CRAFT DEMONSTRATIONS TO BE FEATURED AT BLACK FOREST

NEW HANOVER -- The Black Forest, home of two early American villages, will be the site of a working crafts festival Oct. 12 and 13.

The Black Forest, located three miles north of Cape Girardeau on County Road 638, is home to New Hanover and Arnsberg. It has been opened to the public only twice in the past seven years.

The villages will take visitors back in time, to general stores, firehouses, saloons and blacksmith shops, covered bridges and train depots.

Greg Macke, manager of the Black Forest, said a similar working crafts festival in April drew more than 3,000 people.

Macke said many craft-making techniques will be demonstrated, including flintknapping (fashioning arrowheads and stone tools using native American techniques), basket weaving, leather tooling, quilting, apple butter cooking, dollmaking and blacksmithing. Camel rides will also be available, he said.

Admission to the festival is $1 for adults and free for children under 12.