The Denton County Historical Commission Presents:
Denton County Heritage Festival
Saturday, April 12, 2014 -- 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
At the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square
Denton County has a rich history that is loved by its citizens. The Denton County Historical Commission will present part of that history this Saturday during the Denton County Hertiage Festival, commemorating the history of eras past. This year the commission is remembering the 1861-1877.
The event will feature re-enactors bringing to life Denton County officials of the era, Civil War soldiers (both Union and Confederate), cowboys who played a significant role in the era, and singers and musicians who will perform songs and music of the period.
The event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. sharp with a welcome from County Judge Mary Horn, followed by a concert featuring music and songs of the era by the Denton Community Band, the a cappella singing group Vocal Magic, and the bluegrass music of the Montague County Volunteers.
Some downtown stores will even commemorate the period with window displays representing the businesses that were in that location during the era. Stroll the square and see what used to be there so many years ago.
Other events include activities on the lawn from 10:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with children and adults having fun hearing storytellers recount tales from the past; visiting Union and Confederate camps; and enjoying the wares presented by the Denton Community Market.
During those same hours, the historic Courthouse on the Square will be open to the public. Inside, visitors can see the exhibits in the Courthouse Museum and, in the halls of the Courthouse, peruse the historic exhibits from area communities that existed during the years 1861-1877.
At 1:00 p.m. the action moves indoors, to the historic Commissioners Courtroom, for a Mini-Chautauqua featuring Stephen Foster songs sung by mezzo-soprano Jennifer Lane, accompanied by harpist Ellen Ritscher Sackett, and more storytellers.
According to Festival Co-Chair Deborah Boone, the Denton County Heritage Festival will be an annual event, focusing each year on a different era of the county’s past: “We want to keep our citizens aware of the history of Denton County, to remember the men, women, and children who came before us, the circumstances in which they lived, and the effects that their lives had on our county. Many of those effects reverberate even to the present day. If we don’t know our past and learn from it, we can never really understand our present and live wisely in it.”
The event is sponsored by the Denton County Historical Commission and numerous partners. For more information on this event, please visit their Facebook page at ww.facebook.com/DentonCountyHeritageFestival.
Come check out downtown Denton - always something happening!