Ashe Mountain Times

Gini Mann is like many people in the High Country who believe tradition is a good thing.

Tradition returns to Ashe County and Mann's Todd General Store will be a popular spot when the 18th annual New River Festival comes to town Saturday.

“There's still a lot of visitors who want entertainment,” Mann said. “The New River Festival is an offering of entertaining music, arts and crafts, and fun. It's generally just a pleasant day.”

The signature event is organized and put on by the Todd Ruritan Club. Barry Stevens, one of the organizers, said proceeds will support community projects in Todd, which include scholarship assistance to college-bound students and aid for needy families.

“We'll have probably two to three thousand people,” Stevens said. “They start coming in about 9 in the morning.”

One of the highlights to the day is a recent annual addition.

“We'll present the key to Todd again this year,” Stevens said. “It's something we've done for a local person who has lived in Todd for a long time. We want to honor them for being a loyal supporter of the Todd community.”

Todd was once a thriving hub of activity in Ashe County, some 80 to 100 years ago when the area was farmed for timber and the railroad made a turnaround there. The industry left in the 1930s, but many residents remained.

Today, there are churches and a few businesses along Railroad Grade Road, and a number of residences within a few miles — either as the crow flies or by road.

“With a town this small, any kind of festival is a good thing for businesses,” said Kelly McCoy of Rivergirl Fishing Company. “We'll set up a booth, and get some information out there. It's a chance to educate others about your business.”

Among other things, McCoy's business teaches fly fishing, offers guided tours and has rentals for kayaks and canoes.

For Emily Enzmann at Todd Mercantile and Bakery, it will be business as usual for a Saturday in October.

“We have about the same number of people for that time of year,” Enzmann said. “July and October are our two busiest months of the year. It's a nice event, a community-oriented event. Most of the vendors are locally-attached in some way.”

McCoy said the annual Doc Watson Concert (in August) and the New River Festival are easily the biggest events in town during the year. Each brings a large following.

She likes the aid the festival brings to the community.

“Anytime you're raising money to help someone out, that's good,” McCoy said. “These are some hard times for people to pay gas bills and things like that.”

“It's a wonderful event,” said Bob Mann of the Todd General Store. “We've had a lot of people do shows on our deck, and we've recommended they go down and sell their wares and it's worked out well.”

If you go …

 

WHAT: New River Festival.

WHERE: Todd.

WHEN: Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PARKING: $5, shuttles available.           

SEE: Music groups all day, arts and crafts, food, face painting, children's activities.

INFORMATION: http://www.toddruritan.com .