Pioneer Heritage Festival of The Ozarks Planned for Fall

Start making you fall plans now to come out and experience a “rendezvous-type” encampment on the banks of Bryant Creek. Take part in family friendly activities, and enjoy a festival where you can watch demonstrations and/or participate with how people lived and survived the Ozarks past. The Pioneer Heritage Festival will be held at Chapel Grove, 14 miles east of Ava on Highway 14, and is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8. There will be a worship service on Sunday morning with gospel music. There is no admission or parking fee, but a suggested gate donation of $5 (or more) for persons 18 and older will help with the expenses of the event. Bring your chairs as venue seating is limited. It has just been confirmed that Van Colbert will be playing on the Chapel Grove Stage on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m. Watch for announcements of other performances and activities. The Pioneer Heritage Festival of the Ozarks is being planned by a newly formed non-profit organization, with a mission of preserving and celebrating the culture, history, and folklore of the Ozarks. Local artisans are invited to exhibit traditional skills such as flint knapping, weaving, basket making, blacksmithing and the like, and heritage musicians are encouraged to come out and share their love of our unique Ozarks style of music and local tunes. The public is invited to bring the kids for a day of fun and activity. Food vending will be available, music will be presented on stage by local groups, a dance floor will be provided, and everyone is welcome to bring their musical instruments to join in an impromptu acoustic music jam out under the trees! PHFO Inc. is currently meeting on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month at the Community Training Room, 608 Springfield Road, #2, provided by Ozark Mountains Realty. Persons who would like to be involved with the festival are welcome to attend, beginning at 1 p.m. People are needed to help with planning music, children’s activities, story-telling, a genealogy booth, or other exhibits that demonstrate our Ozarks cultural heritage. The Pioneer Heritage Festival of the Ozarks was formed to take the Ozark Heritage into the future so it will be remembered and valued. They are always looking for more folks to be a part of workshops, classes, conferences and events and to continue the mission of preserving the Ozark Heritage. If you are interested in volunteering, sponsorships, program advertising or participating in the first ever, annual Pioneer Heritage Festival of the Ozarks, please contact the committee by email: 417heritage@gmail.com; Facebook: Pioneer Heritage Festival of the Ozarks, Inc. Website: www.heritage417.com; or call 417-543-3401, 417-746-4006, or the Ava Chamber of Commerce, 417-683-4594.