Pioneer historians, Christmas vendors rule weekend festivals in the region

Walker Farm Pioneer Days, Chattanooga Audubon Society’s step back in time for elementary-age children and their families, continues through Saturday at the 130-acre nature sanctuary in East Brainerd.

Tickets are sold out for Friday, but about 100 openings remain for the final day, said Executive Director Darlene Carlson. Registration is recommended, but Carlson said walk-ups will be accepted between 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

This hands-on history lesson introduces students to life in the 1800s, with demonstrations of wood tools, butter churning, an apple cider press, corn shucking and corn husk doll making. Historic Spring Frog Cabin will be open for tours.

Elsewhere, Chattanooga’s New Hope Presbyterian Church set up a Christmas Village marketplace to benefit local missions; the vendors of Dirty Jane’s Antiques in Red Bank are prepping for a holiday open house; and vendors of handmade arts and crafts will set up for the Tangled Tinsel Holiday Market in Collegedale.

THIS WEEKEND

Note: See a guide to 90+ festivals this season at timesfreepress.com.

› Christmas open house: Dirty Jane’s Antiques, 1910 Dayton Blvd. Holiday celebration with more than

100 vendors, door prizes, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, noon6 p.m. Sunday. More information on Facebook.

› Christmas Village: New Hope Presbyterian Church, 7608 Shallowford Road. Arts and crafts vendors, direct sales and small-business products, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. newhopechattanooga.org

› Mistletoe Market: The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge, 3499 U.S. Highway 76, Young Harris, Ga. Arts, crafts and food vendors, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. mountainartscrafts.org

› Tangled Tinsel Holiday Market: Collegedale Commons, 4950 Swinyar Drive. More than 120 vendors offering handmade items, plus food vendors, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. touchtheskyevents.com

› Walker Farm Pioneer Days: Audubon Acres, 900 N. Sanctuary Road. Handson historical demonstrations geared to elementaryage students and families, openings available Saturday only, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. $7.50 non-members, $5 members. chattanoogaaudubon.org

STAFF PHOTO BY MATT HAMILTON Cleveland, Tenn., resident Jo Ann Ratliff talks to children about spinning wool into yarn during Pioneer Days at Audubon Acres earlier this week.