To Market, to Market: It’s Time for the 18th Century Market Fair!

Come one, come all, to Market Fair! This weekend, October 24-25, Locust Grove will come alive with the sounds of chatting and bargaining, the smells of woodsmoke and gunpowder, and all the sights you would expect from a Market Fair set in the 1780s. Visitors will be able to converse with men, women, and children about life during the final years of the War for Independence, tour the house, view mock battles and perhaps join in a militia drill or two, learn songs and games from the period, and of course, shop at all the booths and tents that will spring up on the grounds! Over 25 vendors will be selling their period wares, from pottery to spoons to bread to bonnets. And once again, our property is divided between the Americans and the British, so be sure to take a tour of both camps to see and hear both sides of the story.

Market Fairs seem special to us, but they were commonplace in Colonial America. Markets held in town squares or other designated marketplaces allowed far-flung members of the community to come into nascent towns to buy, sell, and trade goods and gossip. In fact, in 1706, the General Assembly of Virginia passed “An act for establishing ports and towns”, and in this act, designated that these towns would have a market twice a week and a fair at least once a year. Later acts gave the governor the power to establish markets, and market days became a time for court sessions, auctions, militia drills, all sorts of entertainments, and much more. Markets helped communities to grow and towns to be more firmly established, with permanent stores and other trappings of civilization.

 

 

Here at Locust Grove, we treat our Market Fair in much the same way. Our community has grown a great deal since the founding of Louisville in 1778, and we enjoy this time to catch up with our neighbors and friends. We also like the chance to check in on the 18th century, and immerse ourselves in the daily activities on the friends who have gone before us. Like Market Fairs of old, we have something for everyone, from the antics of the Amazing Budabi Brothers and the sea chanteys of Jack Salt and the Captain’s Daughter to the wares of Crown Pointe Bread Company, Bee Tree Pottery, and Flying Heart Millinery to simply spending time on the 55 beautiful acres that make up Locust Grove today. Market Fair is a rain or shine event, and there is plenty to do under cover even if we have some showers! We certainly hope you’ll be one of the friendly faces to join in the fun!

The full schedule for both days  is printed below, and you can check out the weekend’s proceedings by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also use the hashtag #GRCMarketFair to share your pictures and stories of the day! Please look for me, your cheerful neighborhood blogger, during your visit–I’ll be the one trying to take pictures of everyone with our cardboard cutout of George Rogers Clark! I’d certainly love to see you!

Schedule of Events for the
18th Century Market Fair

Schedule for Saturday, October 24^th

10:30-10:50 Morning Parade of the Military

11:00-11:30   Artillery Demonstration

11:30-12:00 Military Fashion Show (Auditorium)

11:30-12:00 Flax demonstration

12:30-1:00   Jack Salt & the Captain’s Daughter musical performance

12:30-1:00   Tour of the Military Camps: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp; meet at wood shop for the British Camp

12:30- 1:00 Riot in the Market

1:00-2:00   Undressing the Historical Lady with Maggie Waterman (Auditorium)

1:00-2:00 Jon Hagee, 18^th Century Balladeer (Porch of the Historic Home)

1:00-1:30     Tour of the Military Camp: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp; meet at wood shop for the British Camp

1:30-2:00     Tour of the Military Camp: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp; meet at wood shop for the British Camp

1:30-2:00    Jack Salt & the Captain’s Daughter musical performance

2:00-2:45     Military Recruitment

3:00-3:45     Battle between Colonial and British Forces in the field

4:15-4:30     Military Retreat

Victuals:

His Lordship’s Beef –Caterers of Fine Victuals

Crown Pointe Bread Co. – Artisanal cheese, bread and baked goods

Hellringer and Kurtz Kaffee Haus– Coffee, Hot Tea, Hot Chocolate, and Hot Mulled Cider

Locust Grove Food Shop – Familiar Food and Hot Beverages

Other Entertainment on the Grounds:

The Amazing Budabi Brothers – Jugglers Extraordinaire!

Lisette LeFoux– Learn your fortune from the tarot card reader

The Rat Catcher– Ensuring the grounds are free of rodents

Jack Salt – Traditional sea songs and chanteys
The Doctor Is In – Visit an 18th Century doctor in the Residence

Maggie Delaney– Indentured servant

Doug Roush– 18^th Century Penman and Handwriting Expert

Colonial Balladeer – 18th Century Ballads & Pub Songs

18^th Century Pony Cart

Schedule for Sunday, October 25^th

11:00-11:20     Morning Parade of the Military

11:30-12:00   Jack Salt & the Captain’s Daughter musical performance

11:30-12:00 Military Fashion Show (Auditorium)

12:00-12:30  Artillery Demonstration

12:30-1:30 Jon Hagee, 18^th Century Balladeer (Porch of the Historic Home)

12:30-1:00     Tour of the Military Camp: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp;  meet at wood shop for the British Camp

1:00-1:30     Undressing the Historical Lady with Maggie Waterman (Auditorium)

1:00-1:30     Tour of the Military Camp: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp;meet at wood shop for the British Camp

1:00-1:30 Riot in the Market

1:30-2:00     Tour of the Military Camp: meet at the log cabin by the stone wall for the American Camp;  meet at wood shop for the British Camp

1:30-2:00   Jack Salt & the Captain’s Daughter musical performance

1:30-2:30   Military Recruitment

2:00-3:00 Music by the Drewry Family, Don and Esther Drewry: 18^th Century

Instrumental Music (Porch of the Historic Home)

3:00-3:45 Battle between Colonial and British Forces in the field

3:45-4:00   Military Retreat

Victuals:

His Lordship’s Beef – Caterers of Fine Victuals

Crown Pointe Bread Co. – Artisanal cheese, bread and baked goods
Hellringer and Kurtz Kaffee Haus- Coffee, Hot Tea, Hot Chocolate, and Hot Mulled Cider

Locust Grove Food Shop – Familiar Food and Hot Beverages

Other Entertainment on the Grounds:

The Amazing Budabi Brothers – Jugglers Extraordinaire!

Lisette LeFoux– Learn your fortune from the tarot card reader

The Rat Catcher– Ensuring the grounds are free of rodents

Jack Salt – Traditional sea songs and chanteys
The Doctor Is In – Visit an 18th Century doctor in the Residence

Maggie Delaney– Indentured servant

Doug Roush– 18^th Century Penman and Handwriting Expert

Colonial Balladeer – 18th Century Ballads & Pub Songs

18^th Century Pony Cart

Oh, what fun we’ll have!

Yours, with a Huzzah!

Hannah

P.S. To receive updates on all the goings-on at Locust Grove, why not join our e-mailing list? Sign-up HERE to receive monthly updates! Or if you foresee numerous visits to Locust Grove in your future, why not become a member? Friends of Locust Grove receive free admission, invitations to members-only events, a 10% discount in the Museum Store, a copy of our quarterly newsletter, The Grove Gazette and much, much more! More information can be found HERE.You can also follow Locust Grove on the web by subscribing to the blog on the right!