7/26-28: Mary Draper Ingles Festival

A festival rooted in the story of America’s westward migration returns to Radford City and Pulaski County, Va., this month. Named for the colonial legend Mary Draper Ingles, the upcoming celebration runs July 26-28 at several area venues.

In 1732 Ingles was born in Philadelphia to immigrant parents from Donegal, Ireland. Eventually the family traveled down the great Valley of Virginia and settled in Draper’s Meadow (today’s Blacksburg, Va.). There in 1755 Native Americans attacked Mary’s settlement, and she and other family members were taken to Ohio. She later escaped and completed a treacherous trip back to her home on the New River. That journey was made famous by the “New York Times” bestseller, “Follow the River.”

Something new to this year’s event is a Chautauqua-style presentation by West Virginian Doug Wood, who will interpret the life of Ostenaco, a Cherokee military leader during the French and Indian War. In fact, Ostenaco led an army of Cherokees against the Shawnees, the tribal nation responsible for the attack on the settlement in Virginia.

Also new to the line-up is the entertaining duo Kim and Jimbo Cary, who will present traditional music of early America on a variety of instruments including mandolin, fiddle, guitar and gourd banjo. The audience will be treated with authentic old-time banjo tunes, flat-pickin’ bluegrass, gospel and southern mountain music.

Headlining Saturday’s literary activities will be award-winning Southern writer Sharyn McCrumb, best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels. She will discuss her book, “King’s Mountain,” that is set in the same era as the Mary Draper Ingles saga and tells the story of one of the important battles of the Revolutionary War. McCrumb will be joined by another “New York Times” bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, who has written “Crow Mary,” about a strong indigenous woman caught in a clash of cultures in 19th-century North America.
Also on Saturday, Kathleen Harshberger, a local playwright and actress, will present a living history interpretation of Mary. Harshberger has played the role of the colonial heroine in some form for the last several decades.

All total, the festival’s three days will feature more than 75 activities, including old-time crafts and skills, art exhibits, vendors and a petting zoo. The Long Way Brewing, a craft beer company whose name is a take on the frontierswoman’s journey, will showcase live music, historical dancers, food trucks and a children’s play zone. The brewery also will sponsor a short reenactment of the Ingles play, “Long Walk to Freedom,” featuring Radford University and local actors.

Two historic landmarks, Ingles Tavern and La Riviere, also known as Ingles Castle and built by Mary’s great-grandson, will be open for tours. Wilderness Road Regional Museum in Dublin is also sponsoring 18th century living history interpretations by the Fincastle Company and music by such regional musicians as Willard Gayheart.

If you are looking to cool off on one of the oldest rivers in the world, reservations for floats, tubes and paddles are available with the outfitter, Radford On The River, at Bisset Park.

Art exhibits are also part of the festivities with shows at the Radford University Museum on Tyler, The Highlander Hotel and Glencoe Mansion. The hotel will also feature a meet and greet with Mary Draper Ingles descendants and reenactment actors.

For the full schedule, go to www.glencoemansion.org/mdifestival or phone (540) 731-5031. The Highlander Hotel is the festival’s official hotel and is offering a special lodging promotion.

The event is funded in part by grants from Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.