The 15th annual Festival of the Hills continues today with arts, crafts and an Appalachian church service.

Sunday, September 09, 2001

The 15th annual Festival of the Hills continues today with arts, crafts and an Appalachian church service.

The church service, performed by Dave Lucas and Ray Wilson on guitar, starts at 11 a.m. on the outside stage, behind Ohio University Southern Campus.

The service also includes the Baptist church singers, Crossing Jordan. The Advance IV quartet performs at noon.

Saturday saw the festival’s beginning, as Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary presented a proclamation in honor of the Festival of the Hills to Dot Mayne, the event chair.

Each welcomed visitors, guests and exhibitors to the day’s events, promising fun and something to see for the whole family. The Boy Scouts followed them with a pledge to the flag and young singer Emily Fitzpatrick wowed the audience with a rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."

Visitors to this year’s festival enjoyed looking at crafts from Tri-State candlemakers, basket weavers and others. Also featured were lye soap making, barrell making, the historical Conestoga wagon, Phillips Funeral Home’s horse-drawn hearse, OUSC’s Mr. Wizard science demonstration, Frank McCown’s collection of Civil War history, musicians, potters, ostrich burgers, beans and cornbread, and many more activities.

Today’s events include: the church service, performances by Wiley Dew, Emily Fitzpatrick and the Porter Creek Cloggers, as well as pony rides and trolley rides.

Schedule

– 11 a.m., Appalachian Church Service.

– Noon, Advance IV quartet, on stage outside.

– 12:30 p.m., Emily Fitzpatrick, on stage outside.

– 1 p.m., Wiley Dew, on stage outside.

– 2:15 p.m., Emily Fitzpatrick, on stage outside.

– 3 p.m., Crossing Jordan, Baptist gospel quartet on stage outside.

– 3:30 p.m., Porter Creek Cloggers, outside.

– Free Pony Rides: Today, 1-3:30 p.m., for children 12 and under.

– Trolley Rides: $1, Today, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.