Bicentennial’s Pioneer Day approaches

In a little over a week, Sloss Lake will be filled with pioneer-themed games, historical actors and period artisans displaying their handiwork for the Bicentennial Pioneer Day May 12.

Pioneer Day is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the east side of Sloss Lake.

Guests and participants are being asked to park in the lot across from the park. There will be buses transporting people across the highway to the event. Walking across the highway is prohibited, and law enforcement will be enforcing a reduced speed limit surrounding the area for the safety of the participants.

Some of the special displays at the event will include weaving, a spinning wheel, tatting, crocheting, knitting, broom making, goat milk soap, candle making, lye soap, pioneer aprons and bonnets, piecing quilts, heirloom quilts, basket weaving, chair caning, log cabin construction, pottery, pine straw baskets, handkerchief dolls, dough bowls, jellies and jams, cracklins, honeybees, primitive furniture, portable sawmill, grist mill, gun making, flint knapping, moonshine still, trapping, shingle making, corn shelling, log sawing, blacksmith, corn husk dolls, arrowheads, historical hats and walking sticks.

Historical games will be available for children to play, like sack races, wheel and click, dominoes, checkers, jump rope, tom walkers and washer toss.

Actors will portray Maj. William Russell, Gen. Andrew Jackson, surveyor Hugh Young, frontiersman and soldier Sam Dale, Chief Levi Colbert and a War of 1812 soldier.

In addition, there will be a Confederate camp, a frontier camp with muskets and tomahawks, a Civil War historian, a dulcimer group, Sacred Harp Singers, Native Americans from the Chickasaw Nation and the Choctaw Nation, a presentation about area slaves in pioneer days, a pioneer cook room, a pioneer clothes-washing room and displays of a variety of wagons, buggies and antique tools.

Taking pictures of the artisans, actors and all participants is permitted and welcomed. Children can have their pictures taken in Civil War and Native American apparel.

Participants are encouraged to dress in pioneer-style clothing. For women, that means bonnets and aprons with old-timey dresses. For men, that can include jeans or overalls and straw hats. Volunteers will be identifiable by red ribbons on their clothing that day.

Food and drink vendors will be present throughout the event for those who would like to eat and drink while enjoying the festivities.

Most of the areas are handicap-accessible.