Westside Historical Society 21st Annual Heritage Festival

The Westside Historical Society would like to inform you of their 21st Annual Heritage Festival, to be held on Saturday May 9, 2009, at the Recreation Park on Station St, in Mardela Springs, Maryland. This has become a popular family event celebrating the history and cultural heritage of the area, which has grown up around the Nanticoke River. This is a family affair, with great traditional food including oysters fritter, BBQ chicken, scrapple sandwiches and other good food, fun things for the kids and interesting things for the adults. Bring your lawn chairs and stay the day under the shade trees. The day starts with a small parade and finishes in the late afternoon with an antique tractor pull in recognition of the importance that agriculture has always played in the lives of people in the area. There is no admission fees or parking fees to this enjoyable event.

Each year the festival features a theme related to some aspect of the life in the region. This year the theme is related to Agriculture; being it is such an important part of the Eastern Shore. The festival will begin at 9:15 am with a parade of antique tractors, cars, trucks, children’s entries, the Mardela Middle School Band, and other organizations.

Sillie Willie the Clown will be strolling the grounds all day. Several local musical groups will be entertaining during the day. Gerald Lyons & Friends from Mardela Springs, and Tom Sawyer are in the line up. Local Indians will be displaying and demonstrating their heritage, in the past they have danced and invited festival attendees to participate. We have a K-9 demonstration by the Wicomico County Deputies around 12 noon, which is always very interesting. Horse ride with Susie the dog will be returning.
There will be a homemade cake raffle and a bake table. We will also have a Longaberger basket raffle, 50/50 raffle, and a silent auction. There will be tractor and wagon rides around the town. The Barren Creek Museum located on Main St. will be open. It is a short block away, not to far, you can take the tram or you can walk.
Each year we have a program book associated with the theme of the festival and guide to the day’s event. Be sure to pick up your FREE COPY at the information tent located on Station St. across from the food wagon and support those businesses and organizations that have purchased an ad.

The day ends with a tractor pull of antique tractors. Anyone can enter their tractor(s) as long as it meets the requirements. Registration and weigh-in begins around 11 am. We reserve parking areas for pullers near the track. The pull actually begins around 12:30 pm.

We hope you will join us for this event on Saturday May 9.