday, April 26 at the Blue Ridge, Fincastle and Buchanan libraries. Blue Ridge and Fincastle libraries will show the film at 4 p.m. The Buchanan library will show it at 4:30. Free snacks will be provided at all three showings.
The same film will show at the Eagle Rock library on Saturday, April 28 at 10 a.m. with free breakfast included
For more information, including the movie title, see the events section on the Botetourt County Libraries’ Facebook page or call the libraries at: 928-2900, Blue Ridge; 928-2700 Fincastle; 928-3005, Buchanan; or 928-2800, Eagle Rock.
Buchanan Library book/yard sale
The Friends of the Buchanan Library will be holding a combined used book/yard sale on April 27, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and April 28, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. There are hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books, hardbacks and paperbacks for sale. Hardbacks are $1, paperbacks, 50 cents, children’s, 25 cents, and audio visual, 25 cents. There is a table of specialty books that are individually priced. The yard sale has household goods, a large selection of craft items, and odds and ends. The sale will be held in the basement of the Buchanan Library. Patrons can use the Lowe Street entrance. All proceeds will benefit the Buchanan Library. The library is located at 19795 Main Street; 928-3005.
Learn about ‘The Mad Gasser’ May 1
Blue Ridge Library will host William B. Van Huss at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 for a program about his book “The Mad Gasser of Botetourt County.” Van Huss’s book tells the fascinating story of a strange series of events from 1933 in which residents of Botetourt County were attacked by a phantom menace. An invisible gas filled the homes of unsuspecting victims, causing illness and resulting in mass hysteria. The talk is free and copies of the book will be available for purchase. Blue Ridge Library is located at 28 Avery Row, Roanoke, just off US 460 about a half-mile east of the Bonsack Walmart. For directions, call 928-2900.
