History and wildlife will both be celebrated at the Nature and Heritage Festival set for Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 at the Kings Mountain National Military Park (KMNMP).
"We want to show folks that there is more to the park than just the battlefield," says Leah Taber, a ranger at KMNMP. "We have 3,945 acres of woodland here, and we want to highlight both our cultural and natural resources."
The main activities for the festival are planned from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the area right around the visitor center.
Festival activities will include:
An 18th-century militia muster, featuring the Backcountry Militia, weapons demonstrations, trades and crafts demonstrations, colonial cooking demonstrations, and more (located in the encampment area);
A make-your-own crafts area featuring nature-themed crafts and hands-on activities (front lawn);
An outdoor skills area featuring Recreation Equipment Inc., the Carolina Orienteering Klubb, the Catawba Master Naturalists, the South Carolina Native Plant Society, and the Anne Spring Close Greenway, which will introduce visitors to survival, map reading and compass skills, and will feature guided nature walks (front lawn, encampment area, and trails);
• A wildlife viewing area and wildlife programs featuring the Carolina Raptor Center bird exhibit (10 a.m. - noon) and the South Carolina Herpetological Society (front lawn);
• History talks;
• A vendor area highlighting area attractions and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors (front lawn).
Later in the evening, from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m., the park will host "Nocturnal Notions in Your National Park," which will include night sky crafts and activities and night sky viewing with the Carolina Skygazers (front lawn).
Kings Mountain National Military Park is administered by the National Park Service. The park is located on SC Hwy. 216, four miles off of Interstate 85. For details about the festival, contact the park at 864-936-7921, visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/kimo, or search for "Kings Mountain National Military Park" on Facebook.

By April Hoyle Shauf, Special to Community First Media