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Entries needed for Greening Up contests
Sylva’s eighth-annual Greening Up the Mountains Festival will be Saturday, April 30, and Catch the Spirit of Appalachia is once again sponsoring contests to showcase the talents of community members.
Catch the Spirit’s mission is to celebrate mountain life through the creativity of children and through old-time demonstrations – including canning, quilt-making, soap-making, weaving, spinning, caning and sewing – by adults.
Activities this year include:
• Parade of Many Colors: A king and queen to lead the festival’s opening procession will be chosen from among students who submit entries to an essay contest. The royalty will be announced April 21 at the School of Alternative’s “Catch the Spirit Day.” The king and queen will win cash prizes, as will individuals whose parade costumes are “Most Original” and “Most Colorful,” and the school or group that brings the most marchers. Theme for this year’s parade is “The Dance of Spring.” Essay contest applications have been distributed to students in county schools and are still available at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and through Catch the Spirit. Deadline to enter is Monday, April 18.
• Youth Talent Contest: Children up to 18 years old may enter in the areas of vocal, dance, instrumental and prose, poetry and storytelling. The competition will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Founders’ Stage, located in the middle of Main Street on the east side of town. Cash prizes will be awarded. Applications have been distributed to county schools and are available at the Chamber of Commerce, from contest coordinator Amanda Stewart at 293-3751, or from Catch the Spirit. While there is no deadline to register, only 30 performance slots are available.
• Traditional Heritage Contests: Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second places for preserving (canned/dried vegetables, meats and fruits, pickles/relishes and jams/jellies), quilting, handstitchery (embroidery, cross-stitch, applique, patchwork, etc.), miscellaneous handicrafts and baked goods. Canned-good and handicraft entries must be brought to Gallery One on Main Street on the mornings of Thursday and Friday, April 28-29. Baked-good entries should be delivered between 8 and 9 a.m. the day of the festival to a baked-goods table located near Karen’s Restaurant. Canned goods and crafts will be judged by representatives from the Jackson County Extension Office at 2 p.m. Friday; baked goods, on the day of the festival. To enter a canned good or craft, call contest coordinator Dot Conner in advance at 568-2375; to enter a baked good, mail in an entry form to Catch the Spirit or bring the form with your entry. Forms are available at the Chamber and through Catch the Spirit.
While it won’t be a competition, Catch the Spirit is also seeking local traditional crafters willing to share their talents with the public on festival day. Heritage demonstrations will be set up as a “Traditional Heritage Walk” on the sidewalk, porch and patio area near Karen’s Restaurant. Demonstrators may sell their products. Applications are available at the Chamber of Commerce and must be mailed to Catch the Spirit.
For more information, call Catch the Spirit at 631-4587. Applications that must be mailed may be sent to 29 Regal Avenue, Sylva, NC 28779.
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