The statewide 2^nd Saturdays program, sponsored by the NC Department of Cultural Resources and NC Historic Sites, kicked off on Saturday, June 12 at the 37 museums and historic sites across NC. The first 2^nd Saturdays theme for Historic Halifax and our other Halifax County attractions that participated was Heritage Crafts, crafts created to meet people’s needs before a time of modern manufacturing.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Historic Halifax, there were demonstrations and items for sale by area artists including blacksmithing, wood turning, pottery, genealogy, painting, chair caning, quilting and crocheting. Also offered were tours of the historic buildings, delicious food and a soccer clinic for children.

The Tillery Community also had a nice representation of local crafters with quilts, crochet items, woodworking, wreaths, flower arrangements, jewelry, and homemade baked goods. The Tillery History House was also open for tours. Sylvan Heights and Medoc Mountain State Park each offered a special program at 2 p.m. Visitors could see example of the heritage craft of stone cutting at the Roanoke Canal Museum.

Mark your calendars now for the next two 2^nd Saturdays programs here in Halifax County for some free family fun -  July 10: Digging into the Past and August 14: Market Fair. Go to www.visithalifax.com for local 2^nd Saturdays information or www.ncculture.com for statewide program information.