The 45th annual Hay Creek Festival at Joanna Furnace, which allows visitors to experience what life would have been like in a 19th-century iron-making community, will be presented by the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (HCVHA) from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 10 to 12. The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and will feature early American crafts, living history presentations, children's hands-on activities, homemade foods, a display of antique cars and tractors and more.

Because of the pandemic, a mini-Fall Festival was held in 2020 and this year's event will be modified as well. "We are offering a scaled-back rendition of the festival," explained Mark Zerr, HCVHA executive director. "We understand there is a worldwide pandemic going on and there are people who are still very concerned with the virus. Because of that, we do not have quite as many vendors and exhibits, and unfortunately, we were unable to invite community groups to participate like we did in the past." Masks will be optional during the festival, but visitors should maintain social distancing.

This year's event will feature three new attractions.

For the first time, visitors will be able to see HCVHA's latest restoration project - the Joanna Furnace Wheelwright Shop. The restoration project began in 2019 and was completed this spring.

Throughout the weekend, committee members from HCVHA's newly acquired Tri-County Heritage Library will exhibit various artifacts and displays in the Mule Stable, including photos of Col. Jacob Morgan's home and items from Grace Mines.

In addition to the Civil War encampment, there will be a new World War II encampment this year.

The early American crafts area will include domestic and village industry demonstrations of skills such as open fire cooking and food preservation. There will also be bake oven demonstrations, and samples of early American foods made in the oven will be available.

This year's Creekside Crafts Market will offer items such as redware pottery, ceramics, doll clothing, soaps and lotions, jewelry, woodcrafts, antiques and home decor. In the mechanical technology area, visitors will see an assortment of early gas and steam engines, models, antique cars and tractors and sawmill and threshing demonstrations.

There will be children's activities throughout the weekend, including archaeological "digs," candle making and papermaking, early American games and Civil War marching. Children may pick up a chores list at the festival gate. Upon completion of a variety of tasks, children will receive a free wagon ride.

Food items will include chicken potpie, Mabel's open-fire cooked soups, homemade corn pie and shepherd's pie. Freshly pressed apple cider will be made daily in the Joanna Furnace cider mill. Many of the festival foods will be available to purchase to take home.

Joanna Furnace is located at 1250 Furnace Road, Geigertown, off Route 10, just outside Morgantown. For more information, visit http://www.haycreek.org or search for "45th Annual Hay Creek Festival" on Facebook.