Published: June 14, 2009 12:07 am      

History comes to life

Heritage Days a joy for festivalgoers, vendors alike

CUMBERLAND — The city streets were filled Saturday with babies in strollers, teenagers on cell phones, dogs on leashes and Civil War re-enactors as history came alive and melded with present day during the 41st annual Heritage Days Festival.

“I’ve been coming to Heritage Days for as long as I can remember,” Monica Savage said as she and her two children, Ben and Rebecca, sat in the shade listening to Frankfort Middle School’s Teal Steel drum band and enjoying funnel cakes. “It’s a tradition for me and something I look forward to at the beginning of every summer. And it’s something that we all really enjoy.”

Both Ben, 12, and Rebecca, 10, enjoy the food, music and Tri-State Zoo while Savage looks forward to looking at the crafts.

“I shop the first day and will come back and buy the next,” she said.

Martha Poling also looks forward to all of the craft vendors, though she will be doing her shopping and buying in the same day.

“Heritage Days is something we enjoy every year,” Poling said as she and her husband John sat in the shade eating ice cream. “I love coming and seeing the different crafts, what’s new at the festival and seeing all of the people. It’s a great social event and I think people need to get out and take part in it, they need to support what Cumberland provides.”

But the patrons of Heritage Days aren’t the only ones who look forward to the festival. The vendors also enjoy themselves, though they are “working” through the day.

And the members of the Kiwanis Club of Cumberland are examples of food vendors who anticipate the festival each year.

“This is actually a fellowship event for us,” said John McCormick, smiling as he poured funnel cake batter into hot oil. “It’s good for us, we’re all here working together. But we also have a lot of fun, so we call it work but it really isn’t.”

And with a steady line of customers, the club’s funnel cakes have become a staple of Heritage Days and a favorite to the festivalgoers.

Heritage Days will continue Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with entertainment from Rick Krauss, the Potomac Concert Band, Acousticats, Take Two and Johnny Moore & Tom Skidmore. The local vendors will also be returning with their tables of blankets, jewelry, plants and crafts.

Tess Hill can be reached at thill@times-news.com.