Demonstrations and hands-on activities that highlight traditional crafts and storytelling will offer visitors an immersive experience Saturday at Fort Hoskins History Day, organizers said.
The cultural heritage and history celebration, organized by the Benton County Community Development Department, will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the rural Benton County site. Admission is free.
The Crazed Weasel String Band and Truman Price will perform traditional tunes. Price will perform on fiddle at 1:30 p.m. and Crazed Weasel will play in the afternoon beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Storyteller Gordon Munro plans to share narratives from 10:30-11:15 a.m. that connect the past to the present. David Lewis will also have a presentation beginning at 12:15 p.m. on tribal histories of the Willamette Valley.
Skilled artisans will showcase their talents in willow basketry, lacemaking, needle felting, traditional woodworking, blacksmithing, wool spinning, dentalium beadwork and Native-style paper masks for families and children.
Also available will be tours of two historic homes on site — the Commander’s House and the Frantz-Dunn House. The Benton County Historical Society will be set up in the Commander’s House.
The Bear Stand will be selling fry bread and general snacks and drinks will also be available for purchase.
Those planning to attend can go online to read details on each activity and reserve a spot. The county has a history of Fort Hoskins available on its website.
To find Fort Hoskins, from Philomath head west out of town on Highway 20, take a right on Kings Valley Highway and a left on Hoskins Road. The entrance to the park is on the right side of the road (22953 Hoskins Road).