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Catch the Spirit will again sponsor ‘heritage competitions’ at Greening Up
Sylva’s ninth annual Greening up the Mountains downtown festival is set this year for Saturday, April 29, and will feature crafts, music and heritage exhibits.
Events at the daylong festival will get under way at 10 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m.
Catch the Spirit of Appalachia produces the heritage component of the annual event.
Rebekah Lovedahl placed in last year’s Catch the Spirit of Appalachia youth talent contest. Area youngsters are again invited to display their performance skills during this year’s event, which is planned for 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. during the Saturday, April 29, downtown Sylva Greening Up the Mountains festival.
According to CSA co-founder Amy Garza, the group’s mission at the festival is to celebrate mountain life through the creativity of its children and to present a “story” of the heritage of Appalachian life through old-time living demonstrations by adults, including canning, quilt-making, dried vegetables and fruits, soap-making, weaving, spinning, caning and sewing. The organization also spotlights area music and the talents of local children.
“Catch the Spirit believes that transferring knowledge of our unique heritage to the children and combining it with creativity leads to a more visible pride in mountain culture,” Garza said. “We accomplish our mission by inviting the local children to enter an essay contest and to create their own costume to be incorporated into CSA’s yearly Parade of Many Colors, and we provide an opportunity for them to perform on The Founder’s Stage in the Youth Talent Contest.”
Winners of the essay contest will serve as king and queen for the parade and will also receive cash prizes.
All the cash prizes for the talent contest, traditional heritage contests, baking contest, children’s essay and costume contests are provided by Bear Lake Reserve of Tuckasegee, Garza said.
This selection of canned goods represents a few of entries in last year’s Catch the Spirit of Appalachia heritage contest. Competitions in preserved foods and baked goods will again be part of Sylva’s Saturday, April 29, Greening Up the Mountains downtown festival.
Applications for the youth essay and talent contests have been distributed to local schools, and the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in Sylva also has applications.
Everyone in Jackson County and surrounding counties is invited to enter the contests offered, Garza said.
A description of each contest follows:
– Parade costume contest. This year’s theme is “Scenes and Themes of Appalachia.” Cash prizes include: most original, $50; most colorful, $50; Best essay, queen, $50; best essay, king, $50. A special prize of $100 will be awarded to the school or facility that brings the most participants to the parade. For information regarding the parade, or the register to participate in the parade, contact Doreyl Cain at 293-2239.
– Talent show competition. This sixth annual event will run from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the Greening Up the Mountains Founders Stage. Children up to 18 years old may enter; Categories are vocals; dance; instrumental; and prose, poetry and storytelling. Cash prizes are offered in each category for elementary and for first prize in each category of for high school. Applications may be picked at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. To register, youth are asked to call Amanda Stewart at 293-3751 (evenings); or call 631-4587 to receive an application by mail.
– Traditional heritage contests. Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($50) and second ($25) place in seven categories: Canned and dried vegetables and fruits; pickles and relishes; jams and jellies; baked goods; quilting; handicrafts; and hand-stitchery.
To enter, bring unlabeled canned goods and handicraft entries to Gallery One on Main Street Thursday, April 27, and Friday, April 28, between 8:30 a.m. and noon. Dot Conner or Garza will be on hand to accept entries. Call at 568-2375 to make an appointment.
Judging will be Friday afternoon, April 28. All baking contestants should complete an entry form and mail it to CSA at 29 Regal Avenue, Sylva, NC 28779 or bring it with their entry. Baked goods are to be delivered for judging at the CSA display area, (booth one) at the CSA Heritage Walk located in the parking lot beside The Sylva Herald between the hours of 8 and 9 a.m. on the morning of the festival (Saturday, April 29). All traditional heritage items and baked goods will be displayed during the festival in the CSA Heritage Walk.
If additional applications or information is needed, call Garza at 631-4587.
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