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(A gallery of photos follows the story below. Photos courtesy of The Franklin Experience Inc.)

The sights, sounds, and skills of the forestry industry during the 19th century will come alive in downtown Franklin on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the fourth annual Lumberjack Festevent.

This festevent, sponsored by the non-profit The Franklin Experience (TFE), promises fun and excitement for the entire family.  

A TFE news release noted that being featured in this year’s festevent are the following:

• Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show

This is old-fashioned fun for the whole family. Expect to see great entertainment as these lumberjacks demonstrate log rolling, underhand chopping, standing block chopping, axe throwing, to name a few events the audience will enjoy watching. This has become quite the crowd pleaser. 

• Virginia Lumberjack Championship Competition

Semi-professional lumberjacks and lumberjills will be on-site for a second year. Scooter Cogar, champion lumberjack, will be running this competition. These men and women will go head-to-head using razor sharp axes and high-powered chainsaws in six thrilling disciplines.  

Good technique is a critical component to winning in this extreme sport, which includes the underhand chop, stock saw, standing block chop, single buck, springboard chop and hot saw.  Every discipline demonstrates how lumberjacks worked in the woods a century ago.  

There will be 23 competitors from across the U.S. participating in this year’s competition. Three women competing are world record-holders in their specific skill.

• Chainsaw Carver, Woody Hedgpeth 

Woody Hedgpeth, the festevent’s first chainsaw carver in 2022, started chainsaw carving in 2015 and was instantly hooked. Woody’s carvings will astound the audience as he creates unique carvings throughout the day. He may even take requests. These on-site creations, as well as others Woody will bring, will be available for purchase at the show.

• Tomahawk Toss

Returning with their axe-throwing trailer is Tomahawk Toss. The coaches, all World Axe Throwing League (WATL)-qualified, will be available to teach novices the skill of safely throwing an axe. This is a pay to play/throw activity. Everyone must sign a waiver, and those younger than 18 must have an adult with them. This year the Tomahawk Toss has added an axe-throwing setup for children. This is a must-do activity at the Lumberjack Festevent.

• Local Chainsaw Competition

In addition to the semi-professional competitions, this year Shawn Fulks and Greg Helton, from Forestry Mutual, and Chris Huff, with TimberRisk Agency, will be running and judging a local chainsaw competition. Locals will be able to show their prowess as they compete in the horizontal and vertical bore stations. The top six will then move on to compete in the precision notch and hinged time event. Interested individuals may register at the Lumberjack Festevent.  The event will begin at noon. 

• BugFest

A new event, the BugFest, is coming to the Lumberjack Festevent sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. Join the extension agencies for a fun-filled day of STEM activities for all ages at the Southeast Virginia Hokie BugFest. Explore fascinating insect specimens and craft bug-inspired creations while learning about the amazing bugs of Southeast Virginia from various exhibitors.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

There are a multitude of other activities on tap for the Lumberjack Festevent this year. There will be a tent featuring authentic pictures of loggers and logging. Several people will be on-site to talk about the history of Franklin and the surrounding area and the impact the lumber industry had on the development of the region.  

ARTISANS

The day also features many artisans displaying their skills, many, but not all, involving wood in some form. They include the following:

• Tidewater Turners, a club made up of more than 100 hobbyist and professional woodturners, will demonstrate their art of wood turning. Members will display a variety of turned objects including bowls, platters, pens, vases and Christmas ornaments, all turned in local and exotic woods. Turners will conduct public demonstrations and answer questions. All objects will be available for sale.   
• Decoys By DLJ has beautifully carved ducks and shore birds for sale.
• Great Dismal Swamp National Refuge offers educational and instructional information as well as interactive activities.
• Lowe’s will be having their kids’ projects on hand; young ones can stop by and make creations of their own.
• Francis Fabrication has hardwood cutting boards, serving trays and wine cork hot plate trivets.
• Houses by Tom has some beautiful handmade birdhouses that would brighten up any yard; perfect for bird lovers.
• Hammered by Jen shows Jen’s extreme talent with unique handmade string art.
• Blacksmith demonstrations of this old-time skill will be held.
• David Bland will engage in carving stellar small wooden figures.
• Boyd’s Welding Service brings an eclectic mix of amazing metal art pieces, which make for excellent decorations in a home, a beach house, a man cave, etc. 
• Lisa’s Beading & Jewelry provides a wide variety of jewelry.
• Eruption Glass Workz will give a look into glass-blowing skills.
• KDBugs displays some unusually unique images on seashells.
• Dwelling Place Designs will sell handmade polymer clay earrings.
• Unmistakably Art provides art time for kids and adults.
• Wild M Creations has exquisite glass items and jewelry.
• Choot’em Up brings marshmallow shooters for the young and old.

FOOD VENDORS

Food vendors present at the festevent will include the following:

• Project Lighthouse brings their famous smoothies along with some delicious sandwiches.
• Pop’s Kettle Treats has a marvelous array of funnel cakes, along with lemonades and more.
• Robinson Grill cooks up some tasty wings, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and whiting fish sandwiches.
• The Graceful Baker will serve some delicious desserts. 
• The Sippin’ Spot serves hand-crafted flavored sodas, teas and energy drinks.
• See Food and Eat It delivers lobster rolls, fried oysters and fries.

Of course, there are a number of local restaurants that will welcome visitors as well.

COLOSSAL CORNHOLE BOARD

The Colossal Cornhole Board challenges participants to launch the bean bag with a slingshot more than 60 feet into the hole. Countryside Exteriors has built the colossal 12-by-27-foot cornhole board again this year.  CE has also built a youth-size cornhole board for younger players. The Colossal Cornhole Board is a unique cornhole experience that is worth trying; it is quite the challenge.

OLD CART CRITTERS

For the younger children, Old Cart Critters petting zoo will be on-site with some cuddly, fluffy and furry animals for kids to enjoy.

DUCK RACE

There will be a Duck Race experience that requires the little ones to use an old-timey pump to pump the water and the rubber ducks through extended pipes down and back to the beginning. Each participant gets to take home their race ducks.  

DIAPER DERBY

The Lumberjack Festevent has some fun competitions associated with it, and not to be outdone, the youngest like to get into that action, as well.  At 11 a.m. the Diaper Derby will begin. Parents, aided by cellphones, toys and sweets, try to lure their crawling babies from one side of the “track” to the other. First- and second-place winners receive a prize. Mackans Office Supply has donated shirts for each participant. There is a registration fee. Be sure to register by 10:30 a.m. the day of the event.  Registration runs from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Some of the Lumberjack Festevent’s sponsors include Walters Outdoor Power Equipment, International Paper, Bank of Southside Virginia, Bronco Federal Credit Union, the city of Franklin, M&M Milling, Pinecrest Timber, Sheet Metal Products, Burgess & Co., Forestry Mutual, Sheet Metal Products, and Countryside Exteriors.

“So why come out to the Lumberjack Festevent May 3rd?” The Franklin Experience officials stated. “This will be a day of family fun with a variety of entertainment, lumber historical information, a BugFest, vendors offering unique items for purchase, vendors who put on demonstrations, and activities for kids of all ages. We look forward to seeing you in downtown Franklin by the Blackwater River.”

There are separate entry fee rates for adults and for children grades K-12. Wristbands will allow attendees to come and go as they like all day long.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TFE.INC or send an email to franklinexpress2018@gmail.com.