EAST PRAIRIE - Demonstrations of traditional skills, music and reenactors will bring history to life Saturday for the 13th annual Living History Day.
The five-hour event, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and hosted by Big Oak Tree State Park, takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will provide shuttle service throughout the day delivering visitors to the main area of the park and returning visitors to their parked vehicles.
Shuttles, parking and admission are all free.
Skilled artisans from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois are scheduled to participate in the event featuring traditional skills such as basket weaving, blacksmithing, black-powder gunsmithing, broom making, crocheting, English smocking, felting, flintknapping, hand-rolled beeswax candlemaking, knitting, quilting, spinning, tatting, woodcarving and more.
Several types of weaving will be shown including a triangle loom, four-harness loom and weaving on a wagon wheel.
There will also be a herbalist, homemade musical instruments, reproduction ornamental frames and prints, and Shaker boxes and furniture.
Many of the artisans will sell their handcrafted items.
A variety of musical entertainment is scheduled throughout the day including Bluegrass music by Buzzard Run from 10 to 11 a.m. and the Soggy Mountain Gang from 11 a.m. to noon.
The Shade Tree Folk will play and sing traditional folk music of early Missouri throughout the day as well.
Among musical instruments to be featured at the event are the hammered dulcimer, harmonica, homemade banjo, keyboard and fiddle.
The public is invited to bring an instrument of their own and join in the Jam Session scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.
Reenactors will portray military camp life, displaying period equipment and talking about the life of a soldier during the Civil War.
The East Prairie Retired Senior Volunteer Program will assist parents with a children's area where children of all ages can wash on a washboard and churn butter. There will also be wooden toys displays and additional historical items for children to see and touch.
Food and beverages will also be available.
The James Bayou Cookers will serve fried catfish and chicken with all the trimmings for $7 per plate beginning at 11 a.m.
Other concessions will include Polish sausage and hamburgers by the East Prairie High School Senior Class; nachos and cheese by the East Prairie High School Student Council; desserts by the East Prairie Youth for Community Betterment; funnel cakes by Amy's Delights; and apple slices with caramel and Manley's Kettle Korn by the East Prairie High School Freshman Class.
For more information call the park office at 573-649-3149, DNR toll-free at 800-334-6946, or 800-379-2419 for telecommunications for the deaf.