Spring Fling returns April 25

In addition to tunes, cloggers and crafts – Graves Mountain Lodge’s annual Spring Fling festival will keep curious children captivated.

The rain or shine two-day event – set for 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. this coming Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26 – will feature additional, more extensive tours of the Syria resort’s farm this year, according to Farm Manager Lynn Graves.

Past festivals have typically included hayrides shuffling children over to the farm for “self-guided” tours, he said. But in an effort to “entice” more visitors to the 2009 festival – which thousands typically attend – Graves will be offering a variety of guided, hands-on farm tours, which are usually offered to area students and other youth groups.

“The main thing is to get them over to the farm,” Graves told The Eagle. Tours will offer opportunities for children to meet various farm animals as well as candle developing chicken eggs to view growing embryos and then search for frog and insect eggs in a nearby pond. Participants can also view an “observation” beehive and learn about pollination’s role in the farm’s apple and peach orchards.

The tours will start at 11 a.m. on the following schedule:

*11 a.m. barnyard tour.

*11:30 a.m. “egg-citement” tour.

*1 p.m. pollination tour.

*1:30 p.m. Virginia garden tour.

*2 p.m. barnyard tour.

*2:30 p.m. “egg-citement” tour.

As always the festival will also feature all-day bluegrass band performances but with two Virginia-based bands that will be performing at the Syria resort for the first time, according to Graves.

On Saturday, April 25, Lawson Creek Grass band of Alton will perform 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and the Happy Feet Cloggers will follow from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The next day, Loose Gravel band from the Harrisonburg-area will play from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with the Hi Horse Cloggers coming on at 3:30-4:30 p.m.

There will also be more than 50 arts and crafts vendors throughout the weekend festival, as well as rainbow trout, hamburgers, hot dogs and other food items for sale.

Both admission and parking to the event is free. For information, contact Graves Mountain Lodge by calling (540) 923-4231 or visit its Web site at www.gravesmountain.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Graves Mountain Lodge Spring Fling.

When: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26.

Where: Route 670 in Syria.

Info: Call (540) 923-4231.