By Zach Offenberger
Heritage Farm Museum and Village, West Virginia’s first and only Smithsonian affiliate museum, is ramping up its family programming for 2019.
The Huntington, WV, museum—modeled after a 19th century Appalachian village—is a family-oriented destination that showcases the tools and handiwork of the past. Although the atmosphere, which features things such as log buildings and an on-site traditional blacksmith, hearkens back to yesteryear, there is a strong emphasis of learning from the ingenuity and resilience of past generations to face future challenges for Appalachia. In addition to an extensive collection of museums and artisans on-site, there is a sizable petting zoo, wagon rides, a children’s museum where kids can try their hand at farm chores, a maker space and many other family-centric activities.
With the expansion of programming, Audy Perry, Heritage Farm’s director and son of the original founders, wants Heritage Farm to be somewhere families can feel good about visiting year-round. The extension of the popular Way Back Weekends—where the village is open to walk through festival-style—into the winter months is one way Perry hopes to make Heritage Farm more consistently engaging for all visitors.
“We know families still need somewhere to go in the winter,” he says. “We’re hoping these Saturdays are a valuable added opportunity for them to experience and learn in a fun and exciting way.”
The winter Saturdays for 2019 are set to happen on January 19, February 16 and March 16, but Heritage Farm is not just increasing activities throughout the calendar year—it is also making the farm’s experience available during nontraditional hours. This summer the farm will be hosting Family Fun Nights, an idea that came about as a way to reach out to visitors who can’t make it during Heritage Farm’s normal hours.
“We know it can be hard for entire families to visit the farm together when one or both parents work during the day,” says Perry. “These new evening hours should open up new opportunities for people to experience Heritage Farm.”
Family Fun Nights will be held June 10, July 15 and August 12. Other mainstays, including the Way Back Weekends, $5 Kids Days—Wednesdays throughout the summer—and seasonal festivals are all returning for another year as well. The Spring Festival on May 4 will be the 23rd annual event of its kind and was originally the only day Heritage Farm was open during the year. A big draw of the event and the four festivals in general is that many buildings that aren’t open very many times a year are available to the public to visit at their own pace.
The Summer Festival on July 6 is a celebration of America, as well as the venue for Heritage Farm’s quintessentially American ice cream social. The Fall Festival is set to once again play host to the Mountain Games, a sort of highlander games for Appalachia. The Mountain Games are open to the public and feature themed competitive events such as coal shoveling and tomahawk throwing.
Rounding out the year is the Christmas Village, a Yuletide extravaganza that features a lighted village, live nativity, visits with Santa and many more holiday-themed activities for all ages. The event will be held the first two weeks in December on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Those perusing the calendar might notice that certain dates are indicated as private events. With the development of a new membership program at Heritage Farm, one of the perks given to those who contribute toward a membership is the ability to attend certain exclusive events at Heritage Farm. These include a special April preview evening and the first date of the Christmas Village on December 5. Other perks of different membership levels include free stays at one of the location’s log cabins and free attendance to all Heritage Farm events.
With new additions to the calendar and programming in 2019, Heritage Farm is bringing new experiences and reaching out to new visitors. For a place whose slogan encourages you to dream for the future, that seems quite appropriate.
About the Author
Zach Offenberger is the director of visitor services and communications for Heritage Farm. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from West Virginia University and his master’s degree in international relations from Collegium Civitas in Warsaw, Poland. He enjoys music, language and travel and is a self-proclaimed trivia buff.
