Outdoor festivals highlight medieval games, Mother Nature, arts and crafts

Celebrate Mother’s Day with a short trip to one of three outdoor festivals this weekend. Little Owl Festival at Audubon Acres and Mountain Arts & Craft Celebration at Cloudland Canyon State Park highlight the surrounding beauty of Mother Nature — not to mention the variety of crafts that will make a one- of- a- kind Mother’s Day gift.

A 90- minute drive to Harriman, Tenn., will take you to the Tennessee Medieval Faire, where live jousting matches take place three times a day. Yes, you read that right. Now that’s a Mother’s Day she’ll never forget!

LITTLE OWL FESTIVAL

› Where: Audubon Acres Sanctuary, 900 N. Sanctuary Road. ›

When: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 13. ›

Admission: $7 per person, $ 15 per carload, f ree f or Chattanooga Audubon Society members. › For more informa

tion: 423-892-1499. Nature’s beauty is on full display at Audubon Acres wildlife sanctuary, where migrating birds have arrived and wildflowers are in full bloom.

In addition to walking the trails, visitors can enjoy live music from 11:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., crafts and food vendors, storytelling, living history demonstrations and children’s activities.

At 4 p.m. there will be a birds of prey show. Other activities include a hike to the Ford of Youth to measure the water quality and see what’s in the water.

All proceeds benefit the Chattanooga Audubon Society’s preservation and education programs.

TENNESSEE MEDIEVAL FAIRE ›

Where: 550 Fiske Road, Harriman, Tenn. ›

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday- Sundays, May 13- 14 and 20- 21; Saturday-Monday, May 27-29.

› Admission: $17 ages 13 and older, $9 ages 5-12, free ages 4 and younger; additional beverage/game ticket fee. › For more informa

tion: 865-248-8414. How many medieval fairs can advertise “live jousting” and make good on that promise?

Tennessee Medieval Faire will when it opens Saturday, May 1 3, f or seven days of Renaissance romance.

There will be a king and queen reigning over the revelry that includes a Royal Joust put on by Hanlon- Lees Action Theater. The joust will take place three times each day — 11 a. m., 1 and 3 p. m. —with costumed s t eeds and knights in shining armor carrying authentic weaponry.

Between matches, pony and “unicorn” rides will be available for kids.

At 12:15 and 4 p.m. The Royal Players will act out the war game Warriors’ Chess. This is a chess game in which people play the chess pieces on the squares.

Aaron Bonk will bring his Fire Whip Sword Show to the faire the weekend of May 27-29. He performs daring acts that require extraordinary skill since he works with machetes, whips, axes and fire.

There will be acrobats, craft and food vendors and strolling minstrels. Punch, star of the Punch and Judy Puppet Show, will celebrate his 355th birthday on May 14 at the faire. MOUNTAIN ART & CRAFT CELEBRATION

› Where: Cloudland Canyon State Park, 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, Ga.

› When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday- Sunday, May 13-14.

› Admission: $5 adults, $2 children ages 2-12, $5 parking per vehicle. › For more informa

tion: 706-657-4050. Presented by Friends of Cloudland Canyon State Park as a fundraiser for the park, this arts and crafts show features 100 exhibitors of handmade work, food vendors and musical entertainment.

PHOTO BY DIANE BLANKENBAKER Demonstrations of pioneer skills inside Spring Frog cabin are part of the Little Owl Festival in Audubon Acres.